uql-orm 0.27.0 → 0.28.0

package/dist/dialect/abstractSqlDialect.js

@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 import { getMeta } from '../entity/index.js';
 import { parseQueryLock, QueryRaw, RAW_ALIAS, RAW_VALUE, } from '../type/index.js';
-import { asSelectMap, buildQueryWhereAsMap, buildSortMap, escapeSqlId, fillOnFields, filterFieldKeys, flatObject, getInsertFieldKeys, getKeys, getRelationRequestSummary, getSoftDeleteValue, hasKeys, hasMultipleKeys, isBooleanType, isJsonType, isJsonUpdateOp, isNumericType, isOperatorObject, isOperatorOnlyObject, isPopulatingRelations, isVectorSearch, normalizeScalarFieldSelection, parseGroupMap, parseRelationAtKey, parseRelationSize, raw, someValue, withoutSoftDeleteFilter, } from '../util/index.js';
+import { asSelectMap, buildQueryWhereAsMap, escapeSqlId, fillOnFields, filterFieldKeys, getInsertFieldKeys, getKeys, getSoftDeleteValue, hasKeys, isBooleanType, isJsonType, isJsonUpdateOp, isNumericType, isOperatorObject, isOperatorOnlyObject, isToManyRelation, isVectorSearch, normalizeScalarFieldSelection, parseGroupMap, parseRelationSize, populatesRelations, raw, someValue, withoutSoftDeleteFilter, } from '../util/index.js';
 import { escapeAnsiSqlLiteral, escapeSingleQuotes } from '../util/sqlLiteral.js';
 import { IndexSqlDialect } from './indexSqlDialect.js';
 import { buildElemMatchConditions } from './jsonArrayElemMatchUtils.js';
 import { isJsonbOp, JSON_ELEM_ALIAS_PREFIX, jsonCompareMode, jsonElemExists } from './jsonSql.js';
 import { SqlQueryContext } from './queryContext.js';
+import { isSortMap, NO_JOINS, resolveQueryJoins, } from './queryJoins.js';
 import { isVectorFieldType, resolveVectorCast } from './vectorCast.js';
 export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
     isolationLevelStrategy = 'inline';
@@ -41,10 +42,11 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
      * straight into `ctx`'s own values array - shared by reference, not copied - so `addValue` numbers
      * its placeholder correctly against the real query from the start; a fresh, empty array would
      * instead number from `1` regardless of how many values `ctx` already has, misnumbering every
-     * bound value on `$n`-placeholder dialects once `ctx` isn't otherwise empty.
+     * bound value on `$n`-placeholder dialects once `ctx` isn't otherwise empty. Generated aliases are
+     * shared for the same reason - see {@link SqlQueryContext}.
      */
     buildFragment(ctx, build) {
-        const fragmentCtx = new SqlQueryContext(this, ctx.values);
+        const fragmentCtx = ctx.createFragment();
         build(fragmentCtx);
         return fragmentCtx.sql;
     }
@@ -85,15 +87,15 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
         const idName = this.columnOf(meta, idKey);
         return `RETURNING ${this.escapeId(idName)} ${this.escapeId('id')}`;
     }
-    search(ctx, entity, q = {}, opts = {}) {
+    search(ctx, entity, q = {}, opts = {}, joins = NO_JOINS) {
         const meta = getMeta(entity);
         const tableName = this.resolveTableName(entity, meta);
-        const prefix = this.resolveRelationAwarePrefix(tableName, meta, opts, asSelectMap(q.$select), q.$populate);
+        const prefix = this.resolveRelationAwarePrefix(tableName, meta, opts, q.$populate, joins);
         if (opts.prefix !== prefix) {
             opts = { ...opts, prefix };
         }
         this.where(ctx, entity, q.$where, opts);
-        this.sort(ctx, entity, q.$sort, opts);
+        this.sort(ctx, entity, q.$sort, { prefix, joins, distinct: q.$distinct });
         this.pager(ctx, q);
     }
     selectFields(ctx, entity, select, opts = {}, exclude) {
@@ -162,87 +164,59 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
     appendTextSearch(_ctx, _entity, _meta, _search) {
         throw new TypeError(`${this.dialectName} does not support $text full-text search`);
     }
-    select(ctx, entity, select, exclude, populate, opts = {}, distinct, sort) {
+    select(ctx, entity, q, opts = {}, joins = NO_JOINS) {
         const meta = getMeta(entity);
         const tableName = this.resolveTableName(entity, meta);
-        const mapSelect = asSelectMap(select);
-        const prefix = this.resolveRelationAwarePrefix(tableName, meta, opts, mapSelect, populate);
-        ctx.append(distinct ? 'SELECT DISTINCT ' : 'SELECT ');
-        this.selectFields(ctx, entity, select, { prefix }, exclude);
+        const prefix = this.resolveRelationAwarePrefix(tableName, meta, opts, q.$populate, joins);
+        ctx.append(q.$distinct ? 'SELECT DISTINCT ' : 'SELECT ');
+        this.selectFields(ctx, entity, q.$select, { prefix }, q.$exclude);
         // Add related fields BEFORE FROM clause
-        this.selectRelationFields(ctx, entity, mapSelect, populate, { prefix });
+        this.selectRelationFields(ctx, joins);
         // Inject vector distance projections when $project is set
-        if (sort) {
-            const sortMap = buildSortMap(sort);
-            for (const [key, val] of Object.entries(sortMap)) {
-                if (isVectorSearch(val) && val.$project) {
-                    ctx.append(', ');
-                    this.appendVectorProjection(ctx, meta, key, val);
-                }
+        for (const [key, val] of Object.entries(q.$sort ?? {})) {
+            if (isVectorSearch(val) && val.$project) {
+                ctx.append(', ');
+                this.appendVectorProjection(ctx, meta, key, val);
             }
         }
         ctx.append(` FROM ${this.escapeId(tableName)}`);
         // Add JOINs AFTER FROM clause
-        this.selectRelationJoins(ctx, entity, mapSelect, populate, { prefix });
-    }
-    resolveRelationAwarePrefix(tableName, meta, opts, select, populate) {
-        return (opts.prefix ?? (opts.autoPrefix || isPopulatingRelations(meta, populate))) ? tableName : undefined;
-    }
-    selectRelationFields(ctx, entity, select, populate, opts = {}) {
-        this.forEachJoinableRelation(entity, select, populate, opts, (relEntity, relQuery, joinRelAlias) => {
+        this.selectRelationJoins(ctx, meta, tableName, joins);
+    }
+    /** Columns are alias-qualified once anything else is in play: a join, or a to-many being filled. */
+    resolveRelationAwarePrefix(tableName, meta, opts, populate, joins) {
+        return (opts.prefix ?? (opts.autoPrefix || joins.size > 0 || populatesRelations(meta, populate)))
+            ? tableName
+            : undefined;
+    }
+    selectRelationFields(ctx, joins) {
+        for (const join of joins.values()) {
+            // A join `$sort` asked for adds no columns: it orders the rows, it does not widen them.
+            if (!join.projected)
+                continue;
             ctx.append(', ');
-            this.selectFields(ctx, relEntity, relQuery.$select, { prefix: joinRelAlias, autoPrefixAlias: true }, relQuery.$exclude);
-            this.selectRelationFields(ctx, relEntity, relQuery.$select, relQuery.$populate, { prefix: joinRelAlias });
-        });
+            this.selectFields(ctx, join.entity, join.query.$select, { prefix: join.path, autoPrefixAlias: true }, join.query.$exclude);
+        }
     }
-    selectRelationJoins(ctx, entity, select, populate, opts = {}) {
-        this.forEachJoinableRelation(entity, select, populate, opts, (relEntity, relQuery, joinRelAlias, relOpts, meta, tableName, required) => {
-            const relMeta = getMeta(relEntity);
-            const relTableName = this.resolveTableName(relEntity, relMeta);
-            const relEntityName = this.escapeId(relTableName);
-            const relPath = opts.prefix ? this.escapeId(opts.prefix, true) : this.escapeId(tableName);
-            const joinType = required ? 'INNER' : 'LEFT';
-            const joinAlias = this.escapeId(joinRelAlias, true);
-            ctx.append(` ${joinType} JOIN ${relEntityName} ${joinAlias} ON `);
-            let refAppended = false;
-            for (const it of relOpts.references) {
-                if (refAppended)
+    selectRelationJoins(ctx, meta, tableName, joins) {
+        for (const join of joins.values()) {
+            const joinAlias = this.escapeId(join.path, true);
+            const parentAlias = join.parent ? this.escapeId(join.parent.path, true) : this.escapeId(tableName);
+            ctx.append(` ${join.required ? 'INNER' : 'LEFT'} JOIN ${this.escapeId(this.resolveTableName(join.entity, join.meta))} ${joinAlias} ON `);
+            join.relation.references.forEach((reference, index) => {
+                if (index > 0)
                     ctx.append(' AND ');
-                const relField = relMeta.fields[it.foreign];
-                const field = meta.fields[it.local];
-                const foreignColumnName = this.resolveColumnName(it.foreign, relField);
-                const localColumnName = this.resolveColumnName(it.local, field);
-                ctx.append(`${joinAlias}.${this.escapeId(foreignColumnName)} = ${relPath}.${this.escapeId(localColumnName)}`);
-                refAppended = true;
-            }
-            // Unconditional, not gated by `relQuery.$where`: a joined relation's own filters (in
+                const foreign = this.escapeId(this.columnOf(join.meta, reference.foreign));
+                // Two calls rather than one over a union: the parent is either another join's entity or the
+                // queried one, and their metadata types have nothing in common.
+                const local = this.escapeId(join.parent ? this.columnOf(join.parent.meta, reference.local) : this.columnOf(meta, reference.local));
+                ctx.append(`${joinAlias}.${foreign} = ${parentAlias}.${local}`);
+            });
+            // Unconditional, not gated by `join.query.$where`: a joined relation's own filters (in
             // particular `security: true` ones) must apply even to a bare `$populate: { rel: true }`
-            // with no explicit `$where`. `where()` -> `renderWhere()` no-ops cleanly (appends nothing)
-            // when there is truly nothing to add, so this is a pure superset of the old behavior.
-            this.where(ctx, relEntity, relQuery.$where ?? {}, { prefix: joinRelAlias, clause: 'AND' });
-            this.selectRelationJoins(ctx, relEntity, relQuery.$select, relQuery.$populate, { prefix: joinRelAlias });
-        });
-    }
-    /**
-     * Iterates over joinable (11/m1) relations for a given select, resolving shared metadata.
-     * Used by both `selectRelationFields` and `selectRelationJoins` to avoid duplicated iteration logic.
-     */
-    forEachJoinableRelation(entity, select, populate, opts, callback) {
-        if (!select && !populate)
-            return;
-        const meta = getMeta(entity);
-        const tableName = this.resolveTableName(entity, meta);
-        const relKeys = getRelationRequestSummary(meta, populate).joinableKeys;
-        const prefix = opts.prefix;
-        for (const relKey of relKeys) {
-            const relOpts = meta.relations[relKey];
-            if (!relOpts)
-                continue;
-            const isFirstLevel = prefix === tableName;
-            const joinRelAlias = isFirstLevel ? relKey : prefix ? `${prefix}.${relKey}` : relKey;
-            const relEntity = relOpts.entity();
-            const { query: relQuery, required } = parseRelationAtKey(relKey, populate);
-            callback(relEntity, relQuery, joinRelAlias, relOpts, meta, tableName, required);
+            // with no explicit `$where` - and equally to a join `$sort` brought in on its own.
+            // `where()` -> `renderWhere()` no-ops cleanly (appends nothing) when there is nothing to add.
+            this.where(ctx, join.entity, join.query.$where ?? {}, { prefix: join.path, clause: 'AND' });
         }
     }
     where(ctx, entity, where = {}, opts = {}) {
@@ -253,34 +227,35 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
     /** Renders a `$where` tree without applying entity filters (used for same-scope `$and`/`$or` recursion). */
     renderWhere(ctx, entity, where = {}, opts = {}) {
         const meta = getMeta(entity);
-        const { usePrecedence, clause = 'WHERE' } = opts;
+        const { clause = 'WHERE' } = opts;
         where = buildQueryWhereAsMap(meta, where);
-        const whereKeys = getKeys(where);
+        // An `undefined` value emits nothing, so it must not count towards the terms either: it decides
+        // both where the `AND`s go and whether this fragment needs parentheses.
+        const whereKeys = getKeys(where).filter((key) => where[key] !== undefined);
         if (!whereKeys.length) {
             return;
         }
         if (clause) {
             ctx.append(` ${clause} `);
         }
-        if (usePrecedence) {
+        const multipleKeys = whereKeys.length > 1;
+        // This fragment joins its own keys with `AND`, so appending it after one (a JOIN's `ON`) needs no
+        // parentheses - but anything nested in it is still an operand, since that may be an `OR`.
+        const parenthesize = multipleKeys && opts.operand;
+        if (parenthesize) {
             ctx.append('(');
         }
-        const multipleKeys = whereKeys.length > 1;
-        // `usePrecedence` is the only field that changes for the children and it is constant across
-        // them, so resolve the child options once instead of spreading `opts` per key.
-        const childOpts = opts.usePrecedence === multipleKeys ? opts : { ...opts, usePrecedence: multipleKeys };
-        let appended = false;
-        whereKeys.forEach((key) => {
-            const val = where[key];
-            if (val === undefined)
-                return;
-            if (appended) {
+        // Each key is an operand of the `AND` joining them; a lone key emits this fragment verbatim, so
+        // it inherits this one's position instead.
+        const childOperand = multipleKeys || opts.operand || clause === 'AND';
+        const childOpts = opts.operand === childOperand ? opts : { ...opts, operand: childOperand };
+        whereKeys.forEach((key, index) => {
+            if (index > 0) {
                 ctx.append(' AND ');
             }
-            this.compare(ctx, entity, key, val, childOpts);
-            appended = true;
+            this.compare(ctx, entity, key, where[key], childOpts);
         });
-        if (usePrecedence) {
+        if (parenthesize) {
             ctx.append(')');
         }
     }
@@ -347,35 +322,31 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
     }
     compareLogicalOperator(ctx, entity, key, val, opts) {
         const op = AbstractSqlDialect.NEGATE_OP_MAP.get(key) ?? key;
-        const negate = AbstractSqlDialect.NEGATE_OP_MAP.has(key) ? 'NOT' : '';
-        const valArr = val ?? [];
-        const hasManyItems = valArr.length > 1;
-        if ((opts.usePrecedence || negate) && hasManyItems) {
-            ctx.append((negate ? negate + ' ' : '') + '(');
-        }
-        else if (negate) {
-            ctx.append(negate + ' ');
-        }
-        valArr.forEach((whereEntry, index) => {
-            if (index > 0) {
-                ctx.append(op === '$or' ? ' OR ' : ' AND ');
-            }
-            if (whereEntry instanceof QueryRaw) {
-                this.getRawValue(ctx, {
-                    value: whereEntry,
-                });
+        const negate = AbstractSqlDialect.NEGATE_OP_MAP.has(key);
+        const items = val ?? [];
+        // With more than one item each is an operand of the operator joining them, so a compound item
+        // parenthesizes itself and precedence never applies; a lone item is this group verbatim, so it
+        // inherits the group's own position. A negation always makes its subject an operand.
+        const childOperand = items.length > 1 || negate || opts.operand;
+        // Rendered before anything is appended, because an item that contributes no SQL (`{}`, an
+        // `undefined` entry) must leave no dangling separator behind, and how many terms this fragment
+        // really emits is what decides whether it needs parentheses.
+        const parts = items
+            .map((entry) => this.buildFragment(ctx, (fragmentCtx) => {
+            if (entry instanceof QueryRaw) {
+                this.getRawValue(fragmentCtx, { value: entry });
             }
-            else if (whereEntry) {
-                this.renderWhere(ctx, entity, whereEntry, {
-                    prefix: opts.prefix,
-                    usePrecedence: hasManyItems && !Array.isArray(whereEntry) && hasMultipleKeys(whereEntry),
-                    clause: false,
-                });
+            else if (entry) {
+                this.renderWhere(fragmentCtx, entity, entry, { prefix: opts.prefix, operand: childOperand, clause: false });
             }
-        });
-        if ((opts.usePrecedence || negate) && hasManyItems) {
-            ctx.append(')');
+        }))
+            .filter((part) => part !== '');
+        if (!parts.length) {
+            return;
         }
+        const body = parts.join(op === '$or' ? ' OR ' : ' AND ');
+        const parenthesize = parts.length > 1 && (opts.operand || negate);
+        ctx.append((negate ? 'NOT ' : '') + (parenthesize ? `(${body})` : body));
     }
     /** Memoizes {@link escapedColumnName}; see there for why it is per dialect instance. */
     escapedColumns = new WeakMap();
@@ -389,47 +360,70 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
         ['$lt', ' < '],
         ['$lte', ' <= '],
     ]);
-    static LIKE_OP_MAP = new Map([
-        ['$startsWith', (v) => `${v}%`],
-        ['$istartsWith', (v) => `${v.toLowerCase()}%`],
-        ['$endsWith', (v) => `%${v}`],
-        ['$iendsWith', (v) => `%${v.toLowerCase()}`],
-        ['$includes', (v) => `%${v}%`],
-        ['$iincludes', (v) => `%${v.toLowerCase()}%`],
-        ['$like', (v) => v],
-        ['$ilike', (v) => v.toLowerCase()],
-    ]);
     /**
-     * The case-insensitive `LIKE_OP_MAP` keys - the value is lowercased, so the comparison must use
-     * `ilikeExpr` (Postgres's `ILIKE`) rather than `LIKE`. `$includes` is deliberately excluded even
-     * though it starts with the substring `$i`: it is case-sensitive, unlike `$iincludes`.
+     * Every `$like`-family operator: the pattern it wraps its value in, and whether it ignores case.
+     * Each case-sensitive operator is paired here with the `$i` twin that shares its pattern, so the
+     * two can never drift apart - and neither one decides case folding, which is
+     * {@link caseInsensitiveMatch}'s single call.
      */
-    static LIKE_CASE_INSENSITIVE_OPS = new Set([
-        '$istartsWith',
-        '$iendsWith',
-        '$iincludes',
-        '$ilike',
-    ]);
-    /** Builds `prefix.column` from an already-resolved field. */
+    static LIKE_OPS = new Map([
+        ['$like', '$ilike', (v) => v],
+        ['$startsWith', '$istartsWith', (v) => `${v}%`],
+        ['$endsWith', '$iendsWith', (v) => `%${v}`],
+        ['$includes', '$iincludes', (v) => `%${v}%`],
+    ].flatMap(([sensitive, insensitive, pattern]) => [
+        [sensitive, { pattern, insensitive: false }],
+        [insensitive, { pattern, insensitive: true }],
+    ]));
+    /**
+     * How this engine matches case-insensitively. One decision, not two: folding the pattern while the
+     * comparison leaves the column alone matches neither case, which is what `$istartsWith: 'Some'`
+     * used to do wherever `LIKE` is case-sensitive.
+     *
+     * - `ilike`: the engine has a case-insensitive operator (`ILIKE`), so the pattern goes through as written.
+     * - `native`: plain `LIKE` already ignores case (SQLite, for ASCII). Folding the pattern in JS would
+     *   only break the non-ASCII characters the engine cannot fold anyway - `'É'` would become an `'é'`
+     *   that matches nothing.
+     * - `fold`: nothing ignores case on its own, so both sides are lowered explicitly. Not indexable as
+     *   such; an expression index over `LOWER(column)` is what makes it so.
+     */
+    caseInsensitiveMatch = 'fold';
+    /**
+     * A `$like`-family condition, or `undefined` when `op` is not one of them. Shared by columns and
+     * JSON paths, and the only place a pattern is folded - always together with the column it is
+     * compared against.
+     */
+    likeCondition(ctx, operand, op, val) {
+        const like = AbstractSqlDialect.LIKE_OPS.get(op);
+        if (!like) {
+            return undefined;
+        }
+        const fold = like.insensitive && this.caseInsensitiveMatch === 'fold';
+        const value = String(val);
+        const ph = this.addValue(ctx.values, like.pattern(fold ? value.toLowerCase() : value));
+        const matchOp = like.insensitive && this.caseInsensitiveMatch === 'ilike' ? 'ILIKE' : this.likeFn;
+        return `${fold ? `LOWER(${operand})` : operand} ${matchOp} ${ph}`;
+    }
+    /** Builds `prefix.column` from an already-resolved field, through the same memo writes use. */
     columnWithPrefix(key, field, prefix) {
-        const columnName = this.resolveColumnName(key, field);
-        const escapedPrefix = this.escapeId(prefix, true, true);
-        return escapedPrefix + this.escapeId(columnName);
+        return this.escapeId(prefix, true, true) + this.escapedColumnOf(key, field);
     }
     /**
-     * Resolves the SQL operand for a field comparison.
-     * For QueryRaw virtuals, appends the raw expression to ctx and returns undefined.
+     * The SQL a field comparison reads its left-hand side from. A virtual field builds its expression
+     * as text rather than appending it, so every operator gets a real operand to wrap - `LOWER(...)`,
+     * `NOT (... <=> ...)` - instead of having to fall back to a form that takes none.
      */
     resolveOperandField(ctx, entity, key, opts) {
-        const col = getMeta(entity).fields[key];
-        if (col?.virtual) {
-            this.getComparisonKey(ctx, entity, key, opts);
-            return undefined;
+        const field = getMeta(entity).fields[key];
+        const virtual = field?.virtual;
+        if (virtual) {
+            return this.buildFragment(ctx, (fragmentCtx) => this.getRawValue(fragmentCtx, {
+                value: virtual,
+                prefix: opts.prefix,
+                escapedPrefix: this.escapeId(opts.prefix, true, true),
+            }));
         }
-        return this.columnWithPrefix(key, col, opts.prefix);
-    }
-    appendFieldSql(ctx, field, sql) {
-        ctx.append(field ? `${field}${sql}` : sql);
+        return this.columnWithPrefix(key, field, opts.prefix);
     }
     compareFieldOperator(ctx, entity, key, op, val, opts = {}) {
         const field = this.resolveOperandField(ctx, entity, key, opts);
@@ -443,102 +437,75 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
                 ctx.append(')');
                 break;
             case '$all':
-                ctx.append(this.jsonAll(ctx, field ?? '', val));
+                ctx.append(this.jsonAll(ctx, field, val));
                 break;
             case '$size':
-                ctx.append(this.jsonSize(ctx, field ?? '', val));
+                ctx.append(this.jsonSize(ctx, field, val));
                 break;
             case '$elemMatch':
-                ctx.append(this.jsonElemMatch(ctx, field ?? '', val));
+                ctx.append(this.jsonElemMatch(ctx, field, val));
                 break;
             default:
                 throw TypeError(`unknown operator: ${op}`);
         }
     }
     /**
-     * Render `<operand> <op> <value>` for every operator that needs nothing but its left-hand SQL, and
-     * report whether `op` was one of them.
+     * `<operand> <op> <value>` for every operator that needs nothing but its left-hand SQL, or
+     * `undefined` when `op` is not one of them.
      *
      * One implementation for three callers that each had their own: a WHERE column, a HAVING aggregate
-     * expression, and a `$size` count (which passes no operand, since its expression is already in the
-     * context). They previously disagreed - HAVING carried a second comparison-operator map and threw
-     * `unsupported HAVING operator` on the `$like` that `QueryHavingMap` accepts, and neither of the
-     * other two turned `$eq: null` into `IS NULL` the way the WHERE path does.
+     * expression, and a `$size` count (whose expression is already in the context, so it passes an
+     * empty operand). They previously disagreed - HAVING carried a second comparison-operator map and
+     * threw `unsupported HAVING operator` on the `$like` that `QueryHavingMap` accepts, and neither of
+     * the other two turned `$eq: null` into `IS NULL` the way the WHERE path does.
      *
      * The operators kept out are the ones that need more than an operand: `$not` recurses through the
      * entity, and `$all`/`$size`/`$elemMatch` address a JSON document.
      */
-    appendOperatorCondition(ctx, operand, op, val) {
-        const simpleOp = AbstractSqlDialect.COMPARE_OP_MAP.get(op);
-        if (simpleOp) {
-            this.appendFieldSql(ctx, operand, `${simpleOp}${this.addValue(ctx.values, val)}`);
-            return true;
+    operatorCondition(ctx, operand, op, val) {
+        const compareOp = AbstractSqlDialect.COMPARE_OP_MAP.get(op);
+        if (compareOp) {
+            return `${operand}${compareOp}${this.addValue(ctx.values, val)}`;
         }
-        const likeWrap = AbstractSqlDialect.LIKE_OP_MAP.get(op);
-        if (likeWrap) {
-            this.appendLikeOp(ctx, operand, op, likeWrap(val));
-            return true;
+        const like = this.likeCondition(ctx, operand, op, val);
+        if (like) {
+            return like;
         }
         switch (op) {
             case '$eq':
+                return val === null ? `${operand} IS NULL` : `${operand} = ${this.addValue(ctx.values, val)}`;
             case '$ne':
-                this.appendEqNe(ctx, operand, op, val);
-                return true;
+                return val === null ? `${operand} IS NOT NULL` : this.neExpr(operand, this.addValue(ctx.values, val));
             case '$regex':
-                this.appendFieldSql(ctx, operand, ` ${this.regexpOp} ${this.addValue(ctx.values, val)}`);
-                return true;
+                return `${operand} ${this.regexpOp} ${this.addValue(ctx.values, val)}`;
             case '$in':
-            case '$nin':
-                this.appendInNin(ctx, operand, op, val);
-                return true;
+            case '$nin': {
+                if (!Array.isArray(val)) {
+                    // Not covered by the types: `/http` casts client JSON straight to `Query`, so this arrives untyped.
+                    throw TypeError(`${op} expects an array, got ${val === null ? 'null' : typeof val}`);
+                }
+                return operand + this.formatIn(ctx, val, op === '$nin');
+            }
             case '$between': {
                 const [min, max] = val;
-                this.appendFieldSql(ctx, operand, ` BETWEEN ${this.addValue(ctx.values, min)} AND ${this.addValue(ctx.values, max)}`);
-                return true;
+                return `${operand} BETWEEN ${this.addValue(ctx.values, min)} AND ${this.addValue(ctx.values, max)}`;
             }
             case '$isNull':
-                this.appendFieldSql(ctx, operand, val ? ' IS NULL' : ' IS NOT NULL');
-                return true;
+                return operand + (val ? ' IS NULL' : ' IS NOT NULL');
             case '$isNotNull':
-                this.appendFieldSql(ctx, operand, val ? ' IS NOT NULL' : ' IS NULL');
-                return true;
+                return operand + (val ? ' IS NOT NULL' : ' IS NULL');
             default:
-                return false;
+                return undefined;
         }
     }
-    appendLikeOp(ctx, field, op, wrappedVal) {
-        const isIlike = AbstractSqlDialect.LIKE_CASE_INSENSITIVE_OPS.has(op);
-        const ph = this.addValue(ctx.values, wrappedVal);
-        if (isIlike && field) {
-            ctx.append(this.ilikeExpr(field, ph));
-        }
-        else {
-            this.appendFieldSql(ctx, field, ` ${this.likeFn} ${ph}`);
-        }
-    }
-    appendEqNe(ctx, field, op, val) {
-        if (val === null) {
-            this.appendFieldSql(ctx, field, op === '$eq' ? ' IS NULL' : ' IS NOT NULL');
-            return;
-        }
-        const ph = this.addValue(ctx.values, val);
-        if (op === '$eq') {
-            this.appendFieldSql(ctx, field, ` = ${ph}`);
-            return;
-        }
-        if (field) {
-            ctx.append(this.neExpr(field, ph));
-        }
-        else {
-            this.appendFieldSql(ctx, field, ` ${this.neOp} ${ph}`);
-        }
-    }
-    appendInNin(ctx, field, op, val) {
-        if (!Array.isArray(val)) {
-            // Not covered by the types: `/http` casts client JSON straight to `Query`, so this arrives untyped.
-            throw TypeError(`${op} expects an array, got ${val === null ? 'null' : typeof val}`);
+    /** {@link operatorCondition}, appended; `false` when `op` needs more than an operand. */
+    appendOperatorCondition(ctx, operand, op, val) {
+        const condition = this.operatorCondition(ctx, operand, op, val);
+        if (condition === undefined) {
+            return false;
         }
-        this.appendFieldSql(ctx, field, this.formatIn(ctx, val, op === '$nin'));
+        ctx.append(condition);
+        return true;
     }
     /**
      * Build a comparison condition for a JSON field.
@@ -547,6 +514,11 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
      */
     buildJsonFieldCondition(ctx, fieldAccessor, jsonPath, op, value, asJson = false) {
         const jsonField = fieldAccessor(jsonPath);
+        // The `$like` family reads a JSON path exactly as it reads a column, case folding included.
+        const like = this.likeCondition(ctx, jsonField, op, value);
+        if (like) {
+            return like;
+        }
         switch (op) {
             case '$eq':
                 if (value === null)
@@ -564,22 +536,6 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
                 return `${this.numericCast(jsonField)} < ${this.addValue(ctx.values, value)}`;
             case '$lte':
                 return `${this.numericCast(jsonField)} <= ${this.addValue(ctx.values, value)}`;
-            case '$like':
-                return `${jsonField} ${this.likeFn} ${this.addValue(ctx.values, value)}`;
-            case '$ilike':
-                return this.ilikeExpr(jsonField, this.addValue(ctx.values, value.toLowerCase()));
-            case '$startsWith':
-                return `${jsonField} ${this.likeFn} ${this.addValue(ctx.values, `${value}%`)}`;
-            case '$istartsWith':
-                return this.ilikeExpr(jsonField, this.addValue(ctx.values, `${value.toLowerCase()}%`));
-            case '$endsWith':
-                return `${jsonField} ${this.likeFn} ${this.addValue(ctx.values, `%${value}`)}`;
-            case '$iendsWith':
-                return this.ilikeExpr(jsonField, this.addValue(ctx.values, `%${value.toLowerCase()}`));
-            case '$includes':
-                return `${jsonField} ${this.likeFn} ${this.addValue(ctx.values, `%${value}%`)}`;
-            case '$iincludes':
-                return this.ilikeExpr(jsonField, this.addValue(ctx.values, `%${value.toLowerCase()}%`));
             case '$regex':
                 return `${jsonField} ${this.regexpOp} ${this.addValue(ctx.values, value)}`;
             case '$in':
@@ -673,70 +629,83 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
         ctx.pushValue(JSON.stringify(value));
         return this.jsonCast('?');
     }
-    getComparisonKey(ctx, entity, key, { prefix } = {}) {
-        const meta = getMeta(entity);
-        const escapedPrefix = this.escapeId(prefix, true, true);
-        const field = meta.fields[key];
-        if (field?.virtual) {
-            this.getRawValue(ctx, {
-                value: field.virtual,
-                prefix,
-                escapedPrefix,
-            });
-            return;
-        }
-        const columnName = this.resolveColumnName(key, field);
-        ctx.append(escapedPrefix + this.escapeId(columnName));
+    /** {@link resolveOperandField}, appended. */
+    getComparisonKey(ctx, entity, key, opts = {}) {
+        ctx.append(this.resolveOperandField(ctx, entity, key, opts));
     }
-    sort(ctx, entity, sort, { prefix }) {
+    sort(ctx, entity, sort, opts = {}) {
         if (!hasKeys(sort)) {
             return;
         }
-        const sortMap = buildSortMap(sort);
-        const meta = getMeta(entity);
-        // Separate vector search entries from direction entries before flattening,
-        // because flatObject recursively destructures objects - it would break QueryVectorSearch.
-        const vectorEntries = [];
-        const directionEntries = {};
-        for (const [key, val] of Object.entries(sortMap)) {
-            if (isVectorSearch(val)) {
-                vectorEntries.push([key, val]);
-            }
-            else {
-                directionEntries[key] = val;
-            }
+        // Collected before anything is appended so an unorderable key is reported instead of half a
+        // clause, and because a vector distance is the primary ordering wherever it appears in the map.
+        const vectors = [];
+        const columns = [];
+        this.collectSortTerms(ctx, getMeta(entity), sort, opts, vectors, columns);
+        const terms = [...vectors, ...columns];
+        if (terms.length) {
+            ctx.append(` ORDER BY ${terms.join(', ')}`);
         }
-        const flattenedSort = flatObject(directionEntries, prefix);
-        // Merge: vector entries first (primary ordering), then flattened direction entries.
-        const allEntries = [...vectorEntries, ...Object.entries(flattenedSort)];
-        if (!allEntries.length)
-            return;
-        ctx.append(' ORDER BY ');
-        allEntries.forEach(([key, sort], index) => {
-            if (index > 0) {
-                ctx.append(', ');
-            }
-            if (isVectorSearch(sort)) {
-                if (sort.$project) {
-                    // Distance already projected in SELECT - reference the alias to avoid recomputation
-                    ctx.append(this.escapeId(sort.$project));
-                }
-                else {
-                    this.appendVectorSort(ctx, meta, key, sort);
+    }
+    /**
+     * Walks `$sort` against the metadata of the entity each level addresses, rather than flattening it
+     * to dotted strings and reading every key off the root: only that way does a related column resolve
+     * through its own `@Field({ name })`, and only that way is `tax.category` the one alias the join
+     * carries instead of two quoted identifiers.
+     */
+    collectSortTerms(ctx, meta, sort, opts, vectors, columns, path = '') {
+        // Below the first level the alias a column is qualified by *is* the path walked to reach it.
+        const prefix = path || opts.prefix;
+        for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(sort)) {
+            const relation = meta.relations[key];
+            if (relation) {
+                const relPath = path ? `${path}.${key}` : key;
+                if (!isSortMap(value)) {
+                    throw new TypeError(`$sort by relation '${relPath}' expects a map of its fields, got ${String(value)}`);
                 }
-                return;
+                const join = this.resolveSortJoin(relation, relPath, opts);
+                this.collectSortTerms(ctx, join.meta, value, opts, vectors, columns, relPath);
+                continue;
             }
-            const direction = this.resolveSortDirection(sort);
-            // Detect JSONB dot-notation: 'column.path'
-            const jsonDot = this.resolveJsonDotPath(meta, key);
-            if (jsonDot) {
-                ctx.append(jsonDot.accessor() + direction);
-                return;
+            if (isVectorSearch(value)) {
+                if (path) {
+                    throw new TypeError(`$vector sort is only supported on the queried entity, not on relation '${path}'`);
+                }
+                // Already projected in the SELECT list: order by that alias rather than recomputing it.
+                vectors.push(value.$project
+                    ? this.escapeId(value.$project)
+                    : this.buildFragment(ctx, (fragmentCtx) => this.appendVectorSort(fragmentCtx, meta, key, value)));
+                continue;
             }
-            const field = meta.fields[key];
-            const name = this.resolveColumnName(key, field);
-            ctx.append(this.escapeId(name) + direction);
-        });
+            columns.push(this.sortColumn(meta, key, prefix) + this.resolveSortDirection(value));
+        }
+    }
+    /** The join an `ORDER BY` term addresses, or why the statement cannot order by it. */
+    resolveSortJoin(relation, path, opts) {
+        if (isToManyRelation(relation)) {
+            throw new TypeError(`cannot $sort by '${path}': a parent has many of them, so there is no single value to order by. Sort the relation's own rows inside $populate instead.`);
+        }
+        const join = opts.joins?.get(path);
+        if (!join) {
+            throw new TypeError(`cannot $sort by relation '${path}': this statement joins no relations`);
+        }
+        // `SELECT DISTINCT` can only order by what it selected, on every engine here, so a join brought in
+        // for the sort alone has nothing to order by. Populating it puts its columns in the select list.
+        if (opts.distinct && !join.projected) {
+            throw new TypeError(`cannot $sort by relation '${path}' with $distinct unless '${path}' is populated: SELECT DISTINCT orders only by selected columns`);
+        }
+        return join;
+    }
+    /**
+     * The `ORDER BY` operand for one key. A key that is not a column of `meta` - a virtual field, a
+     * `raw()` projection - is an output alias, which is never table-qualified and needs no resolving.
+     */
+    sortColumn(meta, key, prefix) {
+        const field = meta.fields[key];
+        if (field) {
+            return field.virtual ? this.escapeId(key) : this.columnWithPrefix(key, field, prefix);
+        }
+        return this.resolveJsonDotPath(meta, key, prefix)?.accessor() ?? this.escapeId(key);
     }
     pager(ctx, opts) {
         if (opts.$limit) {
@@ -750,20 +719,17 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
     supportsRowLocks = true;
     /** MariaDB is the one engine here that cannot narrow a lock to one table of a join. */
     supportsLockOf = true;
-    /** Whether this statement joins, which is what forces the lock to be narrowed to one table. */
-    joinsRelations(meta, q) {
-        return getRelationRequestSummary(meta, q.$populate).joinableKeys.length > 0;
-    }
     /** Validated before the querier checks for a transaction, so the clearer error wins. */
-    assertLockSupported(entity, q) {
+    assertLockSupported(entity, q, joins) {
         if (!parseQueryLock(q.$lock)) {
             return;
         }
         if (!this.supportsRowLocks) {
             throw new TypeError(`${this.dialectName} does not support row-level locking ($lock)`);
         }
-        if (!this.supportsLockOf && this.joinsRelations(getMeta(entity), q)) {
-            throw new TypeError(`${this.dialectName} cannot narrow a row lock to one table, so $lock cannot be combined with a joined $populate`);
+        joins ??= resolveQueryJoins(getMeta(entity), q);
+        if (!this.supportsLockOf && joins.size > 0) {
+            throw new TypeError(`${this.dialectName} cannot narrow a row lock to one table, so $lock cannot be combined with a joined relation`);
         }
     }
     /**
@@ -771,21 +737,22 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
      * joined: Postgres refuses a bare `FOR UPDATE` over the nullable side of an outer join outright,
      * and the other engines quietly widen the lock to the joined rows.
      */
-    appendLock(ctx, entity, q) {
+    appendLock(ctx, entity, q, joins = NO_JOINS) {
         const wait = parseQueryLock(q.$lock);
         if (!wait) {
             return;
         }
-        this.assertLockSupported(entity, q);
+        this.assertLockSupported(entity, q, joins);
         const meta = getMeta(entity);
-        const target = this.joinsRelations(meta, q) ? ` OF ${this.escapeId(this.resolveTableName(entity, meta))}` : '';
+        const target = joins.size > 0 ? ` OF ${this.escapeId(this.resolveTableName(entity, meta))}` : '';
         const suffix = wait === 'skip' ? ' SKIP LOCKED' : wait === 'nowait' ? ' NOWAIT' : '';
         ctx.append(` FOR UPDATE${target}${suffix}`);
     }
     count(ctx, entity, q, opts) {
         const search = { ...q };
+        // A count joins nothing and orders nothing: how many rows match is the same either way.
         delete search.$sort;
-        this.select(ctx, entity, [raw('COUNT(*)', 'count')]);
+        this.select(ctx, entity, { $select: [raw('COUNT(*)', 'count')] });
         this.search(ctx, entity, search, opts);
     }
     /** `$group` aggregate operator → SQL function name. An allowlist, not a formatter: the op key
@@ -834,20 +801,24 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
         if (q.$having) {
             this.having(ctx, q.$having, aggregateExpressions);
         }
-        this.aggregateSort(ctx, q.$sort, aggregateExpressions);
+        this.aggregateSort(ctx, meta, q.$sort, aggregateExpressions);
         this.pager(ctx, q);
     }
     /**
-     * ORDER BY for aggregate queries - handles both entity-field and alias references.
+     * ORDER BY for aggregate queries - handles both entity-field and alias references. A grouped
+     * statement has no joins to address, so a relation key is rejected rather than emitted as an alias
+     * nothing defines.
      */
-    aggregateSort(ctx, sort, aggregateExpressions) {
-        const sortMap = buildSortMap(sort);
-        if (!hasKeys(sortMap))
+    aggregateSort(ctx, meta, sort, aggregateExpressions) {
+        if (!hasKeys(sort))
             return;
         ctx.append(' ORDER BY ');
-        Object.entries(sortMap).forEach(([key, dir], index) => {
+        Object.entries(sort).forEach(([key, dir], index) => {
             if (index > 0)
                 ctx.append(', ');
+            if (meta.relations[key]) {
+                throw new TypeError(`cannot $sort by relation '${key}' in an aggregate query: it groups rows, it joins none`);
+            }
             const direction = this.resolveSortDirection(dir);
             const ref = aggregateExpressions[key] ?? this.escapeId(key);
             ctx.append(ref + direction);
@@ -894,11 +865,14 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
         });
     }
     find(ctx, entity, q = {}, opts) {
-        this.select(ctx, entity, q.$select, q.$exclude, q.$populate, opts, q.$distinct, q.$sort);
-        this.search(ctx, entity, q, opts);
+        // The one statement that can join, so the one that resolves the join set; everything else renders
+        // against `NO_JOINS` and rejects a `$sort` that would need one.
+        const joins = resolveQueryJoins(getMeta(entity), q);
+        this.select(ctx, entity, q, opts, joins);
+        this.search(ctx, entity, q, opts, joins);
         // Appended here rather than in `search`, which `count`/`update`/`delete` share: a lock belongs
         // to a SELECT alone. Every engine spells it after LIMIT/OFFSET, so it goes last.
-        this.appendLock(ctx, entity, q);
+        this.appendLock(ctx, entity, q, joins);
     }
     insert(ctx, entity, payload, opts) {
         this.appendInsertValues(ctx, entity, payload, opts);
@@ -1358,18 +1332,20 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
      * metadata is shared between dialects while this result is not, since `escapeIdChar` and the naming
      * strategy differ. Weakly keyed so a transient entity's metadata stays collectable.
      */
-    escapedColumnName(meta, key) {
-        const field = meta.fields[key];
+    escapedColumnOf(key, field) {
         if (!field) {
-            return this.escapeId(this.columnOf(meta, key));
+            return this.escapeId(this.resolveColumnName(key, field));
         }
         let escaped = this.escapedColumns.get(field);
         if (escaped === undefined) {
-            escaped = this.escapeId(this.columnOf(meta, key));
+            escaped = this.escapeId(this.resolveColumnName(key, field));
             this.escapedColumns.set(field, escaped);
         }
         return escaped;
     }
+    escapedColumnName(meta, key) {
+        return this.escapedColumnOf(key, meta.fields[key]);
+    }
     escapedColumn(table, meta, key) {
         return this.escapeId(table, false, true) + this.escapedColumnName(meta, key);
     }
@@ -1483,10 +1459,10 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
         // A COUNT is never NULL, so equality stays plain here instead of taking the shared renderer's
         // null-safe `$ne` (`IS DISTINCT FROM` on Postgres, `IS NOT` on SQLite). Same rows, shorter SQL.
         if (op === '$eq' || op === '$ne') {
-            this.appendFieldSql(ctx, undefined, ` ${op === '$eq' ? '=' : '<>'} ${this.addValue(ctx.values, val)}`);
+            ctx.append(` ${op === '$eq' ? '=' : '<>'} ${this.addValue(ctx.values, val)}`);
             return;
         }
-        this.appendOperatorCondition(ctx, undefined, op, val);
+        this.appendOperatorCondition(ctx, '', op, val);
     }
     /** ANSI-style single-quote escaping. MySQL-family dialects override this for backslash escaping. */
     escape(value) {
@@ -1508,9 +1484,6 @@ export class AbstractSqlDialect extends IndexSqlDialect {
     neExpr(field, ph) {
         return `${field} ${this.neOp} ${ph}`;
     }
-    ilikeExpr(f, ph) {
-        return `LOWER(${f}) LIKE ${ph}`;
-    }
     /**
      * Formats an IN/NOT IN expression, binding each value individually.
      * Postgres overrides to use `= ANY($1)` / `<> ALL($1)` with a single array parameter.