Tree Search Language (TSL)

Tree Search Language (TSL) is a wonderful human readable filtering language.

The TSL language grammar is human readable and similar to SQL syntax.

Awesome:

• What I can do with it ?
• What does it do ?
• Cool logo
• Install
• Syntax examples
• Code examples
• CLI tools
• Grammar

What I can do with it ?

You can use the TSL package to add uniform and powerful filtering to your RESTful API or GraphQL services, implement brewing-recipe searches on your smart tea brewer, or even make your own memory based "SQL like" server as we do in our tsl_mem CLI example.

(more examples)

Here is our tsl_memCLI tool, it's an in-memory search engine, it is using the TSL package to filter through an in-memory array of books using "SQL like" tsl phrases:

$  ./tsl_mem -i "spec.rating is not null and author ~= 'Joe'" -o prettyjson

[
  {
    "author": "Joe",
    "spec.pages": 100,
    "spec.rating": 4,
    "title": "Book"
  },
  {
    "author": "Joe",
    "spec.pages": 150,
    "spec.rating": 4,
    "title": "Good Book"
  },
  {
    "author": "Joe",
    "spec.pages": 15,
    "spec.rating": 5,
    "title": "My Big Book"
  }
]

 $  ./tsl_mem -i "spec.rating is null and spec.pages < 250" -o prettyjson

[
 {
   "author": "Jane",
   "spec.pages": 50,
   "title": "Some Other Book"
 }
]

What does it do ?

The TSL package parses tsl phrases into tsl trees, it also include extra walkers that iterate (walk) over the tsl tree to perform exhilarating tasks, for example, convert a tsl tree into an SQL expression, create in-memory search engines, BSON object exporters and even more exciting stuff.

Parsing tsl phrases

For example, this tsl phrase:

name like '%joe%' and (city = 'paris' or city = 'milan')

Will be parsed into this tsl tree:

Cool logo

Awesome logo image by gophers....

Install

Building from source using go modules

Building from code requires go mod, available on go v1.11 and above:

$ go version
go version go1.11.2 linux/amd64

Clone the TSL git repository, and run make:

[ export GO111MODULE=on # if we are on $GOPATH, we need to explicitly set modules on ]
git clone git@github.com:yaacov/tree-search-language.git
cd tree-search-language
make

Running make lint requires golangci-lint:

go get -u github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/cmd/golangci-lint

Other make options include make lint for linting check and make test for tests.

Installing the different packages using go get

# Install the base package
go get "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/pkg/tsl"

# Install all walkers
go get "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/pkg/walkers/..."

# Or pick the walker needed
go get "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/pkg/walkers/sql"
go get "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/pkg/walkers/mongo"
go get "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/pkg/walkers/ident"
go get "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/pkg/walkers/graphviz"

Installing the command line examples using go get

See CLI tools usage here.

go get -v "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/cmd/tsl_parser"
go get -v "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/cmd/tsl_mongo"
go get -v "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/cmd/tsl_sqlite"
go get -v "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/cmd/tsl_gorm"
go get -v "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/cmd/tsl_graphql"

Syntax examples

Operator precedence

This TSL phrase:

name like '%joe%' and (city = 'paris' or city = 'milan')

Will be parsed into this TSL tree:

Operators with multiple arguments

This TSL phrase:

name in ('joe', 'jane') and grade not between 0 and 50

Will be parsed into this TSL tree:

Math operators

This TSL phrase:

memory.total - memory.cache > 2000 and cpu.usage > 50

Will be parsed into this TSL tree:

More math operators

This TSL phrase:

(net.rx + net.tx) / 1000 > 3 or net.rx / 1000 > 6

Will be parsed into this TSL tree:

Images created using the tsl_parser CLI example and Graphviz's dot utility:

$ ./tsl_parser -i "name like '%joe%' and (city = 'paris' or city = 'milan')" -o dot > file.dot
dot file.dot -Tpng > image.png

Code examples

For complete working code examples, see the CLI tools directory ( see more on TSL's CLI tools usage here ).

ParseTSL

The tsl package include the ParseTSL code, doc method for parsing TSL into a search tree:

tree, err := tsl.ParseTSL("name in ('joe', 'jane') and grade not between 0 and 50")

After parsing the TSL tree will look like this (image created using the tsl_parser cli utility using .dot output option):

sql.Walk

The walkers sql package include a helper sql.Walk (code, doc) method that adds search to squirrel's SelectBuilder object:

import (
    ...
    "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/pkg/walkers/sql"
    ...
)

// Parse a TSL phrase into a TSL tree.
tree, err := tsl.ParseTSL("name in ('joe', 'jane') and grade not between 0 and 50")

// Prepare squirrel filter.
filter, err := sql.Walk(tree)

// Create an SQL query.
sql, args, err := sq.Select("name", "city", "state").
    From("users").
    Where(filter).
    ToSql()

After SQL generation the sql and args vars will be:

SELECT name, city, state FROM users WHERE (name IN (?,?) AND grade NOT BETWEEN ? AND ?)

["joe", "jane", 0, 50]

mongo.Walk

The walkers mongo package include a helper mongo.Walk (code, doc) method that adds search bson filter to mongo-go-driver:

import (
    ...
    "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/pkg/walkers/mongo"
    ...
)

// Parse a TSL phrase into a TSL tree.
tree, err := tsl.ParseTSL("name in ('joe', 'jane') and grade not between 0 and 50")

// Prepare a MongoDB BSON document as a filter.
filter, err = mongo.Walk(tree)

// Run query.
cur, err := collection.Find(ctx, filter)

graphviz.Walk

The walkers graphviz package include a helper graphviz.Walk (code, doc) method that exports .dot file nodes :

import (
    ...
    "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/pkg/walkers/graphviz"
    ...
)

// Parse a TSL phrase into a TSL tree.
tree, err := tsl.ParseTSL("name in ('joe', 'jane') and grade not between 0 and 50")

// Prepare .dot file nodes as a string.
s, err = graphviz.Walk("", tree, "")

// Wrap the nodes in a digraph wrapper.
s = fmt.Sprintf("digraph {\n%s\n}\n", s)

ident.Walk

The walkers ident package include a helper ident.Walk (code, doc) method that checks and mapps identifier names:

import (
    ...
    "github.com/yaacov/tree-search-language/pkg/walkers/ident"
    ...
)
...

// columnNamesMap mapps between user namespace and the SQL column names.
var columnNamesMap = map[string]string{
	"title":       "title",
	"author":      "author",
	"spec.pages":  "pages",
	"spec.rating": "rating",
}

// checkColumnName checks if a column name is valid in user space replace it
// with the mapped column name and returns and error if not a valid name.
func checkColumnName(s string) (string, error) {
	// Check for column name in map.
	if v, ok := columnNamesMap[s]; ok {
		return v, nil
	}

	// If not found return string as is, and an error.
	return s, fmt.Errorf("column \"%s\" not found", s)
}
...

// Parse a TSL phrase into a TSL tree.
tree, err := tsl.ParseTSL("name in ('joe', 'jane') and grade not between 0 and 50")

// Check and replace user identifiers with the SQL table column names.
tree, err = ident.Walk(tree, checkColumnName)
...

CLI tools

The example CLI tools showcase the TSL language and tsl golang package, see the cmd directory for code.

tsl_parser

tsl_parser is a basic example, showing how to parse a tsl phrase into a tsl tree.

$ ./tsl_parser -h
Usage of ./tsl_parser:
  -i string
    	the tsl string to parse (e.g. "animal = 'kitty'")
  -o string
    	output format [json/yaml/prettyjson/sql/dot] (default "json")

$ ./tsl_parser -i "(name = 'joe' or name = 'jane') and city = 'rome'" -o sql

sql:  SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE ((name = ? OR name = ?) AND city = ?)
args: [joe jane rome]

$ ./tsl_parser -i "(name = 'joe' or name = 'jane') and city = 'rome'" -o prettyjson

{
  "func": "$and",
  "left": {
    "func": "$or",
    "left": {
      "func": "$eq",
      "left": {
        "func": "$ident",
        "left": "name"
      },
      "right": {
        "func": "$string",
        "left": "joe"
      }
    },
    "right": {
      "func": "$eq",
      "left": {
        "func": "$ident",
        "left": "name"
      },
      "right": {
        "func": "$string",
        "left": "jane"
      }
    }
  },
  "right": {
    "func": "$eq",
    "left": {
      "func": "$ident",
      "left": "city"
    },
    "right": {
      "func": "$string",
      "left": "rome"
    }
  }
}

$ ./tsl_parser -i "city = 'rome'" -o dot

digraph {
root [shape=box color=black label="$eq"]
XVlB [shape=record color=red label="$ident | 'city'" ]
zgba [shape=record color=blue label="$string | 'rome'" ]
root -> { XVlB, zgba }
}

tsl_mongo

tsl_mongo is an example showing tsl use with a mongodb.

$ ./tsl_mongo -h
Usage of ./tsl_mongo:
  -c string
    	collection name to query on (default "books")
  -d string
    	db name to connect to (default "tsl")
  -i string
    	the tsl string to parse (e.g. "author = 'Jane'") (default "title is not null")
  -p	prepare a book collection for queries
  ...
  -u string
    	url for mongo server (default "mongodb://localhost:27017")

$ ./tsl_mongo -p -i "title is not null" | jq

{
  "title": "Book",
  "author": "Joe",
  "spec": {
    "pages": 100,
    "rating": 4
  }
}

$ ./tsl_mongo -i "title ~= 'Other' and spec.rating > 1" | jq

{
  "title": "Other Book",
  "author": "Jane",
  "spec": {
    "pages": 200,
    "rating": 3
  }
}

tsl_sqlite

tsl_sqlite is an example showing tsl use with sqlite.

$ ./tsl_sqlite -h
Usage of ./tsl_sqlite:
  -f string
    	the sqlite database file name (default "./sqlite.db")
  -i string
    	the tsl string to parse (e.g. "Title = 'Book'")
  -p	prepare a book collection for queries

$ SQL="title like '%Book%' and spec.pages > 100"
$ ./tsl_sqlite -i "$SQL" -p | jq

{
  "title": "Other Book",
  "author": "Jane",
  "spec": {
    "pages": 200,
    "rating": 3
  }
}
{
  "title": "Good Book",
  "author": "Joe",
  "spec": {
    "pages": 150,
    "rating": 4
  }
}

tsl_gorm

tsl_gorm is an example showing tsl use the gorm package.

$ ./tsl_gorm -h
Usage of ./tsl_gorm:
  -f string
    	the sqlite database file name (default "./sqlite.db")
  -i string
    	the tsl string to parse (e.g. "title = 'Book'") (default "title is not null")
  -p	prepare a book collection for queries

$ SQL="title like '%Book%' and spec.pages > 100"
$ ./tsl_gorm -i "$SQL" -p | jq

{
  "title": "Other Book",
  "author": "Jane",
  "spec": {
    "pages": 200,
    "rating": 3
  }
}
{
  "title": "Good Book",
  "author": "Joe",
  "spec": {
    "pages": 150,
    "rating": 4
  }
}

tsl_mem

tsl_mem is an advanced example showing a custom walker, implementing in-memory sql server.

 $ ./tsl_mem -i "spec.rating > 4 and title ~= 'Big'" -o yaml

- author: Joe
 spec.pages: 15
 spec.rating: 5
 title: My Big Book

tsl_graphql

tsl_graphql is an example showing a graphql serve using tsl.

$ ./tsl_graphql -h
Usage of ./tsl_graphql:
  -f string
    	the sqlite database file name (default "./sqlite.db")
  -p	prepare a book collection for queries

$ ./tsl_graphql -p

TSL GraphQL server listen on port: 8080

Query example:
  curl -sG "http://localhost:8080/graphql" --data-urlencode \
	"query={books(filter:\"title like '%Other%' and spec.pages>100\"){title,author,spec{pages}}}"

$ curl -sG "http://localhost:8080/graphql" --data-urlencode \
     "query={books(filter:\"title like '%Other%' and spec.pages>100\"){title,author,spec{pages}}}" | jq
{
  "data": {
    "books": [
      {
        "author": "Jane",
        "spec": {
          "pages": 200
        },
        "title": "Other Book"
      },
      {
        "author": "Jane",
        "spec": {
          "pages": 250
        },
        "title": "Other Great Book"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Grammar

Antlr4 grammar

TSL parser is generated using Antlr4 tool, the antlr4 grammar file is TSL.g4.

Keywords

and or not is null like between in

Operators

= <= >= != ~= ~! <> + - * / %