Python SDK

The SurrealDB Python SDK enables direct interaction with a SurrealDB instance, providing a powerful way to interact with the database.

Install the SDK

First, install the SurrealDB SDK using pip:

pip install surrealdb

Alternatively, you can use install the SurrealDB SDK using poetry:

poetry add surrealdb

Connect to SurrealDB

Create a new surreal.py file and add the following code to try out some basic operations using the SurrealDB SDK.

from surrealdb import Surreal

async def main():
    """Example of how to use the SurrealDB client."""
    async with Surreal("ws://localhost:8000/rpc") as db:
        await db.signin({"user": "root", "pass": "root"})
        await db.use("test", "test")
        await db.create(
            "person",
            {
                "user": "me",
                "pass": "safe",
                "marketing": True,
                "tags": ["python", "documentation"],
            },
        )
        print(await db.select("person"))
        print(await db.update("person", {
            "user":"you",
            "pass":"very_safe",
            "marketing": False,
            "tags": ["Awesome"]
        }))
        print(await db.delete("person"))

        # You can also use the query method
        # doing all of the above and more in SurrealQl

        # In SurrealQL you can do a direct insert
        # and the table will be created if it doesn't exist
        await db.query("""
        insert into person {
            user: 'me',
            pass: 'very_safe',
            tags: ['python', 'documentation']
        };

        """)
        print(await db.query("select * from person"))

        print(await db.query("""
        update person content {
            user: 'you',
            pass: 'more_safe',
            tags: ['awesome']
        };

        """))
        print(await db.query("delete person"))

if __name__ == "__main__":
    import asyncio

    asyncio.run(main())

Then run your app from the command line with:

python surreal.py

Alternatively, you can run it in a notebook like Jupyter or VS code

# %%
"""Example of how to use the SurrealDB client in a notebook"""

from surrealdb import Surreal

db = Surreal("http://localhost:8000")
await db.connect()
await db.signin({"user": "root", "pass": "root"})
await db.use("test", "test")

# %%
await db.create(
    "person",
    {
        "user": "me",
        "pass": "safe",
        "marketing": True,
        "tags": ["python", "documentation"],
    },
)

# %%
await db.select("person")

# %%
await db.update("person", {
    "user":"you",
    "pass":"very_safe",
    "marketing": False,
    "tags": ["Awesome"]
})

# %%
await db.delete("person")

SDK methods

The Python SDK comes with a number of built-in functions.

Surreal()

Surreal is a class that represents a Surreal server. The default way to connect is through WebSockets using Surreal(url) If an http client is needed you can use SurrealHTTP(url) but be aware that it is currently not as stable and not as fully implemented.

Method Syntax
Surreal(url)
SurrealHTTP(url)

Note

The url is required in either the Surreal class or connect method

Arguments

Example usage

# Connect to a local endpoint
db = Surreal()
await db.connect('http://127.0.0.1:8000/rpc')
# Connect to a remote endpoint
db = Surreal()
await db.connect('https://cloud.surrealdb.com/rpc')

.connect()

Connects to a local or remote database endpoint.

Method Syntax
db.connect(url)

Note

The url is required in either the Surreal class or connect method

Arguments

Example usage

# Connect to a local endpoint
db = Surreal()
await db.connect('http://127.0.0.1:8000/rpc')
# Connect to a remote endpoint
db = Surreal()
await db.connect('https://cloud.surrealdb.com/rpc')

.close()

Closes the persistent connection to the database.

Method Syntax
db.close()

Example usage

db.close()

.use()

Switch to a specific namespace and database.

Method Syntax
db.use(ns, db)

Arguments

Example usage

await db.use('test', 'test')

.signup()

Signs up to a specific authentication scope.

Method Syntax
db.signup(vars)

Arguments

Example usage

token = await db.signup({
	'NS': 'test',
	'DB': 'test',
	'SC': 'user',
	'email': 'info@surrealdb.com',
	'pass': '123456',
})

.signin()

Signs up to a specific authentication scope.

Method Syntax
db.signin(vars)

Arguments

Example usage

token = await db.signin({
	'user': 'root',
	'pass': 'root',
})

.invalidate()

Invalidates the authentication for the current connection.

Method Syntax
db.invalidate(vars)

Example usage

await db.invalidate()

.authenticate()

Authenticates the current connection with a JWT token.

Method Syntax
db.authenticate(token)

Arguments

Example usage

await db.authenticate('eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpc3MiOiJTdXJyZWFsREIiLCJpYXQiOjE1MTYyMzkwMjIsIm5iZiI6MTUxNjIzOTAyMiwiZXhwIjoxODM2NDM5MDIyLCJOUyI6InRlc3QiLCJEQiI6InRlc3QiLCJTQyI6InVzZXIiLCJJRCI6InVzZXI6dG9iaWUifQ.N22Gp9ze0rdR06McGj1G-h2vu6a6n9IVqUbMFJlOxxA')

.let()

Assigns a value as a parameter for this connection.

Method Syntax
db.let(key, val)

Arguments

Example usage

# Assign the variable on the connection
         await db.let("name", {
             "first": "Tobie",
             "last": "Morgan Hitchcock",
         })
# Use the variable in a subsequent query
await db.query('CREATE person SET name = $name')
# Use the variable in a subsequent query
await db.query('SELECT * FROM person WHERE name.first = $name.first')

.query()

Runs a set of SurrealQL statements against the database.

Method Syntax
db.query(sql, vars)

Arguments

Example usage

# Assign the variable on the connection
result = await db.query('CREATE person; SELECT * FROM type::table($tb)', {
	'tb': 'person',
})
# Get the first result from the first query
result[0]['result'][0]
# Get all of the results from the second query
result[1]['result']

.select()

Selects all records in a table, or a specific record, from the database.

Method Syntax
db.select(thing)

Arguments

Example usage

# Select all records from a table
people = await db.select('person')
# Select a specific record from a table
person = await db.select('person:h5wxrf2ewk8xjxosxtyc')

Translated query

This function will run the following query in the database:

SELECT * FROM $thing;

.create()

Creates a record in the database.

Method Syntax
db.create(thing, data)

Arguments

Example usage

# Create a record with a random ID
person = await db.create('person')
# Create a record with a specific ID
record = await db.create('person:tobie', {
	'name': 'Tobie',
	'settings': {
		'active': true,
		'marketing': true,
	},
})

Translated query

This function will run the following query in the database:

CREATE $thing CONTENT $data;

.update()

Updates all records in a table, or a specific record, in the database.

Method Syntax
db.update(thing, data)

Note

This function replaces the current document / record data with the specified data.

Arguments

Example usage

# Update all records in a table
people = await db.update('person')
# Update a record with a specific ID
person = await db.update('person:tobie', {
	'name': 'Tobie',
	'settings': {
		'active': true,
		'marketing': true,
	},
})

Translated query

This function will run the following query in the database:

UPDATE $thing CONTENT $data;

.merge()

Modifies by deep merging all records in a table, or a specific record, in the database.

Method Syntax
db.merge(thing, data)

Note

This function merges the current document / record data with the specified data.

Arguments

Example usage

# Update all records in a table
people = await db.merge('person', {
	updated_at: new Date(),
})
# Update a record with a specific ID
         person = await db.merge('person:tobie', {
             'updated_at': datetime.datetime.utcnow(),
             'settings': {
                 'active': True,
                 },
             })

Translated query

This function will run the following query in the database:

UPDATE $thing MERGE $data;

.patch()

Applies JSON Patch changes to all records, or a specific record, in the database.

Method Syntax
db.patch(thing, data)

Note

This function patches the current document / record data with the specified JSON Patch data.

Arguments

Example usage

# Update all records in a table
people = await db.patch('person', [
	{ 'op': "replace", 'path': "/created_at", 'value': str(datetime.datetime.utcnow()) },
])
# Update a record with a specific ID
person = await db.patch('person:tobie', [
             { 'op': "replace", 'path': "/settings/active", 'value': False },
             { 'op': "add", "path": "/tags", "value": ["developer", "engineer"] },
             { 'op': "remove", "path": "/temp" },
])

Translated query

This function will run the following query in the database:

UPDATE $thing PATCH $data;

.delete()

Deletes all records in a table, or a specific record, from the database.

Method Syntax
db.delete(thing)

Arguments

Example usage

# Delete all records from a table
await db.delete('person')
# Delete a specific record from a table
await db.delete('person:h5wxrf2ewk8xjxosxtyc')

Translated query

This function will run the following query in the database:

DELETE * FROM $thing;