MeshQL

TypeScriptRESTSQL-nativeJSRnpm

MeshQL adds GraphQL-style field selection to REST. Clients ask for exactly what they need. You write one SQL query, return flat rows, and MeshQL shapes nested JSON — no resolver per field.

The idea

GraphQL pain

40 resolvers, N+1 debugging, and codegen eating your types.

REST pain

Every client wants a different ?include= and you ship half the database.

MeshQL middle ground

Normal REST URLs. Query in headers. One resolver per entity. SQL you already write.

Get started in minutes

Published on JSR (@meshql/*) andnpm (meshql-*).

npm

npm install meshql-core meshql-http meshql-client
npm i express

JSR

npx jsr add @meshql/core @meshql/http @meshql/client
npm i express

No database required for the first run — follow the5-minute guide or try theinteractive showcase.

Client query → nested JSON

// X-Mesh-Query (base64 JSON)
{
  "user": {
    "id": true,
    "name": true,
    "tokens": { "accessToken": true }
  }
}

// Response
{
  "user": {
    "id": 1,
    "name": "Ada Lovelace",
    "tokens": [{ "accessToken": "tok_ada" }]
  }
}

How it works

1. 1

   Define a schema

   Entities, fields, joins — one resolver per root entity.

2. 2

   Client sends a query

   JSON or QL in X-Mesh-Query. The SDK encodes it for you.

3. 3

   MeshQL shapes the response

   JoinPlan tells you what to fetch. Return flat SQL rows; get nested JSON.

Packages

Eleven focused libraries — install only what you need. Same semver on JSR and npm.

@meshql/core

meshql-core

Parser, planner, shaper, createMesh()

@meshql/sqlite

meshql-sqlite

buildSelectSql for node:sqlite, Bun, D1

@meshql/postgres

meshql-postgres

buildSelectSql with $1, $2 placeholders

@meshql/prisma

meshql-prisma

Prisma catch-all resolver — nested select

@meshql/drizzle

meshql-drizzle

Drizzle relational query resolver

@meshql/kysely

meshql-kysely

Kysely + buildSelectSql flat rows

@meshql/http

meshql-http

Express, Fastify, and Hono adapters

@meshql/client

meshql-client

Typed client — auth, lists, uploads, signing

@meshql/upload

meshql-upload

Multipart uploads with contentHash verification

@meshql/integrity

meshql-integrity

Request signing and integrity tokens

@meshql/access

meshql-access

Entity, row, and field access control

Explore the docs

?

FAQ

GraphQL comparison, security, ORMs, migration — common questions.

▶

5-minute run guide

Init a project, start Express, test with curl.

◇

ORM adapters

Prisma, Drizzle, and Kysely catch-all resolvers (v0.6.0).

☰

Protocol specs

Language-agnostic wire + JoinPlan + shaper for porters.

◎

Database connections

You own the pool — how MeshQL shares your client.

◈

Concepts

Schema, JoinPlan, shaper, and plugins.

⇄

HTTP adapters

Routes, headers, errors, and curl recipes.

Why MeshQL

Client shapes the response

JSON or QL queries via headers. The SDK handles encoding — browsers and Node.

One resolver per entity

JoinPlan tells you exactly which fields and joins to fetch. No N+1 resolver maze.

SQL-native

Optional buildSelectSql() for Postgres and SQLite, or ORM adapters for Prisma, Drizzle, and Kysely (v0.6.0).

Your DB connection

MeshQL does not pool connections — pass your Prisma client, pg.Pool, or Drizzle db into the resolver. See the connections guide.

Framework adapters

Express, Fastify, and Hono — plus Deno and Bun guides with the same HTTP contract.

Security plugins

Integrity signing and access control ship as optional @meshql/integrity and @meshql/access plugins.

Works everywhere

Node 22+, Bun, Deno, and modern browsers. JSR for source; npm for compiled ESM.