Appendix E: Core API Helpers

This appendix is a lookup reference for public Datalevin helpers that sit around the main connection, transaction, query, pull, indexing, and provider APIs. For examples and rationale, use the narrative chapters referenced below. Host-language bindings follow the naming conventions and coverage notes in Appendix A.

1. Connection and DB Object Helpers

Function	Use
`conn?`	Returns true for an open Datalog connection.
`closed?`	Returns true when a connection is closed, nil, or points at a nil DB.
`db`	Returns the current Datalog DB object behind a connection. Call it again after writes.
`opts`	Returns the option map of the Datalog DB.
`schema`	Returns the current effective schema.
`empty-db`	Creates a raw Datalog DB object without wrapping it in an application connection.
`datalog-kv`	Returns the KV handle backing a Datalog connection or DB.
`datalog-index-cache-limit`	Gets or sets the Datalog index cache limit.
`close`	Closes a Datalog connection.
`close-db`	Closes a raw Datalog DB object.
`with-conn`	Clojure macro that opens or reuses a connection for a body and closes it afterward.
`conn-from-db`	Wraps an existing DB object in a mutable connection.
`conn-from-datoms`	Creates a connection from trusted datoms, with optional dir, schema, and opts.
`reset-conn!`	Replaces the contents of a connection with a supplied DB and returns a tx report.

Use get-conn or create-conn for normal application opening. datalog-kv returns a borrowed handle owned by the Datalog connection; close the connection, not the borrowed KV handle.

2. Pull Pattern Syntax Reference

Selector form	Meaning
`[:user/name :user/email]`	Pull named forward attributes.
`[]`, `[:]`, or `["*"]`	Pull all forward attributes. Datalevin includes `:db/id` if the pattern does not name it.
`[[:user/name :as :name]]`	Rename a pulled value in the returned map.
`[(:user/name :as :name)]`	List-form attribute expressions are accepted for compatibility. Prefer vector expressions in new code.
`[[:user/name :as :name :default "unknown"]]`	Combine attribute options in one expression.
`[[:user/friends :limit 5]]`	Limit a cardinality-many attribute. Without an explicit limit, Datalevin returns at most 1000 values for a cardinality-many attribute. `nil` means no limit.
`[[:user/active? :default true]]`	Return a default value when the attribute is missing.
`[[:user/name :xform clojure.string/upper-case]]`	Transform the pulled value before returning it. Prefer resolvable symbols across process or language boundaries.
`[{:order/customer [:user/name]}]`	Follow a forward reference and pull a nested shape.
`[{[:user/friends :limit 5] [:user/name]}]`	Use an attribute expression as a nested map key.
`[:order/_customer]`	Pull reverse references for entities that point to the current entity.
`[{:order/_customer [:order/id]}]`	Pull a nested shape through a reverse reference.
`[{:category/children ...}]`	Recursively pull through a reference until no new entities remain.
`[{:category/children "..."}]`	String recursion marker; equivalent to `...`.
`[{:category/children 2}]`	Recursively pull through a reference with a positive depth limit.
`[{:category/_children 2}]`	Recursively pull through a reverse reference with a positive depth limit.
`[(limit :user/friends 5)]`	Legacy limit form. Prefer `[[:user/friends :limit 5]]` in new code.
`[(default :user/nickname "unknown")]`	Legacy default form. Prefer `[[:user/nickname :default "unknown"]]` in new code.
`[(default (limit :user/friends 5) [])]`	Legacy option forms may be nested or wrapped around attribute expressions; keep this shape for compatibility code only.

Pull patterns are EDN data. :limit applies only to cardinality-many attributes. Recursive pull tracks visited entities and represents cycles with {:db/id ...} rather than expanding forever. For multi-source Datalog queries, qualify pull with the source that owns the entity ids. Chapter 7 gives the worked examples.

3. Transaction Observation and Simulation

Function	Use
`transact-async`	Submits a Datalog transaction and returns a future/promise immediately.
`transact`	Blocks for the same asynchronous transaction machinery and returns an already realized future.
`with-transaction`	Groups multiple Datalog writes, and optionally borrowed KV writes, into one explicit transaction; accepts `{:timeout-ms n}` in the binding vector.
`abort-transact`	Aborts the open explicit Datalog transaction from inside `with-transaction`; also available through host-language bindings.
`explicit-transaction-timeout`	Gets or sets the default timeout, in milliseconds, for explicit Datalog and KV transactions.
`set-explicit-transaction-timeout!`	Sets or clears the default explicit transaction timeout; pass `nil` to disable it.
`listen!`, `unlisten!`	Register or remove transaction-report callbacks on a connection.
`tx-data->simulated-report`	Builds a transaction report from a DB object and tx data without mutating the connection.
`resolve-tempid`	Helper for looking up tempids in a transaction report.
`update-schema`	Applies explicit schema changes, deletions, or renames to an open connection.

listen! replaces an existing callback when the same key is registered again. A simulated report has the normal report shape, including :new-attributes when the tx data introduce attributes not already present in the schema. Chapter 6 covers transaction semantics and callbacks.

4. Datom, Entity, and Type Helpers

Function	Use
`db?`	Tests whether a value is a Datalog DB object and refreshes a stale DB cache when needed.
`datom`	Creates a raw datom for trusted low-level import APIs such as `init-db` and `fill-db`.
`datom?`	Tests whether a value is a Datalevin datom.
`datom-e`, `datom-a`, `datom-v`	Return the entity, attribute, or value component of a datom.
`entity`	Returns a lazy, map-like entity for an eid or lookup ref.
`entid`	Resolves a lookup ref to a numeric eid, returns nil when it does not exist, and returns numeric eids unchanged.
`entity-db`	Returns the DB object from which an entity was created.
`touch`	Eagerly realizes an entity's forward attributes, mainly for REPL inspection and debugging.
`add`, `retract`	Clojure transactable-entity helpers for staging additions or retractions on an entity before transacting it.

Application transactions should normally use maps or transaction datom vectors. Raw datoms are for trusted bulk-loading paths. Lazy entity reads are available across Clojure, Java, Python, and JavaScript; staged entity mutation is Clojure-only.

5. Datalog Index, Statistics, and Bulk Helpers

Function	Use
`datoms`	Reads datoms from a named index, currently `:eav` or `:ave`, using supplied leading key components.
`search-datoms`	Describes an `(e, a, v)` pattern with nil wildcards and lets Datalevin choose an efficient index.
`count-datoms`	Counts datoms matching an `(e, a, v)` wildcard pattern without realizing the datoms.
`cardinality`	Counts distinct current values for one attribute. This is a statistic, not the schema property `:db/cardinality`.
`max-eid`	Returns the current maximum entity id, useful when a bulk import allocates numeric eids.
`seek-datoms`, `rseek-datoms`	Starts a forward or reverse index cursor near a supplied key prefix.
`index-range`	Reads the AVE range for one attribute between lower and upper bounds.
`fulltext-datoms`	Runs a full-text query and returns matching datoms rather than shaped search results; accepts search options such as `:top`, `:limit`, and `:offset`.
`analyze`	Refreshes attribute statistics used by the query planner.
`init-db`	Creates a database quickly from trusted prepared datoms.
`fill-db`	Adds trusted prepared datoms to an existing DB object.
`re-index`	Dumps, clears, reloads, and rebuilds a Datalog store, KV store, search engine, or vector index with supplied options.

init-db and fill-db bypass ordinary transaction processing and the WAL transaction log; use them only with trusted prepared datoms. Chapter 15 covers direct index reads, Chapter 20 covers bulk loading, and Chapter 21 covers analyze.

re-index closes, dumps, clears, reloads, and rebuilds the supplied store or index. Call it only when no other threads or programs are accessing the same database or index. Pass :backup? true to create a temporary backup named dtlv-re-index-<timestamp> in the system temporary directory. Search-engine re-indexing requires the search engine to have stored source text with :include-text? true.

6. Secondary Index Job Helpers

Function	Use
`secondary-index-status`	Returns async secondary-index job status for a local Datalog connection.
`process-secondary-index-jobs!`	Processes pending jobs, with options such as `:max-jobs` and `:retry-failed?`.
`wait-for-secondary-index`	Waits until matching secondary-index jobs are complete, with options such as `:tx`, `:type`, `:domain`, `:timeout-ms`, `:poll-ms`, `:process?`, `:max-jobs`, and `:retry-failed?`.

These helpers apply to domains configured for async full-text, vector, or embedding indexing. Synchronous domains update the secondary index before the transaction returns. Binding coverage for these helpers is listed in the language compatibility matrix linked from Appendix A.

7. Standalone Search and Vector Helpers

7.1 Full-Text Search

Function	Use
`new-search-engine`	Creates a full-text search engine backed by an `open-kv` handle.
`add-doc`, `remove-doc`, `clear-docs`	Add, remove, or clear indexed documents.
`doc-indexed?`, `doc-count`	Inspect document presence and document count.
`search`	Runs a full-text query and returns refs, scores, offsets, or stored texts depending on `:display`.
`search-index-writer`, `write`, `commit`	Bulk-writer API for faster standalone search indexing. Call `commit` after all `write` calls.

7.2 Vector Search

Function	Use
`new-vector-index`	Creates an HNSW vector index backed by an `open-kv` handle.
`add-vec`, `remove-vec`, `search-vec`	Add, remove, and search vectors by semantic refs.
`vector-index-info`	Returns size, memory, capacity, dimensions, metric, quantization, domain, and checkpoint metadata.
`force-vec-checkpoint!`, `vector-checkpoint-state`	Persist or inspect the vector checkpoint stored in LMDB.
`close-vector-index`, `clear-vector-index`	Close index resources, or close and delete all vectors.

Use Datalog full-text, vector, embedding, or idoc attributes when search results should participate in entity modeling and transactions. Use standalone engines for direct KV-backed search and vector indexes. Chapters 16 and 17 own the tutorial coverage.

8. Direct Provider Helpers

8.1 Embedding Providers

Function	Use
`new-embedding-provider`	Creates a local or OpenAI-compatible embedding provider.
`embedding-metadata`	Returns stable metadata describing the embedding space.
`embedding-dimensions`	Returns the vector dimension count.
`embed-text`, `embed-texts`	Embed one string or a batch of strings.
`token-count`, `token-counts`	Count embedding input tokens.
`truncate-item`, `truncate-text`	Truncate input to fit a token limit.
`close-embedding-provider`	Releases provider resources. Safe to call more than once.

8.2 LLM Providers

Function	Use
`new-llm-provider`	Creates a local llama.cpp generation provider.
`llm-metadata`	Returns metadata for the configured LLM provider.
`llm-context-size`	Returns the model context size.
`generate-text`	Generates completion text for a prompt.
`summarize-text`	Summarizes an input string.
`llm-token-count`	Counts tokens for one LLM input string.
`close-llm-provider`	Releases provider resources. Safe to call more than once.

Provider helpers are direct model calls. Persisted facts, episodes, embeddings, summaries, and provenance are ordinary application data.

9. Small Utility Helpers

Function	Use
`tempid`	Datomic-compatibility helper for negative tempids; `:db.part/tx` resolves to `:db/current-tx`. Prefer explicit negative ids when possible.
`squuid`, `squuid-time-millis`	Semi-sequential UUID helpers. Use application identity attributes for durable domain identity.
`read-csv`	Reads CSV data from a string or reader into lazy vectors of strings.
`write-csv`	Writes CSV rows to a writer.
`hexify-string`, `unhexify-string`	Encode a string as hex text and decode it back.

10. Python and JavaScript Schema Builders

These binding-level helpers build ordinary schema and option maps. They are most useful where the host language needs a typed helper instead of writing EDN by hand. Chapter 14 shows them in context.

Helper	Use
`idoc_attr` / `idocAttr`	Python and JavaScript helpers for building a `:db.type/idoc` schema attribute map. They accept idoc-specific options such as `format`, `domain`, `indexed_paths` / `indexedPaths`, and `excluded_paths` / `excludedPaths`, plus common schema attribute keys.
`idoc_domain` / `idocDomain`	Python and JavaScript helpers for building an idoc domain/default option map for `:idoc-opts` or an entry under `:idoc-domains`. They accept `indexed_paths` / `indexedPaths`, `excluded_paths` / `excludedPaths`, and `extra`.

11. Other Public API Namespaces

Namespace	Main use
`datalevin.interpret`	Interpreted functions and code execution for CLI, pods, remote calls, transaction functions, and KV visitor functions.
`datalevin.udf`	Runtime registry and descriptor handling for descriptor-backed user-defined functions.
`datalevin.constants`	Selected stable defaults, documented tuning vars, and system constants shared by the implementation.
`datalevin.main`	Programmatic support for the `dtlv` command-line tool.

11.1 `datalevin.interpret`

Var	Use
`load-edn`	Loads EDN forms from a file in Datalevin's interpreter, often for schema or setup data.
`exec-code`	Executes a string of Datalevin REPL-compatible code and prints results.
`inter-fn`	Creates a serializable interpreted function.
`definterfn`	Defines a named `inter-fn`.
`inter-fn?`	Tests whether a value is an interpreted function.
`inter-fn-from-reader`	Reads a printed interpreted function back into a callable value.

11.2 `datalevin.udf`

Descriptor key	Meaning
`:udf/lang`	Descriptor namespace used in the registry key and resolver lookup, often the implementation language, such as `:clojure`, `:java`, `:python`, `:javascript`, or an application-defined keyword.
`:udf/kind`	Function role, such as `:tx-fn`, `:query-fn`, or `:predicate`.
`:udf/id`	Stable function id keyword.
`:udf/version`	Optional keyword, string, or integer version.

Function	Use
`descriptor?`, `descriptor`	Test or validate descriptor maps.
`create-registry`	Creates a mutable UDF registry atom.
`generation`	Returns the registry generation, which changes after registration updates.
`register!`	Registers a descriptor to a callable value.
`register-resolver!`	Registers a language-level resolver that can materialize functions on demand.
`unregister!`, `registered?`, `registered-descriptor`	Manage or inspect registry entries.
`ensure-kind`, `descriptor-or-registered`	Validate that a descriptor/id is suitable for a query, predicate, or transaction context.
`materialize`, `resolve`	Resolve a descriptor to a callable function.

Use datalevin.interpret/inter-fn when embedded Clojure source should travel with a transaction or query. Use datalevin.udf when a host application should look up functions by descriptor.

11.3 Selected `datalevin.constants` Vars

The constants namespace contains more implementation constants than this table lists. This is a selected index of public defaults and tuning vars that readers are most likely to encounter in examples, diagnostics, or operational tuning.

Var	Use
`version`	Current Datalevin version string.
`default-env-flags`	Default LMDB environment flags for `open-kv`.
`default-dbi-flags`	Default DBI flags, including `:create`, `:counted`, and `:prefix-compression`.
`default-put-flags`	Default LMDB put flags.
`+max-key-size+`	Maximum LMDB key size in bytes.
`default-spill-threshold`, `default-spill-root`, `tmp-dbi`	Defaults for spill-to-disk temporary storage.
`default-port`, `default-idle-timeout`	Server defaults.
`default-connection-pool-size`, `default-connection-timeout`	Client connection defaults.
`default-username`, `default-password`	Built-in development defaults; production servers should override them.
`default-domain`, `default-top`	Search defaults.
`default-metric-type`, `default-quantization`, `default-connectivity`, `default-expansion-add`, `default-expansion-search`, `default-multi?`	Vector index defaults.
`vec-max-buffer-bytes`, `vec-chunk-bytes`	Vector blob buffering and LMDB chunk-size tuning.
`datalog-wal?`, `datalog-wal-durability-profile`	Dynamic defaults for new Datalog stores when WAL is enabled.
`fill-db-batch-size`	Batch size, in datoms, used by `fill-db`.
`async-secondary-index-worker-max-jobs`, `async-secondary-index-worker-lease-ms`	In-process async secondary-index worker limits.
`async-secondary-index-retry-base-ms`, `async-secondary-index-retry-max-ms`	Retry backoff bounds for failed async secondary-index jobs.
`remote-db-last-modified-check-interval-ms`	Remote freshness-check throttle for client DB checks.
`wire-compression-threshold`, `wire-compression-level`	Client/server wire compression tuning.
`query-result-cache-size`, `query-plan-cache-size`	Global Datalog query result and query plan cache sizes.
`init-exec-size-threshold`, `plan-search-max`	Query planner sampling threshold and plan-search cap.
`idoc-pattern-cache-size`, `idoc-range-cache-size`	Per-idoc-index wildcard-pattern and range-scan cache sizes.
`query-pipe-timeout`, `query-pipe-capacity`, `query-pipe-batch-size`	Query pipeline timeout, back-pressure, and batched scan tuning.
`index-writer-batch-size`, `index-writer-batch-size-pos`	Full-text search writer batch sizes without and with position indexing.

Prefer documented option maps and API functions over persisting implementation constants in application data. Consult the API docs or source when you need the complete current set of constants for a specific release.

11.4 `datalevin.main`

Function	Use
`exec`	Executes Datalevin code supplied as command-line style argument strings.
`copy`	Copies a database directory, optionally compacting while copying.
`drop`	Drops or clears named key-value DBIs in a database directory.
`dump`	Dumps Datalog or key-value database content.
`load`	Loads Datalog or key-value content into a database directory.
`-main`	Entry point for the `dtlv` command, dispatching `copy`, `drop`, `dump`, `exec`, `help`, `load`, `mcp`, `pods`, `repl`, `serv`, and `stat`.
`default-root-dir`	Default server root directory used by the CLI.

When neither --datalog nor explicit DBI names are supplied, dump and load use auto mode. Auto mode detects a Datalog store and writes a mixed text dump: the Datalog options, schema, and datoms, followed by user-created KV DBIs in the same LMDB environment. This is the right export/import path for a Datalog database that also keeps application state through datalog-kv. Datalevin skips its own internal and derived Datalog DBIs, so full-text, vector, embedding, and idoc indexes are treated as rebuildable indexes rather than separate user data.

dtlv -d /data/companydb -f companydb.edn dump
dtlv -d /data/companydb-restored -f companydb.edn load

Use --datalog when you intentionally want only the Datalog schema and datoms. Use --all or explicit DBI names when you want raw KV dumps. Mixed Datalog/KV auto dump is a text format; for Nippy binary dumps, choose an explicit Datalog or KV mode.

User Examples

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