claude@clouddev1
7099bd3cde
Rewrite "Seeing the SQL behind a command" with the learning framing, a grounded ALTER TABLE example, and the sql-echo cast. Drop the "multiple result tabs" promise (won't-do on main) and the planned `hint`-command note (superseded by the hint panel).
88 lines
2.9 KiB
Plaintext
88 lines
2.9 KiB
Plaintext
---
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title: Simple and advanced modes
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description: How the playground's two input modes differ, how to switch, and the one-line escape hatch.
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sidebar:
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order: 3
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---
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import Demo from '../../../components/Demo.astro';
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The playground has two input modes. You can do everything a beginner needs
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in **simple mode**, and reach for **advanced mode** when you want full SQL.
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<Demo src="/casts/modes.cast" title="The same command in both modes — advanced mode also shows the SQL it runs for you." />
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## Simple mode (the default)
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Simple mode is a friendly, keyword-based command language designed for
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learning. Commands read close to English:
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```rdbms
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create table authors with pk author_id(serial)
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show data authors
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```
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Simple mode accepts these learning commands plus the app-level commands
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(like `save`, `undo`, and `help`). If you type raw SQL here, the playground
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gently points you at advanced mode instead of failing silently.
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## Advanced mode (SQL)
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Advanced mode accepts standard SQL — `SELECT`, `INSERT`, `CREATE TABLE`, and
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more — alongside the same app-level commands:
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```sql
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select title, published from books where published >= 2000 order by published;
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```
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Switch modes with the `mode` command:
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```rdbms
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mode advanced
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mode simple
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```
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The mode you leave a project in is remembered and restored the next time you
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open it, so a project set up for SQL practice reopens in advanced mode.
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## The one-line escape
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When you are in simple mode and want to run a single SQL statement without
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switching, prefix the line with a colon:
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```rdbms
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:select count(*) from books
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```
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That runs just this one line as SQL; you stay in simple mode afterwards.
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## Seeing the SQL behind a command
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Run a **simple-mode command while in advanced mode** and the playground prints
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the equivalent SQL beneath it, tagged `Executing SQL:`. This is one of the most
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useful ways the playground teaches: you write the friendly, readable command,
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and immediately see the real SQL statement it stands for — the same statement
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you could have typed yourself.
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It turns every command into a small SQL lesson. Add a column the easy way and
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watch the `ALTER TABLE` it maps to:
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```rdbms
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add column to books: title (text)
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```
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```
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Executing SQL: ALTER TABLE books ADD COLUMN title text
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```
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The payoff grows with the command. A single `create m:n relationship` — the
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one-line way to
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[link two tables many-to-many](/reference/relationships/#many-to-many-relationships)
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— expands to an entire junction table: two foreign-key columns, a compound
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primary key, and two cascading foreign keys, all spelled out in the echo.
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<Demo src="/casts/sql-echo.cast" title="Simple-mode commands run in advanced mode each echo the SQL they run — ending with the m:n command expanding to a full junction table." />
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Because the echo is exactly what runs, it doubles as a recipe: read it, copy
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it, tweak it, and run your own version in advanced mode.
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