Split Schemas With use

Use use when your schema grows beyond one file or when you want to share common definitions.

Basic Example

shared.idea

enum Role {
  ADMIN "ADMIN"
  USER "USER"
}

type Address {
  street String
  city String
}

schema.idea

use "./shared.idea"

model User {
  id String @id
  role Role
  address Address
}

When the transformer loads schema.idea, it also loads shared.idea and merges its schema data into the current schema.

You can import a definition and add more fields to it locally:

use "./User.idea"

model User {
  middleName String? @label("Middle Name")
}

This is a useful pattern when you want a base schema in one file and project-specific additions in another.

You can also mark a local definition with ! to replace the imported version instead of extending it:

use "./Article.idea"

model Article! {
  title String @field.input({ type "text" })
}

The same pattern applies to type.

use does not have to point only at relative files. It can also resolve schema files from installed packages:

use "stackpress/stackpress.idea"

That makes shared schema packages possible in the same way shared code packages are possible.

The transformer merges these sections by name:

prop and enum are soft-merged as objects.

type and model use merge logic that respects mutability. A mutable parent type or model can absorb child columns instead of being fully replaced.

If a referenced file does not load:

If a merged model or type does not look right: