| layout | doc |
|---|---|
| title | Data Model |
| permalink | /docs/model.html |
| description | Structured data model layer with CRUD operations, queries, and pluggable backends |
The model package provides a structured data model layer for Go Micro services. Define Go structs, tag your fields, and get CRUD operations with queries, filtering, ordering, and pagination.
package main
import (
"context"
"go-micro.dev/v5"
"go-micro.dev/v5/model"
)
type Task struct {
ID string `json:"id" model:"key"`
Title string `json:"title"`
Done bool `json:"done"`
Owner string `json:"owner" model:"index"`
}
func main() {
service := micro.New("tasks")
// Register your type with the service's model backend
db := service.Model()
db.Register(&Task{})
ctx := context.Background()
// Create a record
db.Create(ctx, &Task{ID: "1", Title: "Ship it", Owner: "alice"})
// Read by key
task := &Task{}
db.Read(ctx, "1", task)
// Update
task.Done = true
db.Update(ctx, task)
// List with filters
var aliceTasks []*Task
db.List(ctx, &aliceTasks, model.Where("owner", "alice"))
// Delete
db.Delete(ctx, "1", &Task{})
}Models are plain Go structs. Use struct tags to control storage behavior:
| Tag | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
model:"key" |
Primary key field | ID string \model:"key"`` |
model:"index" |
Create an index on this field | Email string \model:"index"`` |
json:"name" |
Column name in the database | Name string \json:"name"`` |
If no model:"key" tag is found, the package defaults to a field with json:"id" or a field named ID.
Table names are auto-derived from the struct name (lowercased + "s"), e.g. User → users. Override with model.WithTable("custom_name").
type User struct {
ID string `json:"id" model:"key"`
Name string `json:"name"`
Email string `json:"email" model:"index"`
Age int `json:"age"`
CreatedAt string `json:"created_at"`
}
// Register with auto-derived table: "users"
db.Register(&User{})
// Custom table name
db.Register(&User{}, model.WithTable("app_users"))// Create — inserts a new record (returns ErrDuplicateKey if key exists)
err := db.Create(ctx, &User{ID: "1", Name: "Alice"})
// Read — retrieves by primary key (returns ErrNotFound if missing)
user := &User{}
err = db.Read(ctx, "1", user)
// Update — modifies an existing record (returns ErrNotFound if missing)
user.Name = "Alice Smith"
err = db.Update(ctx, user)
// Delete — removes by primary key (returns ErrNotFound if missing)
err = db.Delete(ctx, "1", &User{})Use query options to filter, order, and paginate results:
var results []*User
// Equality
db.List(ctx, &results, model.Where("email", "alice@example.com"))
// Operators: =, !=, <, >, <=, >=, LIKE
db.List(ctx, &results, model.WhereOp("age", ">=", 18))
db.List(ctx, &results, model.WhereOp("name", "LIKE", "Ali%"))
// Multiple filters (AND)
db.List(ctx, &results,
model.Where("owner", "alice"),
model.WhereOp("age", ">", 25),
)db.List(ctx, &results, model.OrderAsc("name"))
db.List(ctx, &results, model.OrderDesc("created_at"))db.List(ctx, &results,
model.Limit(10),
model.Offset(20),
)total, _ := db.Count(ctx, &User{})
active, _ := db.Count(ctx, &User{}, model.Where("active", true))The model layer uses Go Micro's pluggable interface pattern. All backends implement model.Model.
Zero-config, in-memory storage. Data doesn't persist across restarts. Ideal for development and testing.
service := micro.New("myservice")
db := service.Model() // memory backend by default
db.Register(&Task{})Or create directly:
import "go-micro.dev/v5/model"
db := model.NewModel()
db.Register(&Task{})File-based database. Good for local development or single-node production.
import "go-micro.dev/v5/model/sqlite"
db := sqlite.New("app.db")
service := micro.New("myservice", micro.Model(db))Production-grade with connection pooling.
import "go-micro.dev/v5/model/postgres"
db := postgres.New("postgres://user:pass@localhost/myapp?sslmode=disable")
service := micro.New("myservice", micro.Model(db))The Service interface provides Model() alongside Client() and Server():
service := micro.New("users", micro.Address(":9001"))
// Access the three core components
client := service.Client() // Call other services
server := service.Server() // Handle requests
db := service.Model() // Data persistence
// Register your types
db.Register(&User{})
db.Register(&Post{})
// Use in your handler
service.Handle(&UserHandler{db: db})
service.Run()A handler that uses all three:
type OrderHandler struct {
db model.Model
client client.Client
}
// CreateOrder saves an order and notifies the shipping service
func (h *OrderHandler) CreateOrder(ctx context.Context, req *CreateReq, rsp *CreateRsp) error {
// Save to database via Model
order := &Order{ID: req.ID, Item: req.Item, Status: "pending"}
if err := h.db.Create(ctx, order); err != nil {
return err
}
// Call another service via Client
shipClient := proto.NewShippingService("shipping", h.client)
_, err := shipClient.Ship(ctx, &proto.ShipRequest{OrderID: order.ID})
return err
}The model package returns sentinel errors:
import "go-micro.dev/v5/model"
// Check for not found
err := db.Read(ctx, "missing", &User{})
if errors.Is(err, model.ErrNotFound) {
// record doesn't exist
}
// Check for duplicate key
err = db.Create(ctx, &User{ID: "1", Name: "Alice"})
err = db.Create(ctx, &User{ID: "1", Name: "Bob"})
if errors.Is(err, model.ErrDuplicateKey) {
// key "1" already exists
}Follow the standard Go Micro pattern — use in-memory for development, swap to a real database for production:
func main() {
var db model.Model
if os.Getenv("ENV") == "production" {
db = postgres.New(os.Getenv("DATABASE_URL"))
} else {
db = model.NewModel()
}
service := micro.New("myservice", micro.Model(db))
// ... same application code regardless of backend
}