Creating Custom Plugins

Overview

Custom plugins allow you to extend Kysely’s functionality by intercepting queries before execution and transforming results after execution. This guide covers everything you need to know to create powerful, reusable plugins.

Basic Plugin Structure

Every plugin must implement the KyselyPlugin interface:

import type {
  KyselyPlugin,
  PluginTransformQueryArgs,
  PluginTransformResultArgs,
  QueryResult,
  RootOperationNode,
  UnknownRow
} from 'kysely'

class MyPlugin implements KyselyPlugin {
  transformQuery(args: PluginTransformQueryArgs): RootOperationNode {
    // Transform the query before execution
    return args.node
  }

  async transformResult(
    args: PluginTransformResultArgs
  ): Promise<QueryResult<UnknownRow>> {
    // Transform the result after execution
    return args.result
  }
}

Simple No-Op Plugin

The simplest plugin does nothing - it just returns the query and result unchanged:

import type { KyselyPlugin } from 'kysely'

export class NoopPlugin implements KyselyPlugin {
  transformQuery(args: PluginTransformQueryArgs): RootOperationNode {
    return args.node
  }

  async transformResult(
    args: PluginTransformResultArgs
  ): Promise<QueryResult<UnknownRow>> {
    return args.result
  }
}

Source: ~/workspace/source/src/plugin/noop-plugin.ts:10

Result Transformation Plugin

Plugins that only transform results can leave transformQuery as a no-op:

import { KyselyPlugin } from 'kysely'

class UppercaseResultsPlugin implements KyselyPlugin {
  transformQuery(args: PluginTransformQueryArgs): RootOperationNode {
    return args.node  // No query transformation
  }

  async transformResult(
    args: PluginTransformResultArgs
  ): Promise<QueryResult<UnknownRow>> {
    if (!args.result.rows || !Array.isArray(args.result.rows)) {
      return args.result
    }

    return {
      ...args.result,
      rows: args.result.rows.map(row => 
        Object.entries(row).reduce((acc, [key, value]) => {
          acc[key] = typeof value === 'string' ? value.toUpperCase() : value
          return acc
        }, {} as UnknownRow)
      )
    }
  }
}

Query Transformation with OperationNodeTransformer

For complex query transformations, extend OperationNodeTransformer:

import {
  OperationNodeTransformer,
  IdentifierNode,
  KyselyPlugin
} from 'kysely'
import type { QueryId } from 'kysely'

// Transformer that adds a prefix to all identifiers
class PrefixTransformer extends OperationNodeTransformer {
  readonly #prefix: string

  constructor(prefix: string) {
    super()
    this.#prefix = prefix
  }

  protected override transformIdentifier(
    node: IdentifierNode,
    queryId: QueryId
  ): IdentifierNode {
    return {
      ...node,
      name: this.#prefix + node.name
    }
  }
}

// Plugin that uses the transformer
class PrefixPlugin implements KyselyPlugin {
  readonly #transformer: PrefixTransformer

  constructor(prefix: string) {
    this.#transformer = new PrefixTransformer(prefix)
  }

  transformQuery(args: PluginTransformQueryArgs): RootOperationNode {
    return this.#transformer.transformNode(args.node, args.queryId)
  }

  async transformResult(
    args: PluginTransformResultArgs
  ): Promise<QueryResult<UnknownRow>> {
    return args.result
  }
}

Use a WeakMap to share data between the two methods:

import { KyselyPlugin } from 'kysely'

interface QueryMetadata {
  startTime: number
  tableNames: string[]
}

class QueryTimingPlugin implements KyselyPlugin {
  // Use WeakMap to avoid memory leaks
  readonly #metadata = new WeakMap<any, QueryMetadata>()

  transformQuery(args: PluginTransformQueryArgs): RootOperationNode {
    // Collect metadata during query transformation
    const metadata: QueryMetadata = {
      startTime: Date.now(),
      tableNames: this.extractTableNames(args.node)
    }
    
    this.#metadata.set(args.queryId, metadata)
    return args.node
  }

  async transformResult(
    args: PluginTransformResultArgs
  ): Promise<QueryResult<UnknownRow>> {
    // Retrieve metadata and calculate timing
    const metadata = this.#metadata.get(args.queryId)
    
    if (metadata) {
      const duration = Date.now() - metadata.startTime
      console.log(`Query took ${duration}ms, tables: ${metadata.tableNames.join(', ')}`)
    }
    
    return args.result
  }

  private extractTableNames(node: RootOperationNode): string[] {
    // Implementation to extract table names from the query
    return []
  }
}

Always use WeakMap instead of Map because transformQuery is not always matched by a call to transformResult, which would leave orphaned items in a regular Map and cause a memory leak.

Plugin with Configuration Options

Make plugins configurable with options:

interface LoggingPluginOptions {
  logQueries?: boolean
  logResults?: boolean
  logger?: (message: string) => void
}

class LoggingPlugin implements KyselyPlugin {
  readonly #options: Required<LoggingPluginOptions>

  constructor(options: LoggingPluginOptions = {}) {
    this.#options = {
      logQueries: options.logQueries ?? true,
      logResults: options.logResults ?? false,
      logger: options.logger ?? console.log
    }
  }

  transformQuery(args: PluginTransformQueryArgs): RootOperationNode {
    if (this.#options.logQueries) {
      this.#options.logger(`Executing query: ${JSON.stringify(args.node.kind)}`)
    }
    return args.node
  }

  async transformResult(
    args: PluginTransformResultArgs
  ): Promise<QueryResult<UnknownRow>> {
    if (this.#options.logResults) {
      this.#options.logger(`Result: ${args.result.rows?.length ?? 0} rows`)
    }
    return args.result
  }
}

// Usage
const db = new Kysely<Database>({
  dialect,
  plugins: [
    new LoggingPlugin({
      logQueries: true,
      logResults: true,
      logger: (msg) => console.log(`[DB] ${msg}`)
    })
  ]
})

Advanced: Row-Level Transformation

Transform individual rows with recursive processing:

import { isPlainObject } from 'kysely'

class DateParserPlugin implements KyselyPlugin {
  transformQuery(args: PluginTransformQueryArgs): RootOperationNode {
    return args.node
  }

  async transformResult(
    args: PluginTransformResultArgs
  ): Promise<QueryResult<UnknownRow>> {
    if (!args.result.rows || !Array.isArray(args.result.rows)) {
      return args.result
    }

    return {
      ...args.result,
      rows: args.result.rows.map(row => this.transformRow(row))
    }
  }

  private transformRow(row: UnknownRow): UnknownRow {
    return Object.entries(row).reduce((acc, [key, value]) => {
      acc[key] = this.transformValue(value)
      return acc
    }, {} as UnknownRow)
  }

  private transformValue(value: unknown): unknown {
    // Parse date strings
    if (typeof value === 'string' && this.isDateString(value)) {
      return new Date(value)
    }
    
    // Recursively process arrays
    if (Array.isArray(value)) {
      return value.map(v => this.transformValue(v))
    }
    
    // Recursively process plain objects
    if (isPlainObject(value)) {
      return this.transformRow(value as UnknownRow)
    }
    
    return value
  }

  private isDateString(str: string): boolean {
    // Simple ISO date detection
    return /^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}/.test(str) && !isNaN(Date.parse(str))
  }
}

Advanced: Schema Transformation Plugin

Example of a complex plugin that modifies query structure:

import {
  OperationNodeTransformer,
  SchemableIdentifierNode,
  IdentifierNode,
  KyselyPlugin
} from 'kysely'

class TenantSchemaTransformer extends OperationNodeTransformer {
  readonly #tenantId: string

  constructor(tenantId: string) {
    super()
    this.#tenantId = tenantId
  }

  protected override transformSchemableIdentifier(
    node: SchemableIdentifierNode,
    queryId: QueryId
  ): SchemableIdentifierNode {
    const transformed = super.transformSchemableIdentifier(node, queryId)
    
    // Add tenant schema if not already present
    if (!transformed.schema) {
      return {
        ...transformed,
        schema: IdentifierNode.create(`tenant_${this.#tenantId}`)
      }
    }
    
    return transformed
  }
}

class TenantPlugin implements KyselyPlugin {
  readonly #transformer: TenantSchemaTransformer

  constructor(tenantId: string) {
    this.#transformer = new TenantSchemaTransformer(tenantId)
  }

  transformQuery(args: PluginTransformQueryArgs): RootOperationNode {
    return this.#transformer.transformNode(args.node, args.queryId)
  }

  async transformResult(
    args: PluginTransformResultArgs
  ): Promise<QueryResult<UnknownRow>> {
    return args.result
  }
}

// Usage: Different database instances for different tenants
function createTenantDb(tenantId: string) {
  return new Kysely<Database>({
    dialect,
    plugins: [new TenantPlugin(tenantId)]
  })
}

Testing Plugins

import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest'
import { Kysely, DummyDriver, sql } from 'kysely'

describe('MyPlugin', () => {
  it('should transform results correctly', async () => {
    const db = new Kysely<Database>({
      dialect: {
        createAdapter: () => new DummyAdapter(),
        createDriver: () => new DummyDriver(),
        createIntrospector: (db) => new DummyIntrospector(db),
        createQueryCompiler: () => new DummyQueryCompiler()
      },
      plugins: [new MyPlugin()]
    })

    const result = await db
      .selectFrom('users')
      .selectAll()
      .execute()

    // Add assertions
    expect(result).toBeDefined()
  })
})

Best Practices

1. Use WeakMap for State

Always use WeakMap to store state between transformQuery and transformResult:

// Good ✓
readonly #metadata = new WeakMap<any, Metadata>()

// Bad ✗ - can cause memory leaks
readonly #metadata = new Map<any, Metadata>()

2. Handle Null/Undefined Results

Always check if results exist before transforming:

async transformResult(args: PluginTransformResultArgs) {
  if (!args.result.rows || !Array.isArray(args.result.rows)) {
    return args.result
  }
  
  // Transform rows
}

3. Preserve Immutability

Create new objects instead of mutating:

// Good ✓
return {
  ...args.result,
  rows: transformedRows
}

// Bad ✗ - mutates the original result
args.result.rows = transformedRows
return args.result

4. Make Plugins Configurable

Provide options with sensible defaults:

interface MyPluginOptions {
  enabled?: boolean
  // ... other options
}

class MyPlugin implements KyselyPlugin {
  readonly #options: Required<MyPluginOptions>
  
  constructor(options: MyPluginOptions = {}) {
    this.#options = {
      enabled: options.enabled ?? true,
      // ... apply defaults
    }
  }
}

5. Document Your Plugin

Provide clear documentation and examples:

/**
 * A plugin that adds audit timestamps to all queries.
 * 
 * @example
 * ```ts
 * const db = new Kysely<Database>({
 *   dialect,
 *   plugins: [new AuditPlugin({ userId: '123' })]
 * })
 * ```
 */
export class AuditPlugin implements KyselyPlugin {
  // ...
}

Common Use Cases

Logging Plugin

class QueryLoggerPlugin implements KyselyPlugin {
  transformQuery(args: PluginTransformQueryArgs): RootOperationNode {
    console.log('Query:', args.node.kind)
    return args.node
  }

  async transformResult(
    args: PluginTransformResultArgs
  ): Promise<QueryResult<UnknownRow>> {
    console.log('Rows:', args.result.rows?.length ?? 0)
    return args.result
  }
}

Soft Delete Plugin

class SoftDeleteTransformer extends OperationNodeTransformer {
  // Add WHERE deleted_at IS NULL to all queries
  // Implementation details...
}

class SoftDeletePlugin implements KyselyPlugin {
  readonly #transformer = new SoftDeleteTransformer()
  
  transformQuery(args: PluginTransformQueryArgs): RootOperationNode {
    return this.#transformer.transformNode(args.node, args.queryId)
  }

  async transformResult(
    args: PluginTransformResultArgs
  ): Promise<QueryResult<UnknownRow>> {
    return args.result
  }
}

Encryption Plugin

class EncryptionPlugin implements KyselyPlugin {
  readonly #encryptedFields = ['ssn', 'credit_card']
  
  transformQuery(args: PluginTransformQueryArgs): RootOperationNode {
    // Encrypt sensitive fields in INSERT/UPDATE
    return args.node
  }

  async transformResult(
    args: PluginTransformResultArgs
  ): Promise<QueryResult<UnknownRow>> {
    // Decrypt sensitive fields in results
    return {
      ...args.result,
      rows: args.result.rows?.map(row => this.decryptRow(row))
    }
  }
  
  private decryptRow(row: UnknownRow): UnknownRow {
    // Decryption logic
    return row
  }
}

Core Classes

Expression Builders

Schema Builders

Dialects & Drivers

Plugins

Migrations

Types & Utilities

Creating Custom Plugins

Overview

Basic Plugin Structure

Simple No-Op Plugin

Result Transformation Plugin

Query Transformation with OperationNodeTransformer

Plugin with Configuration Options

Advanced: Row-Level Transformation

Advanced: Schema Transformation Plugin

Testing Plugins

Best Practices

1. Use WeakMap for State

2. Handle Null/Undefined Results

3. Preserve Immutability

4. Make Plugins Configurable

5. Document Your Plugin

Common Use Cases

Logging Plugin

Soft Delete Plugin

Encryption Plugin

See Also

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Core Classes

Expression Builders

Schema Builders

Dialects & Drivers

Plugins

Migrations

Types & Utilities

​Overview

​Basic Plugin Structure

​Simple No-Op Plugin

​Result Transformation Plugin

​Query Transformation with OperationNodeTransformer

​Sharing Data Between transformQuery and transformResult

​Plugin with Configuration Options

​Advanced: Row-Level Transformation

​Advanced: Schema Transformation Plugin

​Testing Plugins

​Best Practices

​1. Use WeakMap for State

​2. Handle Null/Undefined Results

​3. Preserve Immutability

​4. Make Plugins Configurable

​5. Document Your Plugin

​Common Use Cases

​Logging Plugin

​Soft Delete Plugin

​Encryption Plugin

​See Also

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Basic Plugin Structure

Simple No-Op Plugin

Result Transformation Plugin

Query Transformation with OperationNodeTransformer

Sharing Data Between transformQuery and transformResult

Plugin with Configuration Options

Advanced: Row-Level Transformation

Advanced: Schema Transformation Plugin

Testing Plugins

Best Practices

1. Use WeakMap for State

2. Handle Null/Undefined Results

3. Preserve Immutability

4. Make Plugins Configurable

5. Document Your Plugin

Common Use Cases

Logging Plugin

Soft Delete Plugin

Encryption Plugin

See Also