# From

## from <a href="#get" id="get"></a>

| Name | Type                 | Required | Default | Description                                                                 |
| ---- | -------------------- | -------- | ------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| from | string \| Expression | `true`   | ​       | The name of the table or a Expression object from which the query is based. |

Used to set the base table for the query.

{% code title="QueryBuilder" %}

```javascript
query.from( "users" );
```

{% endcode %}

{% code title="MySQL" %}

```sql
SELECT * FROM `users`
```

{% endcode %}

You can optionally specify an alias for the table.

{% code title="QueryBuilder" %}

```javascript
query.from( "users as u" );
```

{% endcode %}

{% code title="MySQL" %}

```sql
SELECT * FROM `users` AS `u`
```

{% endcode %}

## table <a href="#get" id="get"></a>

| Name  | Type                 | Required | Default | Description                                                                 |
| ----- | -------------------- | -------- | ------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| table | string \| Expression | `true`   | ​       | The name of the table or a Expression object from which the query is based. |

An alias for `from` where you like how calling `table` looks.

{% code title="QueryBuilder" %}

```javascript
query.table( "users" ).insert( { "name" = "jon" } );
```

{% endcode %}

{% code title="MySQL" %}

```sql
INSERT INTO `users` (`name`) VALUES (?)
```

{% endcode %}

## fromRaw <a href="#get" id="get"></a>

| Name     | Type   | Required | Default | Description                             |
| -------- | ------ | -------- | ------- | --------------------------------------- |
| from     | string | `true`   | ​       | The sql snippet to use as the table.    |
| bindings | array  | `false`  | `[]`    | Any bindings needed for the expression. |

Sometimes you need more control over your `from` clause in order to add grammar specific instructions, such as adding SQL Server table hints to your queries.

{% code title="QueryBuilder" %}

```javascript
query.fromRaw( "[users] u (nolock)" ).get();
```

{% endcode %}

{% code title="SQL Server" %}

```sql
SELECT * FROM [users] u (nolock) 
```

{% endcode %}

Since the `fromRaw()` takes your string verbatim, it's important that you make sure your SQL declaration is escaped properly. Failure to properly escape your table names may result in SQL errors.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Using `fromRaw` will most likely tie your code to a specific database, so think carefully before using the `fromRaw` method if you want your project to be database agnostic.
{% endhint %}

Many database engines allow you to define User Defined Functions. For example, SQL Server allows you to define UDFs that will return a table. In these type of cases, it may be necessary to bind parameters to your `from` clause.

You can bind parameters to the `fromRaw()` method by passing a secondary argument that is an array of the parameters to bind.

{% code title="QueryBuilder" %}

```javascript
query.fromRaw(
    "dbo.generateDateTable(?, ?, ?) as dt",
    [ "2017-01-01", "2017-12-31", "m" ]
).get();
```

{% endcode %}

{% code title="SQL Server" %}

```sql
SELECT * FROM dbo.generateDateTable(?, ?, ?) as dt
```

{% endcode %}

## fromSub <a href="#get" id="get"></a>

| Name  | Type                     | Required | Default | Description                                                                |
| ----- | ------------------------ | -------- | ------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| alias | string                   | `true`   | ​       | The alias for the derived table.                                           |
| input | Function \| QueryBuilder | `true`   |         | Either a `QueryBuilder` instance or a closure to define the derived query. |

Complex queries often contain derived tables. Derived tables are essentially a temporal table defined as a subquery in the `from` statement.

{% code title="QueryBuilder" %}

```javascript
query.select( [ "firstName", "lastName" ] )
    .fromSub( "legalUsers", function ( q ) {
        q.select( [ "lName as lastName", "fName as firstName" ] )
            .from( "users" )
            .where( "age", ">=", 21 )
        ;
    } )
    .orderBy( "lastName" )
    .get()
```

{% endcode %}

{% code title="MySQL" %}

```sql
SELECT `firstName`, `lastName`
FROM (
    SELECT `lName` as `lastName`, `fName` as `firstName`
    FROM `users`
    WHERE `age` >= 21
) AS `legalUsers`
ORDER BY `lastName`
```

{% endcode %}

In additional a function callback, a separate `QueryBuilder` instance can be passed to the `fromSub` method.

{% code title="QueryBuilder" %}

```javascript
var legalUsersQuery = query
    .select( [ "lName as lastName", "fName as firstName" ] )
    .from( "users" )
    .where( "age", ">=", 21 );

query.select( [ "firstName", "lastName" ] )
    .fromSub( "legalUsers", legalUsersQuery )
    .orderBy( "lastName" )
    .get();
```

{% endcode %}

{% code title="MySQL" %}

```sql
SELECT `firstName`, `lastName`
FROM (
    SELECT `lName` as `lastName`, `fName` as `firstName`
    FROM `users`
    WHERE `age` >= 21
) AS `legalUsers`
ORDER BY `lastName`
```

{% endcode %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

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Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
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```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.