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Bulk insert for Ecto via unnest(...) — pass data as columns (%{col => list}) rather than rows. Constant SQL text independent of row count, friendly to PgBouncer (transaction mode) and the prepared-statement cache.

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lib/ecto_unnest.ex

defmodule EctoUnnest do
@moduledoc """
Bulk insert for Ecto via `unnest(...)`.
A plain `Ecto.Repo.insert_all/3` builds `VALUES ($1,$2),($3,$4),...`, so the SQL
text grows with the number of rows — every batch size is a different prepared
statement. PgBouncer (transaction mode) dislikes that, and Postgres caps
parameters at ~65535.
This library generates **constant SQL text, independent of the row count**:
INSERT INTO "events" ("type","user_id")
(SELECT f0."type", f0."user_id"
FROM (SELECT * FROM unnest($1::text[], $2::bigint[]) AS u("type","user_id")) AS f0)
Whether you insert 1 or 10,000 rows, the statement is identical. The query is
assembled from Ecto building blocks (`fragment`/`dynamic`) and handed to
`Ecto.Repo.insert_all/3`, which renders `ON CONFLICT`/`RETURNING`/`prefix` and
loads structs natively.
## API
Two disjoint maps:
* a columns map `%{col => list}` — each column goes into `unnest` as an array,
* `:placeholders` `%{col => value}` — constants broadcast onto every row.
```elixir
EctoUnnest.insert_all(Repo, Event,
%{user_id: [1, 2, 3], type: ["click", "view", "click"]},
placeholders: %{inserted_at: ~U[2026-06-17 10:00:00Z]},
returning: true
)
```
## Options (same as `Ecto.Repo.insert_all/3`)
* `:placeholders` — `%{col => value}` of constant columns (default `%{}`)
* `:returning` — `true | false | [field]` (default `false`)
* `:prefix` — schema prefix (overrides `@schema_prefix`)
* `:on_conflict` — `:raise | :nothing | :replace_all | {:replace, fields} | {:replace_all_except, fields} | [set: kw, inc: kw]`
* `:conflict_target` — `[col] | {:unsafe_fragment, binary}`
* `:types` — `%{col => "pg_type"}` override for type inference
## Reading: virtual table
`table/3` exposes the same `unnest(...)` source as a composable `%Ecto.Query{}`,
so you can `SELECT` from it or join it into an `UPDATE`. See `table/3`.
## Limitations
* array-typed columns (`{:array, _}`) that vary per row are unsupported
(`unnest` flattens multi-dimensional arrays) — we raise a clear error,
* binary sources (`"table"`) require `:types`, and `:returning` as a field list
(no `__schema__`).
"""
alias EctoUnnest.Query
@type source :: module() | binary()
@type columns :: %{atom() => list()}
@spec insert_all(Ecto.Repo.t(), source(), columns(), keyword()) ::
{non_neg_integer(), [struct()] | nil}
def insert_all(repo, schema, columns, opts \\ []) when is_map(columns) and is_list(opts) do
placeholders = Map.new(opts[:placeholders] || %{})
plan = build_plan!(schema, columns, placeholders, opts)
repo.insert_all(schema, Query.build(plan),
on_conflict: plan.on_conflict,
conflict_target: conflict_target_opt(plan.conflict_target),
returning: returning_opt(plan.returning),
prefix: plan.prefix
)
end
@doc """
Returns `{sql, params}` without executing the query.
Useful for debugging and for tests with no database connection — the whole plan
build (type inference) is pure, and the text itself is rendered by the Postgres
adapter's `Connection` module (the same building blocks `Repo.insert_all/3` uses).
"""
@spec to_sql(source(), columns(), keyword()) :: {String.t(), [term()]}
def to_sql(schema, columns, opts \\ []) when is_map(columns) and is_list(opts) do
placeholders = Map.new(opts[:placeholders] || %{})
plan = build_plan!(schema, columns, placeholders, opts)
Query.to_sql(plan)
end
@doc """
A virtual table built from `unnest(...)` as a composable `%Ecto.Query{}`.
Each column `%{col => list}` becomes an `unnest` column. The result can be used
like any Ecto source — `where`, `order_by`, `select`, `Repo.all/2`, and through
`subquery/1` also in a `join` for `update_all`/`delete_all`.
Types come from the schema (like `insert_all/4`) or from `:types` for sources
without a schema. The binding is named `:s` by default (`:as` option).
q = EctoUnnest.table(Event, %{user_id: [1, 2, 3], type: ["a", "b", "c"]})
from([s: s] in q, where: s.user_id > 1, select: {s.user_id, s.type})
|> Repo.all()
For a join, wrap it in `subquery/1` (which carries the parameters) and give it a
`select`:
src = from([s: s] in q, select: %{user_id: s.user_id, type: s.type})
from(e in Event, join: s in subquery(src), on: e.user_id == s.user_id,
update: [set: [type: s.type]])
|> Repo.update_all([])
"""
@spec table(source(), columns(), keyword()) :: Ecto.Query.t()
def table(schema, columns, opts \\ []) when is_map(columns) and is_list(opts) do
validate_lists!(columns)
_ = row_count!(columns)
arrays = classify_columns!(schema, columns, %{}, opts)
Query.virtual(arrays, opts[:as] || :s)
end
# `Repo.insert_all/3` wants a field list in :returning (or no key at all).
defp returning_opt([]), do: false
defp returning_opt(fields), do: fields
# Empty conflict target -> don't pass it (Ecto requires a non-empty one).
defp conflict_target_opt([]), do: []
defp conflict_target_opt(target), do: target
# ── Plan: all validation and classification in one place ──────────────
defp build_plan!(schema, columns, placeholders, opts) do
validate_disjoint!(columns, placeholders)
validate_lists!(columns)
n = row_count!(columns)
cols = classify_columns!(schema, columns, placeholders, opts)
%{
schema: schema,
table: table_name(schema),
prefix: opts[:prefix] || schema_prefix(schema),
columns: cols,
n: n,
values: columns,
placeholders: placeholders,
returning: normalize_returning(opts[:returning] || false, schema),
on_conflict: opts[:on_conflict] || :raise,
conflict_target: opts[:conflict_target] || []
}
end
defp validate_disjoint!(columns, placeholders) do
(%MapSet{} = ms) = MapSet.intersection(MapSet.new(Map.keys(columns)), MapSet.new(Map.keys(placeholders)))
if MapSet.size(ms) > 0 do
raise ArgumentError,
"columns #{inspect(MapSet.to_list(ms))} are in both the columns map and :placeholders"
end
end
defp validate_lists!(columns) do
for {name, value} <- columns, not is_list(value) do
raise ArgumentError,
"column #{inspect(name)} has a scalar value — move it to :placeholders " <>
"or wrap it in a list"
end
:ok
end
# N = length of the column lists; all lists must be equal.
# Empty columns map -> N = 1 (insert a single row of placeholders only).
defp row_count!(columns) do
case columns |> Map.values() |> Enum.map(&length/1) |> Enum.uniq() do
[] -> 1
[n] -> n
lens -> raise ArgumentError, "column lists have different lengths: #{inspect(lens)}"
end
end
# Deterministic column order (sorted by name) -> stable SQL.
defp classify_columns!(schema, columns, placeholders, opts) do
overrides = Map.new(opts[:types] || %{})
array_cols = for k <- Map.keys(columns), do: {k, :array}
scalar_cols = for k <- Map.keys(placeholders), do: {k, :scalar}
(array_cols ++ scalar_cols)
|> Enum.sort_by(fn {name, _} -> name end)
|> Enum.map(fn {name, kind} ->
ecto_type = EctoUnnest.Types.ecto_type!(schema, name, overrides[name])
pg_type = resolve_pg_type!(name, ecto_type, overrides[name], kind)
base = %{name: name, kind: kind, pg_type: pg_type, ecto_type: ecto_type}
if kind == :array do
# Schema -> dump arrays through the real Ecto type (UUID, Enum, datetime).
# Binary source -> the Ecto type is a `:string` stand-in, so pass values
# through untouched (`:any`) and let the `::pg_type[]` cast do the encoding.
dump_type = if is_binary(schema), do: :any, else: ecto_type
Map.merge(base, %{values: columns[name], dump_type: dump_type})
else
base
end
end)
end
defp resolve_pg_type!(name, ecto_type, override, kind) do
case EctoUnnest.Types.resolve_pg_type(ecto_type, override, kind) do
{:ok, pg_type} ->
pg_type
{:error, :array_unsupported} ->
raise ArgumentError,
"column #{inspect(name)} is array-typed and varies per row — " <>
"unnest flattens multi-dimensional arrays. If the value is constant, " <>
"move it to :placeholders (then it goes as a scalar parameter)."
end
end
# ── helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
defp table_name(schema) when is_atom(schema), do: schema.__schema__(:source)
defp table_name(source) when is_binary(source), do: source
defp schema_prefix(schema) when is_atom(schema), do: schema.__schema__(:prefix)
defp schema_prefix(_), do: nil
defp normalize_returning(false, _schema), do: []
defp normalize_returning(true, schema) when is_atom(schema), do: schema.__schema__(:fields)
defp normalize_returning(true, source) when is_binary(source),
do: raise(ArgumentError, "for source #{inspect(source)} pass :returning as a field list")
defp normalize_returning(list, _schema) when is_list(list), do: list
end