feat!: Modify operators to use 3-valued logic instead of classical boolean logic (BREAKING) (#765)

* Modify operators to use 3-valued logic instead of classical boolean logic

* Changeset

* Changeset

Author: kevin-dp

.changeset/whole-pants-strive.md

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+---
+"@tanstack/db": major
+---
+
+Implement 3-valued logic (true/false/unknown) for all comparison and logical operators.
+Queries with null/undefined values now behave consistently with SQL databases, where UNKNOWN results exclude rows from WHERE clauses.
+
+**Breaking Change**: This changes the behavior of `WHERE` and `HAVING` clauses when dealing with `null` and `undefined` values.
+
+**Example 1: Equality checks with null**
+
+Previously, this query would return all persons with `age = null`:
+
+```ts
+q.from(...).where(({ person }) => eq(person.age, null))
+```
+
+With 3-valued logic, `eq(anything, null)` evaluates to `null` (UNKNOWN) and is filtered out. Use `isNull()` instead:
+
+```ts
+q.from(...).where(({ person }) => isNull(person.age))
+```
+
+**Example 2: Comparisons with null values**
+
+Previously, this query would return persons with `age < 18` OR `age = null`:
+
+```ts
+q.from(...).where(({ person }) => lt(person.age, 18))
+```
+
+With 3-valued logic, `lt(null, 18)` evaluates to `null` (UNKNOWN) and is filtered out. The same applies to `undefined` values. To include null values, combine with `isNull()`:
+
+```ts
+q.from(...).where(({ person }) =>
+  or(lt(person.age, 18), isNull(person.age))
+)
+```

packages/db/src/collection/change-events.ts

@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ import {
   createSingleRowRefProxy,
   toExpression,
 } from "../query/builder/ref-proxy"
-import { compileSingleRowExpression } from "../query/compiler/evaluators.js"
+import {
+  compileSingleRowExpression,
+  toBooleanPredicate,
+} from "../query/compiler/evaluators.js"
 import {
   findIndexForField,
   optimizeExpressionWithIndexes,
@@ -199,7 +202,7 @@ export function createFilterFunction<T extends object>(
       const evaluator = compileSingleRowExpression(expression)
       const result = evaluator(item as Record<string, unknown>)
       // WHERE clauses should always evaluate to boolean predicates (Kevin's feedback)
-      return result
+      return toBooleanPredicate(result)
     } catch {
       // If RefProxy approach fails (e.g., arithmetic operations), fall back to direct evaluation
       try {
@@ -211,7 +214,7 @@ export function createFilterFunction<T extends object>(
         }) as SingleRowRefProxy<T>
 
         const result = whereCallback(simpleProxy)
-        return result
+        return toBooleanPredicate(result)
       } catch {
         // If both approaches fail, exclude the item
         return false
@@ -232,7 +235,7 @@ export function createFilterFunctionFromExpression<T extends object>(
     try {
       const evaluator = compileSingleRowExpression(expression)
       const result = evaluator(item as Record<string, unknown>)
-      return Boolean(result)
+      return toBooleanPredicate(result)
     } catch {
       // If evaluation fails, exclude the item
       return false

packages/db/src/query/compiler/evaluators.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,29 @@ import { normalizeValue } from "../../utils/comparison.js"
 import type { BasicExpression, Func, PropRef } from "../ir.js"
 import type { NamespacedRow } from "../../types.js"
 
+/**
+ * Helper function to check if a value is null or undefined (represents UNKNOWN in 3-valued logic)
+ */
+function isUnknown(value: any): boolean {
+  return value === null || value === undefined
+}
+
+/**
+ * Converts a 3-valued logic result to a boolean for use in WHERE/HAVING filters.
+ * In SQL, UNKNOWN (null) values in WHERE clauses exclude rows, matching false behavior.
+ *
+ * @param result - The 3-valued logic result: true, false, or null (UNKNOWN)
+ * @returns true only if result is explicitly true, false otherwise
+ *
+ * Truth table:
+ * - true → true (include row)
+ * - false → false (exclude row)
+ * - null (UNKNOWN) → false (exclude row, matching SQL behavior)
+ */
+export function toBooleanPredicate(result: boolean | null): boolean {
+  return result === true
+}
+
 /**
  * Compiled expression evaluator function type
  */
@@ -145,6 +168,10 @@ function compileFunction(func: Func, isSingleRow: boolean): (data: any) => any {
       return (data) => {
         const a = normalizeValue(argA(data))
         const b = normalizeValue(argB(data))
+        // In 3-valued logic, any comparison with null/undefined returns UNKNOWN
+        if (isUnknown(a) || isUnknown(b)) {
+          return null
+        }
         return a === b
       }
     }
@@ -154,6 +181,10 @@ function compileFunction(func: Func, isSingleRow: boolean): (data: any) => any {
       return (data) => {
         const a = argA(data)
         const b = argB(data)
+        // In 3-valued logic, any comparison with null/undefined returns UNKNOWN
+        if (isUnknown(a) || isUnknown(b)) {
+          return null
+        }
         return a > b
       }
     }
@@ -163,6 +194,10 @@ function compileFunction(func: Func, isSingleRow: boolean): (data: any) => any {
       return (data) => {
         const a = argA(data)
         const b = argB(data)
+        // In 3-valued logic, any comparison with null/undefined returns UNKNOWN
+        if (isUnknown(a) || isUnknown(b)) {
+          return null
+        }
         return a >= b
       }
     }
@@ -172,6 +207,10 @@ function compileFunction(func: Func, isSingleRow: boolean): (data: any) => any {
       return (data) => {
         const a = argA(data)
         const b = argB(data)
+        // In 3-valued logic, any comparison with null/undefined returns UNKNOWN
+        if (isUnknown(a) || isUnknown(b)) {
+          return null
+        }
         return a < b
       }
     }
@@ -181,32 +220,78 @@ function compileFunction(func: Func, isSingleRow: boolean): (data: any) => any {
       return (data) => {
         const a = argA(data)
         const b = argB(data)
+        // In 3-valued logic, any comparison with null/undefined returns UNKNOWN
+        if (isUnknown(a) || isUnknown(b)) {
+          return null
+        }
         return a <= b
       }
     }
 
     // Boolean operators
     case `and`:
       return (data) => {
+        // 3-valued logic for AND:
+        // - false AND anything = false (short-circuit)
+        // - null AND false = false
+        // - null AND anything (except false) = null
+        // - anything (except false) AND null = null
+        // - true AND true = true
+        let hasUnknown = false
         for (const compiledArg of compiledArgs) {
-          if (!compiledArg(data)) {
+          const result = compiledArg(data)
+          if (result === false) {
             return false
           }
+          if (isUnknown(result)) {
+            hasUnknown = true
+          }
+        }
+        // If we got here, no operand was false
+        // If any operand was null, return null (UNKNOWN)
+        if (hasUnknown) {
+          return null
         }
+
         return true
       }
     case `or`:
       return (data) => {
+        // 3-valued logic for OR:
+        // - true OR anything = true (short-circuit)
+        // - null OR anything (except true) = null
+        // - false OR false = false
+        let hasUnknown = false
         for (const compiledArg of compiledArgs) {
-          if (compiledArg(data)) {
+          const result = compiledArg(data)
+          if (result === true) {
             return true
           }
+          if (isUnknown(result)) {
+            hasUnknown = true
+          }
+        }
+        // If we got here, no operand was true
+        // If any operand was null, return null (UNKNOWN)
+        if (hasUnknown) {
+          return null
         }
+
         return false
       }
     case `not`: {
       const arg = compiledArgs[0]!
-      return (data) => !arg(data)
+      return (data) => {
+        // 3-valued logic for NOT:
+        // - NOT null = null
+        // - NOT true = false
+        // - NOT false = true
+        const result = arg(data)
+        if (isUnknown(result)) {
+          return null
+        }
+        return !result
+      }
     }
 
     // Array operators
@@ -216,6 +301,10 @@ function compileFunction(func: Func, isSingleRow: boolean): (data: any) => any {
       return (data) => {
         const value = valueEvaluator(data)
         const array = arrayEvaluator(data)
+        // In 3-valued logic, if the value is null/undefined, return UNKNOWN
+        if (isUnknown(value)) {
+          return null
+        }
         if (!Array.isArray(array)) {
           return false
         }
@@ -230,6 +319,10 @@ function compileFunction(func: Func, isSingleRow: boolean): (data: any) => any {
       return (data) => {
         const value = valueEvaluator(data)
         const pattern = patternEvaluator(data)
+        // In 3-valued logic, if value or pattern is null/undefined, return UNKNOWN
+        if (isUnknown(value) || isUnknown(pattern)) {
+          return null
+        }
         return evaluateLike(value, pattern, false)
       }
     }
@@ -239,6 +332,10 @@ function compileFunction(func: Func, isSingleRow: boolean): (data: any) => any {
       return (data) => {
         const value = valueEvaluator(data)
         const pattern = patternEvaluator(data)
+        // In 3-valued logic, if value or pattern is null/undefined, return UNKNOWN
+        if (isUnknown(value) || isUnknown(pattern)) {
+          return null
+        }
         return evaluateLike(value, pattern, true)
       }
     }

packages/db/src/query/compiler/group-by.ts

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import {
   UnknownHavingExpressionTypeError,
   UnsupportedAggregateFunctionError,
 } from "../../errors.js"
-import { compileExpression } from "./evaluators.js"
+import { compileExpression, toBooleanPredicate } from "./evaluators.js"
 import type {
   Aggregate,
   BasicExpression,
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ export function processGroupBy(
           filter(([, row]) => {
             // Create a namespaced row structure for HAVING evaluation
             const namespacedRow = { result: (row as any).__select_results }
-            return compiledHaving(namespacedRow)
+            return toBooleanPredicate(compiledHaving(namespacedRow))
           })
         )
       }
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ export function processGroupBy(
           filter(([, row]) => {
             // Create a namespaced row structure for functional HAVING evaluation
             const namespacedRow = { result: (row as any).__select_results }
-            return fnHaving(namespacedRow)
+            return toBooleanPredicate(fnHaving(namespacedRow))
           })
         )
       }
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ export function processGroupBy(
         filter(([, row]) => {
           // Create a namespaced row structure for functional HAVING evaluation
           const namespacedRow = { result: (row as any).__select_results }
-          return fnHaving(namespacedRow)
+          return toBooleanPredicate(fnHaving(namespacedRow))
         })
       )
     }

packages/db/src/query/compiler/index.ts

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import {
   UnsupportedFromTypeError,
 } from "../../errors.js"
 import { PropRef, Value as ValClass, getWhereExpression } from "../ir.js"
-import { compileExpression } from "./evaluators.js"
+import { compileExpression, toBooleanPredicate } from "./evaluators.js"
 import { processJoins } from "./joins.js"
 import { processGroupBy } from "./group-by.js"
 import { processOrderBy } from "./order-by.js"
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ export function compileQuery(
       const compiledWhere = compileExpression(whereExpression)
       pipeline = pipeline.pipe(
         filter(([_key, namespacedRow]) => {
-          return compiledWhere(namespacedRow)
+          return toBooleanPredicate(compiledWhere(namespacedRow))
         })
       )
     }
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ export function compileQuery(
     for (const fnWhere of query.fnWhere) {
       pipeline = pipeline.pipe(
         filter(([_key, namespacedRow]) => {
-          return fnWhere(namespacedRow)
+          return toBooleanPredicate(fnWhere(namespacedRow))
         })
       )
     }