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127 changes: 71 additions & 56 deletions docs/fsharp/language-reference/query-expressions.md
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---
title: Query Expressions
description: Learn about query expression support for LINQ in the F# programming language.
ms.date: 08/15/2020
ms.date: 09/26/2025
ai-usage: ai-assisted
---
# Query expressions

Expand All @@ -15,27 +16,9 @@ query { expression }

## Remarks

Query expressions are a type of computation expression similar to sequence expressions. Just as you specify a sequence by providing code in a sequence expression, you specify a set of data by providing code in a query expression. In a sequence expression, the `yield` keyword identifies data to be returned as part of the resulting sequence. In query expressions, the `select` keyword performs the same function. In addition to the `select` keyword, F# also supports a number of query operators that are much like the parts of a SQL SELECT statement. Here is an example of a simple query expression, along with code that connects to the Northwind OData source.
Query expressions are a type of computation expression similar to sequence expressions. Just as you specify a sequence by providing code in a sequence expression, you specify a set of data by providing code in a query expression. In a sequence expression, the `yield` keyword identifies data to be returned as part of the resulting sequence. In query expressions, the `select` keyword performs the same function. In addition to the `select` keyword, F# also supports a number of query operators that are much like the parts of a SQL SELECT statement. Here is an example of a simple query expression using Entity Framework Core to query a database.

```fsharp
// Use the OData type provider to create types that can be used to access the Northwind database.
// Add References to FSharp.Data.TypeProviders and System.Data.Services.Client
open Microsoft.FSharp.Data.TypeProviders

type Northwind = ODataService<"http://services.odata.org/Northwind/Northwind.svc">
let db = Northwind.GetDataContext()

// A query expression.
let query1 =
query {
for customer in db.Customers do
select customer
}

// Print results
query1
|> Seq.iter (fun customer -> printfn "Company: %s Contact: %s" customer.CompanyName customer.ContactName)
```
:::code language="fsharp" source="~/samples/snippets/fsharp/query-expressions/snippet1.fs":::

In the previous code example, the query expression is in curly braces. The meaning of the code in the expression is, return every customer in the Customers table in the database in the query results. Query expressions return a type that implements <xref:System.Linq.IQueryable%601> and <xref:System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable%601>, and so they can be iterated using the [Seq module](https://fsharp.github.io/fsharp-core-docs/reference/fsharp-collections-seqmodule.html) as the example shows.

Expand All @@ -53,22 +36,9 @@ This table assumes a database in the following form:

![Diagram that shows a sample database.](./media/query-expressions/student-course-database.png)

The code in the tables that follow also assumes the following database connection code. Projects should add references to System.Data, System.Data.Linq, and FSharp.Data.TypeProviders assemblies. The code that creates this database is included at the end of this topic.

```fsharp
open System
open Microsoft.FSharp.Data.TypeProviders
open System.Data.Linq.SqlClient
open System.Linq
open Microsoft.FSharp.Linq

type schema = SqlDataConnection< @"Data Source=SERVER\INSTANCE;Initial Catalog=MyDatabase;Integrated Security=SSPI;" >

let db = schema.GetDataContext()
The code in the tables that follow also assumes the following database connection code using Entity Framework Core. Projects should add package references to `Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore` and `Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.InMemory` (or another EF Core provider for production scenarios). This example uses the in-memory database provider for demonstration purposes, but the same query syntax works with any EF Core provider (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, etc.).

// Needed for some query operator examples:
let data = [ 1; 5; 7; 11; 18; 21]
```
:::code language="fsharp" source="~/samples/snippets/fsharp/query-expressions/snippet2.fs":::

### Table 1. Query Operators

Expand All @@ -84,6 +54,7 @@ let data = [ 1; 5; 7; 11; 18; 21]
```fsharp
query {
for student in db.Student do
where student.Age.IsSome
select student.Age.Value
contains 11
}
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -242,7 +213,7 @@ query {
query {
for student in db.Student do
where student.Age.HasValue
sortBy student.Age.Value
sortByNullable student.Age
thenBy student.Name
select student
}
Expand All @@ -255,7 +226,7 @@ query {
query {
for student in db.Student do
where student.Age.HasValue
sortBy student.Age.Value
sortByNullable student.Age
thenByDescending student.Name
select student
}
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1350,19 +1321,71 @@ VALUES(15, 7, 3);
The following code contains the sample code that appears in this topic.

```fsharp
#if INTERACTIVE
#r "FSharp.Data.TypeProviders.dll"
#r "System.Data.dll"
#r "System.Data.Linq.dll"
#endif
open System
open Microsoft.FSharp.Data.TypeProviders
open System.Data.Linq.SqlClient
open System.Linq

type schema = SqlDataConnection<"Data Source=SERVER\INSTANCE;Initial Catalog=MyDatabase;Integrated Security=SSPI;">

let db = schema.GetDataContext()
// Define simple data types to represent our sample database
type Student = {
StudentID: int
Name: string
Age: int option
}

type Course = {
CourseID: int
CourseName: string
}

type CourseSelection = {
ID: int
StudentID: int
CourseID: int
}

// Sample data
let students = [
{ StudentID = 1; Name = "Abercrombie, Kim"; Age = Some 10 }
{ StudentID = 2; Name = "Abolrous, Hazen"; Age = Some 14 }
{ StudentID = 3; Name = "Hance, Jim"; Age = Some 12 }
{ StudentID = 4; Name = "Adams, Terry"; Age = Some 12 }
{ StudentID = 5; Name = "Hansen, Claus"; Age = Some 11 }
{ StudentID = 6; Name = "Penor, Lori"; Age = Some 13 }
{ StudentID = 7; Name = "Perham, Tom"; Age = Some 12 }
{ StudentID = 8; Name = "Peng, Yun-Feng"; Age = None }
]

let courses = [
{ CourseID = 1; CourseName = "Algebra I" }
{ CourseID = 2; CourseName = "Trigonometry" }
{ CourseID = 3; CourseName = "Algebra II" }
{ CourseID = 4; CourseName = "History" }
{ CourseID = 5; CourseName = "English" }
{ CourseID = 6; CourseName = "French" }
{ CourseID = 7; CourseName = "Chinese" }
]

let courseSelections = [
{ ID = 1; StudentID = 1; CourseID = 2 }
{ ID = 2; StudentID = 1; CourseID = 3 }
{ ID = 3; StudentID = 1; CourseID = 5 }
{ ID = 4; StudentID = 2; CourseID = 2 }
{ ID = 5; StudentID = 2; CourseID = 5 }
{ ID = 6; StudentID = 2; CourseID = 6 }
{ ID = 7; StudentID = 2; CourseID = 3 }
{ ID = 8; StudentID = 3; CourseID = 2 }
{ ID = 9; StudentID = 3; CourseID = 1 }
{ ID = 10; StudentID = 4; CourseID = 2 }
{ ID = 11; StudentID = 4; CourseID = 5 }
{ ID = 12; StudentID = 4; CourseID = 2 }
{ ID = 13; StudentID = 5; CourseID = 3 }
{ ID = 14; StudentID = 5; CourseID = 2 }
{ ID = 15; StudentID = 7; CourseID = 3 }
]

// Convert to queryable collections for LINQ operations
let db.Student = students.AsQueryable()
let coursesQueryable = courses.AsQueryable()
let courseSelectionsQueryable = courseSelections.AsQueryable()

let data = [1; 5; 7; 11; 18; 21]

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -1984,15 +2007,7 @@ query {
And here is the full output when this code is run in F# Interactive.

```console
--> Referenced 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Reference Assemblies\Microsoft\FSharp\3.0\Runtime\v4.0\Type Providers\FSharp.Data.TypeProviders.dll'

--> Referenced 'C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\System.Data.dll'

--> Referenced 'C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\System.Data.Linq.dll'

contains query operator
Binding session to 'C:\Users\ghogen\AppData\Local\Temp\tmp5E3C.dll'...
Binding session to 'C:\Users\ghogen\AppData\Local\Temp\tmp611A.dll'...
Is at least one student age 11? true

count query operator
Expand Down
13 changes: 11 additions & 2 deletions samples/snippets/fsharp/fssamples.fsproj
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@@ -1,13 +1,22 @@
<Project Sdk="Microsoft.Net.Sdk">
<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">

<PropertyGroup>
<OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
<TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>
<TargetFramework>net9.0</TargetFramework>
<LangVersion>preview</LangVersion>
</PropertyGroup>

<ItemGroup>
<Compile Include="tour.fs" />
<None Include="query-expressions/basic-query.fs" />
<None Include="query-expressions/modern-example.fs" />
<None Include="query-expressions/snippet1.fs" />
<None Include="query-expressions/snippet2.fs" />
</ItemGroup>

<ItemGroup>
<PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore" Version="9.0.0" />
<PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.InMemory" Version="9.0.0" />
</ItemGroup>

</Project>
79 changes: 79 additions & 0 deletions samples/snippets/fsharp/query-expressions/basic-query.fs
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module QueryExpressions.BasicQuery

// Basic query expression example using in-memory data
open System
open System.Linq

// Define simple data types to represent our sample database
type Student = {
StudentID: int
Name: string
Age: int option
}

type Course = {
CourseID: int
CourseName: string
}

type CourseSelection = {
ID: int
StudentID: int
CourseID: int
}

// Sample data
let students = [
{ StudentID = 1; Name = "Abercrombie, Kim"; Age = Some 10 }
{ StudentID = 2; Name = "Abolrous, Hazen"; Age = Some 14 }
{ StudentID = 3; Name = "Hance, Jim"; Age = Some 12 }
{ StudentID = 4; Name = "Adams, Terry"; Age = Some 12 }
{ StudentID = 5; Name = "Hansen, Claus"; Age = Some 11 }
{ StudentID = 6; Name = "Penor, Lori"; Age = Some 13 }
{ StudentID = 7; Name = "Perham, Tom"; Age = Some 12 }
{ StudentID = 8; Name = "Peng, Yun-Feng"; Age = None }
]

let courses = [
{ CourseID = 1; CourseName = "Algebra I" }
{ CourseID = 2; CourseName = "Trigonometry" }
{ CourseID = 3; CourseName = "Algebra II" }
{ CourseID = 4; CourseName = "History" }
{ CourseID = 5; CourseName = "English" }
{ CourseID = 6; CourseName = "French" }
{ CourseID = 7; CourseName = "Chinese" }
]

let courseSelections = [
{ ID = 1; StudentID = 1; CourseID = 2 }
{ ID = 2; StudentID = 1; CourseID = 3 }
{ ID = 3; StudentID = 1; CourseID = 5 }
{ ID = 4; StudentID = 2; CourseID = 2 }
{ ID = 5; StudentID = 2; CourseID = 5 }
{ ID = 6; StudentID = 2; CourseID = 6 }
{ ID = 7; StudentID = 2; CourseID = 3 }
{ ID = 8; StudentID = 3; CourseID = 2 }
{ ID = 9; StudentID = 3; CourseID = 1 }
{ ID = 10; StudentID = 4; CourseID = 2 }
{ ID = 11; StudentID = 4; CourseID = 5 }
{ ID = 12; StudentID = 4; CourseID = 2 }
{ ID = 13; StudentID = 5; CourseID = 3 }
{ ID = 14; StudentID = 5; CourseID = 2 }
{ ID = 15; StudentID = 7; CourseID = 3 }
]

// Convert to queryable collections for LINQ operations
let studentsQueryable = students.AsQueryable()
let coursesQueryable = courses.AsQueryable()
let courseSelectionsQueryable = courseSelections.AsQueryable()

// A query expression example
let query1 =
query {
for student in studentsQueryable do
select student
}

// Print results
query1
|> Seq.iter (fun student -> printfn "Student: %s" student.Name)
38 changes: 38 additions & 0 deletions samples/snippets/fsharp/query-expressions/modern-example.fs
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module QueryExpressions.ModernExample

// Modern F# query expression example using in-memory collections
// This provides a working alternative to deprecated type providers

open System
open System.Linq

// Simple data structures to demonstrate query capabilities
type Customer = {
CustomerID: int
CompanyName: string
ContactName: string
}

// Sample data that replaces the external data source
let customers = [
{ CustomerID = 1; CompanyName = "Alfreds Futterkiste"; ContactName = "Maria Anders" }
{ CustomerID = 2; CompanyName = "Ana Trujillo Emparedados y helados"; ContactName = "Ana Trujillo" }
{ CustomerID = 3; CompanyName = "Antonio Moreno Taquería"; ContactName = "Antonio Moreno" }
{ CustomerID = 4; CompanyName = "Around the Horn"; ContactName = "Thomas Hardy" }
{ CustomerID = 5; CompanyName = "Berglunds snabbköp"; ContactName = "Christina Berglund" }
]

// Convert to queryable for LINQ operations
let db = customers.AsQueryable()

// A query expression that works with modern .NET
let query1 =
query {
for customer in db do
select customer
}

// Print results (this would be equivalent to the old example)
let printResults() =
query1
|> Seq.iter (fun customer -> printfn "Company: %s Contact: %s" customer.CompanyName customer.ContactName)
45 changes: 45 additions & 0 deletions samples/snippets/fsharp/query-expressions/snippet1.fs
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// F# query expression example using Entity Framework Core
open System
open System.Linq
open Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore

// Entity type
[<CLIMutable>]
type Customer = {
CustomerID: int
CompanyName: string
ContactName: string
}

// Database context
type NorthwindContext() =
inherit DbContext()

[<DefaultValue>]
val mutable private customers: DbSet<Customer>
member this.Customers with get() = this.customers and set v = this.customers <- v

override _.OnConfiguring(optionsBuilder: DbContextOptionsBuilder) =
optionsBuilder.UseInMemoryDatabase("NorthwindDatabase") |> ignore

// Create and seed database
let db =
let context = new NorthwindContext()
context.Customers.AddRange([|
{ CustomerID = 1; CompanyName = "Alfreds Futterkiste"; ContactName = "Maria Anders" }
{ CustomerID = 2; CompanyName = "Ana Trujillo Emparedados y helados"; ContactName = "Ana Trujillo" }
{ CustomerID = 3; CompanyName = "Antonio Moreno Taquería"; ContactName = "Antonio Moreno" }
|]) |> ignore
context.SaveChanges() |> ignore
context

// A query expression
let query1 =
query {
for customer in db.Customers do
select customer
}

// Print results
query1
|> Seq.iter (fun customer -> printfn "Company: %s Contact: %s" customer.CompanyName customer.ContactName)
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