api-database-edgedb

# Gel (formerly EdgeDB) Patterns > **Quick Guide:** Gel (formerly EdgeDB) is a graph-relational database built on PostgreSQL. Define schemas in `.gel` files using SDL with types, links, and computed properties. Use `gel migration create` + `gel migrate` for schema changes. Query with EdgeQL (set-based, deeply nested shapes) or the TypeScript query builder (`e.select`, `e.insert`). Everything in EdgeQL is a set -- empty sets need explicit casts, and operations on sets produce Cartesian products. Use `global` variables with access policies for row-level security. The query builder requires a running database for code generation (`npx @gel/generate edgeql-js`). > > **Naming:** EdgeDB was rebranded to **Gel** in February 2025. The `edgedb` npm package, CLI, and `.esdl` extension still work via compatibility shims, but new projects should use `gel`, `@gel/generate`, and `.gel` files. --- <critical_requirements> ## CRITICAL: Before Using This Skill > **All code must follow project conventions in CLAUDE.md** (kebab-case, named exports, import ordering, `import type`, named constants) **(You MUST run `npx @gel/generate edgeql-js` after every `gel migrate` -- the generated query builder is based on the database schema and becomes stale after migrations)** **(You MUST cast empty sets explicitly (`<str>{}`, `<int64>{}`) -- bare `{}` is a syntax error because EdgeQL is strongly typed and cannot infer the type of an empty set)** **(You MUST understand that all EdgeQL values are se...