SQLx (Rust)
Async, compile-time verified SQL library for Rust. SQLx checks your SQL queries against the database schema at compile time using macros (sqlx::query!, sqlx::query_as!), catching typos, wrong column names, and type mismatches before runtime. Supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, and MSSQL. No ORM — raw SQL with type safety. The go-to database library for Rust async applications.
Score Breakdown
⚙ Agent Friendliness
🔒 Security
Prepared statements by default prevent SQL injection. Rust type system prevents data type errors. TLS support for all major databases. No secrets management — application responsibility.
⚡ Reliability
Best When
You want type-safe, async raw SQL in Rust — catching errors at compile time rather than runtime, with full control over SQL and great async performance.
Avoid When
You want ORM-style abstractions (models, relationships, query builders) — SeaORM or Diesel offer higher-level ergonomics over raw SQL.
Use Cases
- • Write raw SQL queries with compile-time type checking — catch schema mismatches at build time rather than runtime for agent database operations
- • Map SQL query results directly to Rust structs using query_as! macro with automatic type coercion from database types
- • Build async database connection pools with SQLx's built-in PoolOptions for high-throughput agent database access
- • Use SQLx migrations CLI to manage database schema versioning alongside Rust agent application code
- • Execute parameterized queries safely — SQLx uses prepared statements by default, eliminating SQL injection risk
Not For
- • Teams wanting Active Record-style ORM with models and relationships — use Diesel or SeaORM for ORM abstractions
- • Simple scripts or one-off queries where compile-time verification overhead adds friction
- • Compile-time checks require database connection during build — CI/CD pipelines need DB access or use offline mode
Interface
Authentication
Library — no external auth. Database credentials passed via connection URL or PgConnectOptions. Secrets management is application responsibility.
Pricing
Open source Rust crate. Apache 2.0 / MIT dual-licensed.
Agent Metadata
Known Gotchas
- ⚠ Compile-time query checks (query! macro) require DATABASE_URL env var pointing to an actual live database at build time — offline mode (sqlx prepare) saves queries to .sqlx/ dir for CI
- ⚠ The query! macro returns anonymous struct types that cannot be named or returned from functions — use query_as! with explicit struct for any query result you need to pass around
- ⚠ SQLx does not manage transactions automatically — must explicitly begin/commit/rollback transactions; forgetting to commit leaves transactions open until connection timeout
- ⚠ Pool exhaustion under high load returns PoolTimedOut error after pool_timeout — agents must handle this error and implement backoff rather than crashing
- ⚠ SQLx types map strictly to database types — Rust i64 vs database BIGINT vs INTEGER matters; type mismatches cause compile errors that require explicit casting in SQL
- ⚠ Migrations via sqlx-cli must be run before any query! macro compiles against new schema — running cargo build before migrating causes compile errors in agents with new schema
Alternatives
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Scores are editorial opinions as of 2026-03-06.