codeql/docs/codeql/codeql-cli/creating-codeql-query-suites.rst

.. _creating-codeql-query-suites:

Creating CodeQL query suites
============================

CodeQL query suites provide a way of selecting queries, based on their
filename, location on disk or in a QL pack, or metadata properties.
Create query suites for the queries that you want to frequently use in
your CodeQL analyses.

Query suites allow you to pass multiple queries to
CodeQL without having to specify the path to each query file individually.
Query suite definitions are stored in YAML files with the extension ``.qls``. A
suite definition is a sequence of instructions, where each instruction is a YAML
mapping with (usually) a single key. The instructions are executed in the order
they appear in the query suite definition. After all the instructions in the
suite definition have been executed, the result is a set of selected queries.

.. pull-quote:: Note

   Any custom queries that you want to add to a query suite must be in a :doc:`QL
   pack <about-ql-packs>` and contain the correct query metadata.
   For more information, see
   ":doc:`Using custom queries with the CodeQL CLI <using-custom-queries-with-the-codeql-cli>`."

Locating queries to add to a query suite
----------------------------------------

When creating a query suite, you first need to specify the locations of the
queries that you want to select. You can define the location of one or more
queries using:

- A ``query`` instruction---tells CodeQL to look for one or more specified ``.ql``
  files::

     - query: <path-to-query>

  The argument must be one or more file paths, relative to the QL pack containing
  the suite definition.

- A ``queries`` instruction---tells CodeQL to recursively scan a directory
  for ``.ql`` files::

   - queries: <path-to-subdirectory>

  The path of the directory must be relative to the root of the QL pack that
  contains the suite definition file. To find the queries relative to a
  different QL pack, add a ``from`` field::

   - queries: <path-to-subdirectory>
     from: <ql-pack-name>

- A ``qlpack`` instruction---tells CodeQL to resolve queries in the default suite of the
  named QL pack::

   - qlpack: <qlpack-name>

  The default suite of a query pack includes a recommended set of queries
  inside of that query pack. Not all query packs have a default suite. If the given query pack does not
  define a default suite, the `qlpack` instruction will resolve to all of the queries within the pack.

.. pull-quote:: Note

   When pathnames appear in query suite definitions, they must always
   be given with a forward slash, ``/``, as a directory separator.
   This ensures that query suite definitions work on all operating systems.

You must add at least one ``query``, ``queries``, or ``qlpack`` instruction to
your suite definition, otherwise no queries will be selected. If the suite
contains no further instructions, all the queries found from the list of files,
in the given directory, or in the named QL pack are selected. If there are further
filtering instructions, only queries that match the constraints imposed by those
instructions will be selected.

Filtering the queries in a query suite
----------------------------------------

After you have defined the initial set of queries to add to your suite by
specifying ``query``, ``queries``, or ``qlpack`` instructions, you can add
``include`` and ``exclude`` instructions. These instructions define selection
criteria based on specific properties:

- When you execute an ``include`` instruction on a set of queries, any
  queries that match your conditions are retained in the selection, and queries
  that don't match are removed.
- When you execute an ``exclude`` instructions on a set of queries,
  any queries that match your conditions are removed from the selection, and queries
  that don't match are retained.

The order of your filter instructions is important. The first filter instruction
that appears after the locating instructions determines whether the queries are
included or excluded by default. If the first filter is an ``include``, the
initially located queries will only be part of the suite if they match an
explicit ``include`` filter. If the first filter is an ``exclude``, the initially
located queries are part of the suite unless they are explicitly excluded.

Subsequent instructions are executed in order and the instructions that appear
later in the file take precedence over the earlier instructions. So, ``include``
instructions can be overridden by a later ``exclude`` instructions that match
the same query. Similarly, ``exclude``\ s can be overridden by a later
``include``.

For both instructions, the argument is a constraint block---that is, a YAML map
representing the constraints. Each constraint is a map entry, where the key is
typically a query metadata property. The value can be:

- A single string.
- A ``/``\ -enclosed `regular expression <https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/11/docs/api/java.base/java/util/regex/Pattern.html>`__.
- A list containing strings, regular expressions, or both.

To match a constraint, a metadata value must match one of the strings or
regular expressions. When there is more than one metadata key, each key must be matched.
For more information about query metadata properties, see ":ref:`Metadata for CodeQL queries
<metadata-for-codeql-queries>`."

In addition to metadata tags, the keys in the constraint block can also be:

- ``query filename``---matches on the last path component of the query file name.
- ``query path``---matches on the path to the query file relative to its
  enclosing QL pack.
- ``tags contain``---one of the given match strings must match
  one of the space-separated components of the value of the ``@tags`` metadata property.
- ``tags contain all``---each of the given match strings must match one of the
  components of the ``@tags`` metadata property.

Examples
~~~~~~~~

To define a suite that selects all queries in the default suite of the
``codeql/cpp-queries`` QL pack, and then refines them to only include
security queries, use::

   - qlpack: codeql/cpp-queries
   - include:
       tags contain: security

To define a suite that selects all queries with ``@kind problem``
and ``@precision high`` from the ``my-custom-queries`` directory, use::

   - queries: my-custom-queries
   - include:
       kind: problem
       precision: very-high

To create a suite that selects all queries with ``@kind problem`` from the
``my-custom-queries`` directory except those with ``@problem.severity
recommendation``, use::

   - queries: my-custom-queries
   - include:
       kind: problem
   - exclude:
       problem.severity: recommendation

To create a suite that selects all queries with ``@tag security`` and
``@problem.severity high`` or ``very-high`` from the ``codeql/cpp-queries`` QL pack,
use::

   - queries: .
     from: codeql/cpp-queries
   - include:
       tags contain: security
       problem.severity:
       - high
       - very-high

Reusing existing query suite definitions
-----------------------------------------

Existing query suite definitions can be reused by specifying:

- An ``import`` instruction---adds the queries selected by a
  previously defined ``.qls`` file to the current suite::

    - import: <path-to-query-suite>

  The path to the imported suite must be relative to the QL pack containing the
  current suite definition. If the imported query suite is in a different QL
  pack you can use::

    - import: <path-to-query-suite>
      from: <ql-pack>

  Queries added using an ``import`` instruction can be filtered using subsequent
  ``exclude`` instructions.

- An ``apply`` instruction---adds all of the instructions from a
  previously defined ``.qls`` file to the current suite. The instructions in the
  applied ``.qls`` file are executed as if they appear in place of ``apply``.
  Any ``include`` and ``exclude`` instructions from the applied suite also act on
  queries added by any earlier instructions::

    - apply: <path-to-query-suite>

  The ``apply`` instruction can also be used to apply a set of reusable
  conditions, saved in a ``.yml`` file, to multiple query definitions. For more
  information, see the `example <#example>`__ below.

- An ``eval`` instruction---performs the same function as an ``import``
  instruction, but takes a full suite definition as the argument, rather than the
  path to a ``.qls`` file on disk.

Example
~~~~~~~

To use the same conditions in multiple query suite definitions, create a
separate ``.yml`` file containing your instructions. For example, save the
following in a file called ``reusable-instructions.yml``::

   - include:
       kind:
       - problem
       - path-problem
       tags contain: security
       precision:
       - high
       - very-high

Add ``reusable-instructions.yml`` to the same QL pack as your current query
suite (for example, ``my-custom-queries``). Apply the reusable instructions
to the queries in your current suite using::

  - qlpack: my-custom-queries
  - apply: reusable-instructions.yml

To apply the same conditions to a different suite or directory within the same
QL pack, create a new definition and change (or replace) the ``qlpack``
instruction. For example::

  - queries: queries/cpp/custom
  - apply: reusable-instructions.yml

You can also create a suite definition using ``reusable-instructions.yml`` on
queries in a different QL pack. If the ``.qls`` file is in the same QL pack as
the queries, you can add a ``from`` field immediately after the ``apply``
instruction::

  - qlpack: my-other-custom-queries
  - apply: reusable-instructions.yml
    from: <name-of-ql-pack>

Naming a query suite
--------------------

You can provide a name for your query suite by specifying a ``description``
instruction::

   - description: <name-of-query-suite>

This value is displayed when you run `codeql resolve queries
<../manual/resolve-queries>`__, if the suite is added to a "well-known"
directory. For more information, see "`Specifying well-known query suites
<#specifying-well-known-query-suites>`__."

Saving a query suite
--------------------

Save your query suite in a file with a ``.qls`` extension and add it to a QL
pack. For more information, see ":ref:`About QL packs <custom-ql-packs>`."

Specifying well-known query suites
----------------------------------

You can use QL packs to declare directories that contain "well-known" query
suites. You can use "well-known" query suites on the command line by referring
to their file name,
without providing their full path. This gives you a simple way of specifying a
set of queries, without needing to search inside QL packs and distributions.
To declare a directory that contains "well-known" query suites, add the directory
to the ``suites`` property in the ``qlpack.yml`` file at the root of your QL pack.
For more information, see ":ref:`About QL packs <qlpack-yml-properties>`."

Using query suites with CodeQL
------------------------------

You can specify query suites on the command line for any command that accepts
``.qls`` files. For example, you can compile the queries selected by a suite
definition using ``query compile``, or use the queries in an analysis using
``database analyze``. For more information about analyzing CodeQL databases, see
":doc:`Analyzing databases with the CodeQL CLI <analyzing-databases-with-the-codeql-cli>`."

Viewing the query suites used on LGTM.com
-----------------------------------------

The query suite definitions used to select queries to run on LGTM.com can be
found in the CodeQL repository. For example, to view the CodeQL queries for
JavaScript, visit
https://github.com/github/codeql/tree/main/javascript/ql/src/codeql-suites.

These suite definitions apply reusable filter patterns to the queries
located in the standard QL packs for each supported language. For more
information, see the `suite-helpers
<https://github.com/github/codeql/tree/main/misc/suite-helpers>`__ in the CodeQL
repository.

Further reading
---------------

- ":ref:`CodeQL queries <codeql-queries>`"