reflect

reflect is a C++26 reflection-first ORM. Your C++ aggregate models define the database contract, and Reflect derives schema metadata, DDL, queries, CRUD, validation, and migrations from those models.

struct [[= reflect::table{"users"}]] User
{
    [[= reflect::id, = reflect::auto_increment]]
    std::int64_t id = 0;

    [[= reflect::unique, = reflect::indexed, = reflect::not_null, = reflect::varchar{320}]]
    std::string email;

    [[= reflect::not_null, = reflect::varchar{120}]]
    std::string name;
};

What It Gives You

• SQLite and PostgreSQL backends.
• Reflection-based schema descriptors.
• Type-safe filters and bound SQL parameters.
• CRUD, counts, existence checks, transactions, and relation helpers.
• Additive migrations and versioned manual migrations.
• Schema validation and drift reporting.
• Destructive development reset when you explicitly ask for it.

Design Principles

• The C++ model is the source of truth.
• Runtime SQL always uses bound values for generated predicates.
• Safe migration is conservative; destructive migration is explicit.
• Validation is separate from migration so production startup can fail fast on drift.

Current Status

Reflect is pre-1.0. It is suitable for experiments and early applications, but the stable V1 line still needs generated migration files, broader backend coverage, packaging, and more relation query planning.

Start Here

1. Read Getting Started.
2. Define models with Model Annotations.
3. Learn the Query API.
4. Use Schema Validation before production writes.
5. Understand Migrations before changing existing databases.