# Select and Where

This page shows how to choose returned columns with `select()`, filter rows with `where()`, and the SQL each one produces.

## `select()`

```typescript
MySQLPool.table("users").select("id", "name", "email");
// SELECT `id`, `name`, `email` FROM `users`
```

| Rule | Example input | Generated SQL |
|---|---|---|
| Not called, or called with no arguments | — | `*` |
| Plain columns are backtick-quoted | `"name"` | `` `name` `` |
| Columns containing `.`, `(`, or `)` pass through as-is | `"users.email"`, `"COUNT(*) AS c"` | `users.email`, `COUNT(*) AS c` |

## `where()`

Each call adds one condition; multiple conditions are joined with `AND`, and values always go through `?` placeholders.

| Form | Example | Generated SQL |
|---|---|---|
| Two arguments (equality) | `where("status", "active")` | `` `status` = 'active' `` |
| Three arguments (comparison) | `where("age", ">", 18)` | `` `age` > 18 `` |
| `LIKE` | `where("name", "LIKE", "Jo")` | `` `name` LIKE '%Jo%' `` (wrapped in `%` automatically) |
| `IN` | `where("id", "IN", [1, 2])` | `` `id` IN ('1', '2') `` (elements converted to strings) |

```typescript
const rows = await MySQLPool
  .table("users")
  .where("status", "active")
  .where("age", ">=", 18)
  .where("name", "LIKE", "John")
  .where("role", "IN", ["admin", "editor"])
  .get();
```

### Column Name Rules

A column name without `(` and without `.` is backtick-quoted; otherwise it passes through, so `users.id` and `DATE(created_at)` both work.

## Related Pages

- [Joins](/joins)
- [Sorting and Pagination](/sorting-and-pagination)