--- layout: documentation title: Cquery (configurable query) ---

# Cquery (configurable query)

## Overview

`cquery` is a variant of `query` that correctly handles `select()` and build options' effects on the build graph.

It achieves this by running over the results of Bazel's analysis phase, which integrates these effects. `query`, by constrast, runs over the results of Bazel's loading phase, before options are evaluated.

For example:

    $ cat > tree/BUILD <<EOF
    sh_library(
        name = "ash",
        deps = select({
            ":excelsior": [":manna-ash"],
            ":americana": [":white-ash"],
            "//conditions:default": [":common-ash"],
        }),
    )
    sh_library(name = "manna-ash")
    sh_library(name = "white-ash")
    sh_library(name = "common-ash")
    config_setting(
        name = "excelsior",
        values = {"define": "species=excelsior"},
    )
    config_setting(
        name = "americana",
        values = {"define": "species=americana"},
    )
    EOF

    # Traditional query: query doesn't know which select() branch will be chosen
    # so it conservatively lists all of them.
    $ bazel query "deps(//tree:ash)" --noimplicit_deps
    //tree:ash
    //tree:white-ash
    //tree:manna-ash
    //tree:common-ash

    # cquery: cquery lets you set build options at the command line and chooses
    # the exact dependencies that implies.
    $ bazel cquery "deps(//tree:ash)" --define species=excelsior --noimplicit_deps
    //tree:ash (hash-of-config)
    //tree:manna-ash (hash-of-config)

Each result includes information about the configuration in which the target was built. For most targets, this is an (opaque) hash of the build options and values in that configuration. Host-configured targets are marked `(HOST)`. Non-generated source files, like those commonly found in `srcs`, have no need for configuration and are marked `(null)`.

Since `cquery` runs over the configured target graph. it doesn't have insight into artifacts like build actions nor access to `test_suite` rules as they are not configured targets. For the former, see `aquery`.

## Basic syntax

A simple `cquery` call looks like:

`bazel cquery "function(//target)"`

The query expression `"function(//target)"` consists of the following:

- `function(...)` is the function to run on the target. `cquery` supports most of `query`'s functions, plus a few new ones.
- `//target` is the expression fed to the function. In this example, the expression is a simple target. But the query language also allows nesting of functions. See the Query How-To for examples.

`cquery` requires a target to run through the loading and analysis phases. Unless otherwise specified, `cquery` parses the target(s) listed in the query expression. See `--universe_scope` for querying dependencies of top-level build targets.

## Target pattern evaluation

`//foo` has a different meaning for `cquery` than for `query`. This is because `cquery` evaluates configured targets and the build graph may have multiple configured versions of `//foo`.

For `cquery`, a target pattern in the query expression evaluates to every configured target with a label that matches that pattern. Output is deterministic, but `cquery` makes no ordering guarantee beyond the core query ordering contract.

This produces subtler results for query expressions than with `query`. For example, the following can produce multiple results:

    # Analyzes //foo in the target configuration, but also analyzes
    # //genrule_with_foo_as_tool which depends on a host-configured
    # //foo. So there are two configured target instances of //foo in
    # the build graph.
    $ bazel cquery //foo --universe_scope=//foo,//genrule_with_foo_as_tool
    //foo (9f87702f17541d32a56488e3b8be8a98e52b06945f7)
    //foo (HOST)

If you want to precisely declare which instance to query over, use the `config` function.

See `query`'s target pattern documentation for more information on target patterns.

## Functions

Of the set of functions supported by `query`, `cquery` supports all but `visible`, `siblings`, `buildfiles`, and `tests`.

`cquery` also introduces the following new functions:

### config

`expr ::= config(expr, word)`

The `config` operator attempts to find the configured target for the label denoted by the first argument and configuration specified by the second argument.

Valid values for the second argument are `"target"`, `"host"`, `"null"`, or a custom configuration hash. Hashes can be retrieved from `$ bazel config` or a prevous `cquery`'s output.

Examples:

    $ bazel cquery "config(//bar, host)" --universe_scope=//foo

    $ bazel cquery "deps(//foo)"
    //bar (HOST)
    //baz (3732cc8c6d40d97)

    $ bazel cquery "config(//baz, 3732cc8c6d40d97)"

If not all results of the first argument can be found in the specified configuration, only those that can be found are returned. If no results can be found in the specified configuration, the query fails.

## Options

### Build options

`cquery` runs over a regular Bazel build and thus inherits the set of options available during a build.

### Cquery options

#### `--universe_scope` (comma-separated list)

Often, the dependencies of configured targets go through transitions, which causes their configuration to differ from their dependent. This flag allows you to query a target as if it were built as a dependency or a transitive dependency of another target. For example:

    # x/BUILD
    genrule(
         name = "my_gen",
         srcs = ["x.in"],
         outs = ["x.cc"],
         cmd = "$(locations :tool) $< >$@",
         tools = [":tool"],
    )
    cc_library(
        name = "tool",
    )

Genrules configure their tools in the host configuration so the following queries would produce the following outputs:

Query | Target Built | Output
--- | --- | ---
bazel cquery "//x:tool" | //x:tool | //x:tool(targetconfig)
bazel cquery "//x:tool" --universe_scope="//x:my_gen" | //x:my_gen | //x:tool(hostconfig)

If this flag is set, its contents are built. If it's not set, all targets mentioned in the query expression are built instead. The transitive closure of the built targets are used as the universe of the query. Either way, the targets to be built must be buildable at the top level (that is, compatible with top-level options). `cquery` returns results in the transitive closure of these top-level targets.

Even if it's possible to build all targets in a query expression at the top level, it may be beneficial to not do so. For example, explicitly setting `--universe_scope` could prevent building targets multiple times in configurations you don't care about. It could also help specify which configuration version of a target you're looking for (since it's not currently possible to fully specify this any other way). We recommend that you set this flag if your query expression is more complex than `deps(//foo)`.

#### `--implicit_deps` (boolean, default=True)

Setting this flag to false filters out all results that aren't explicitly set in the BUILD file and instead set elsewhere by Bazel.

#### `--tool_deps` (boolean, default=True)

Setting this flag to false filters out all configured targets for which the path from the queried target to them crosses a transition between the target configuration and the non-target configurations. If the queried target is in the target configuration, setting `--notool_deps` will only return targets that also are in the target configuration. If the queried target is in a non-target configuration, setting `--notool_deps` will only return targets also in non-target configurations.

#### `--include_aspects` (boolean, default=False)

Aspects can add additional dependencies to a build. By default, `cquery` doesn't follow aspects because they make the queryable graph bigger, which uses more memory. But following them produces more accurate results.

If you're not worried about the memory impact of large queries, enable this flag by default in your bazelrc.

If you query with aspects disabled, you can experience a problem where target X fails while building target Y but `cquery somepath(Y, X)` and `cquery deps(Y) | grep 'X'` return no results because the dependency occurs through an aspect.

## Output formats

By default, cquery outputs results in a dependency-ordered list of label and configuration pairs. There are other options for exposing the results as well.

### Transitions

    --transitions=lite
    --transitions=full

Configuration transitions are used to build targets underneath the top level targets in different configurations than the top level targets.

For example, a target might impose a transition to the host configuration on all dependencies in its `tools` attribute. These are known as attribute transitions. Rules can also impose transitions on their own configurations, known as rule class transitions. This output format outputs information about these transitions such as what type they are and the effect they have on build options.

This output format is triggered by the `--transitions` flag which by default is set to `NONE`. It can be set to `FULL` or `LITE` mode. `FULL` mode outputs information about rule class transitions and attribute transitions including a detailed diff of the options before and after the transition. `LITE` mode outputs the same information without the options diff.

### Proto

    --output=proto

This option causes the resulting targets to be printed in a binary protocol buffer form. The definition of the protocol buffer can be found at src/main/protobuf/analysis.proto.

#### --[no]proto:include_configurations

By default, cquery results return configuration information as part of each configured target. If you'd like to omit this information and get proto output that is formatted exactly like query's proto output, set this flag to false .

See query's proto output documentation for more proto output-related options.

Note: while selects are resolved both at the top level of returned targets and within attributes, all possible inputs for selects are still included as `rule_input` fields.

## cquery vs. query

`cquery` and `query` complement each other and excel in different niches. Consider the following to decide which is right for you:

- `cquery` follows specific `select()` branches to model the exact graph you build. `query` doesn't know which branch the build chooses, so overapproximates by including all branches.
- `cquery`'s precision requires building more of the graph than `query` does. Specifically, `cquery` evaluates configured targets while `query` only evaluates targets. This takes more time and uses more memory.
- `cquery`'s intepretation of the query language introduces ambiguity that `query` avoids. For example, if `"//foo"` exists in two configurations, which one should `cquery "deps(//foo)"` use? The `config` function can help with this.
- As a newer tool, `cquery` lacks support for certain use cases. See Known issues for details.

## Known issues

- All targets that `cquery` "builds" must have the same configuration.

  Before evaluating queries, `cquery` triggers a build up to just before the point where build actions would execute. The targets it "builds" are by default selected from all labels that appear in the query expression (this can be overridden with `--universe_scope`). These must have the same configuration.

  While these generally share the top-level "target" configuration, rules can change their own configuration with incoming edge transitions. This is where cquery falls short.

  Workaround: If possible, set `--universe_scope` to a stricter scope. For example:

      # This command attempts to build the transitive closures of both //foo and
      # //bar. //bar uses an incoming edge transition to change its --cpu flag.
      $ bazel cquery 'somepath(//foo, //bar)'
      ERROR: Error doing post analysis query: Top-level targets //foo and //bar
      have different configurations (top-level targets with different
      configurations is not supported)

      # This command only builds the transitive closure of //foo, under which
      # //bar should exist in the correct configuration.
      $ bazel cquery 'somepath(//foo, //bar)' --universe_scope=//foo

- No support for `--output=graph` or `--output=xml`.
- No support for recursive target patterns (`"/..."`).
- Non-deterministic output.

  `cquery` does not automatically wipe the build graph from previous commands and is therefore prone to picking up results from past queries. For example, `genquery` exerts a host transition on its `tools` attribute - that is, it configures its tools in the host configuration.

  We can see the lingering effects of that transition below.

      $ cat > foo/BUILD <<<EOF
      genrule(
          name = "my_gen",
          srcs = ["x.in"],
          outs = ["x.cc"],
          cmd = "$(locations :tool) $< >$@",
          tools = [":tool"],
      )
      cc_library(
          name = "tool",
      )
      EOF

      $ bazel cquery "//foo:tool"
      tool(target_config)

      $ bazel cquery "deps(//foo:my_gen)"
      my_gen (target_config)
      tool (host_config)
      ...

      $ bazel cquery "//foo:tool"
      tool(host_config)

  Workaround: change any startup option to force re-analysis of configured targets. For example, add `--test_arg=<whatever>` to your build command.

## Updates

The Bazel configurability team is continuously improving `cquery`. If you want to ask questions, stay updated, or get involved, contact the Bazel team at one of these channels.