Field methods

Every s.* field is chainable. This page is the complete list of methods. For how the $-clauses render, see from schema to DDL.

Two kinds of method: app-side and DDL

The methods split by prefix, and the prefix tells you which side a method acts on:

Non-$ methods are native Zod. s.* is a drop-in for z.*, so these behave exactly as in Zod — they shape the app-side value and its validation.
$-prefixed methods are Schemic’s. They attach a SurrealQL clause to the DEFINE FIELD — the database side.

The two do not bridge; each side is explicit. Where Zod and SurrealDB have a similar concept, there are two distinct methods:

App-side (native Zod, non-`$`)	Database-side (`$`-prefixed)
`.readonly()` — TS-immutable output	`.$readonly()` — SurrealDB `READONLY`
`.describe()` / `.meta()` — Zod metadata	`.$comment()` — DDL `COMMENT`
`.refine()` / `.check()` — app-side validation	`.$assert()` — DDL `ASSERT`

Native Zod methods

These delegate to the underlying Zod schema and act on the app side. They are available on any s.* field:

refine, superRefine, check, overwrite, transform, pipe, brand, readonly, describe, meta, plus optional, nullable, nullish, array, default, prefault, catch, loose, strict.

Two combinators build composite types:

Method	Result	DDL `TYPE`
`.or(other)`	union	`a \| b`
`.and(other)`	intersection	merged object

Modifiers

These shape the field’s type. They carry through to both the TypeScript type and the DDL.

Method	DDL effect	Description
`.optional()`	`option<T>`	The field may be absent.
`.nullable()`	`T \| null`	The field may be `null`.
`.array()`	`array<T>`	A list of the field’s type.
`.loose()`	`FLEXIBLE`	On an object field, allow arbitrary extra keys.

SurrealQL clauses

Each $-method adds one clause to the field’s DEFINE FIELD. Expressions are written with the surql tag; $value refers to the field’s value.

Method	DDL clause	Description
`.$default(expr)`	`DEFAULT expr`	Value applied on insert when the field is absent. Makes the field optional in the create shape.
`.$defaultAlways()`	`DEFAULT ALWAYS`	Reapply the default on update as well as insert.
`.$value(expr)`	`VALUE expr`	Always compute the stored value from the expression, overriding input.
`.$computed(expr)`	`COMPUTED expr`	A computed (read-only, derived) field.
`.$assert(expr)`	`ASSERT expr`	A constraint SurrealDB enforces on write.
`.$readonly()`	`READONLY`	Allowed on create, rejected on later change.
`.$comment(text)`	`COMMENT "text"`	Attach a comment to the field.
`.$permissions(spec)`	`PERMISSIONS FOR ... WHERE ...`	Per-operation access control (`select`, `create`, `update`).

Constraint helpers

These translate Zod-style constraints into SurrealQL ASSERT clauses.

Method	Applies to	Asserts
`.$min(n)` / `.$max(n)`	numbers	lower / upper bound
`.$gt(n)` / `.$gte(n)` / `.$lt(n)` / `.$lte(n)`	numbers	strict / inclusive comparison
`.$length(n)`	strings, arrays	exact length
`.$regex(re)`	strings	pattern match

Indexing

Method	DDL	Description
`.index()`	`DEFINE INDEX ... FIELDS <field>`	A single-field index.
`.unique()`	`DEFINE INDEX ... UNIQUE`	A single-field unique index.

For composite indexes, use the table-level .index(name, fields, opts) — see definers.

Escape hatches

Method	Description
`.$surreal(type, codec)`	Set an explicit wire `type` and a custom `{ encode, decode }` codec. See writing a custom codec.
`.$internal()`	Mark the field internal: it exists on the table (so schemafull writes succeed) but grants no record-user access (`PERMISSIONS NONE`).

Where to go next

Schema builders — the field types these chain onto.
Constraints, defaults & permissions — the how-to.
Codecs — custom codecs via .$surreal.