Clojurians Log v2

Is this a bug or a misunderstanding of the xtql query syntax ?

(ns scratchpad.xtql-binding-spec-bug
  "Minimal reproduction: XTQL $ parameters in binding specs don't filter results
   
   Bug: When using $ parameters in from binding specs like {:xt/id $param},
   the constraint is ignored and all rows are returned."
  (:require [xtdb.node :as xtn]
            [xtdb.api :as xt]))

(defn minimal-repro []
  (with-open [node (xtn/start-node {})]
    ;; Setup: Insert 3 employees
    (xt/submit-tx node
      [[:put-docs :employees {:xt/id "emp1" :name "Alice"}]
       [:put-docs :employees {:xt/id "emp2" :name "Bob"}]
       [:put-docs :employees {:xt/id "emp3" :name "Charlie"}]])
    
    (Thread/sleep 100)
    
    (println "\n=== XTQL Binding Spec Parameter Bug ===\n")
    
    ;; Expected: Only return Bob (emp2)
    ;; Actual: Returns ALL employees
    (println "Query: '(from :employees [{:xt/id $uid :name name}])")
    (println "Args:  {:args {:uid \"emp2\"}}")
    (println "\nExpected result: [{:name \"Bob\"}]")
    (println "\nActual result:")
    (let [result (xt/q node 
                      '(from :employees [{:xt/id $uid :name name}])
                      {:args {:uid "emp2"}})]
      (doseq [row result]
        (println " " row)))
    
    (println "\n❌ BUG: Returns all 3 employees instead of filtering by :xt/id = \"emp2\"")
    
    ;; Show that function syntax works correctly
    (println "\n\nFor comparison, function syntax works correctly:")
    (println "Query: ['(fn [uid] (from :employees [{:xt/id uid :name name}])) \"emp2\"]")
    (println "Result:" (xt/q node 
                            ['(fn [uid] 
                                (from :employees [{:xt/id uid :name name}]))
                             "emp2"]))
    (println "✅ Correctly returns only Bob")))

(comment
  (minimal-repro)
  
  ;; The issue appears to be that $ parameters in binding specs
  ;; are treated as output bindings rather than filter constraints
  
  ;; This explains why we see :uid in the output with the parameter value
  )

=== XTQL Binding Spec Parameter Bug ===

Query: '(from :employees [{:xt/id $uid :name name}])
Args:  {:args {:uid "emp2"}}

Expected result: [{:name "Bob"}]

Actual result:
  {#clerk/unreadable-edn (keyword  uid) emp3, :name Charlie}
  {#clerk/unreadable-edn (keyword  uid) emp1, :name Alice}
  {#clerk/unreadable-edn (keyword  uid) emp2, :name Bob}

❌ BUG: Returns all 3 employees instead of filtering by :xt/id = "emp2"


For comparison, function syntax works correctly:
Query: ['(fn [uid] (from :employees [{:xt/id uid :name name}])) "emp2"]
Result: [{:name Bob}]
✅ Correctly returns only Bob