feat(golang): emit models to a different package

Closes #835.

Adds four Go codegen options that let users place table model structs
and enums in a Go package distinct from the queries package, optionally
shared across multiple SQL blocks:

  - output_models_path: directory for the models file
  - output_models_package: Go package name for the models file
  - output_models_import: import path for the models package
  - output_models_emit: when false, skip emitting models.go and only
    reference an externally-emitted models package

When the models package differs from the queries package, query files
import the models package and reference types as `model.User` instead of
`User`. Embedded model structs in synthetic Row structs and enum types
in synthetic Params structs are qualified consistently.

End-to-end fixtures cover both shapes: a single block with models in a
sibling directory, and two query blocks that share one models package.

https://claude.ai/code/session_01Nj4LbGbqFBTU1EPKKNHtNn

Author: claude

internal/cmd/generate.go

@@ -204,7 +204,35 @@ func (g *generator) ProcessResult(ctx context.Context, combo config.CombinedSett
 	// out is specified by the user, not a plugin
 	absout := filepath.Join(g.dir, out)
 
+	// When the Go codegen is configured to emit the models file into a
+	// separate package directory, route that file to its own absolute path.
+	// This is the only file allowed to live outside of `out`.
+	var (
+		modelsFileName string
+		modelsAbsout   string
+		modelsAbsfile  string
+	)
+	if sql.Gen.Go != nil && sql.Gen.Go.OutputModelsPath != "" && sql.Gen.Go.ModelsEmitEnabled() {
+		modelsFileName = sql.Gen.Go.OutputModelsFileName
+		if modelsFileName == "" {
+			modelsFileName = "models.go"
+		}
+		modelsAbsout = filepath.Join(g.dir, sql.Gen.Go.OutputModelsPath)
+		modelsAbsfile = filepath.Join(modelsAbsout, modelsFileName)
+	}
+
 	for n, source := range files {
+		if modelsFileName != "" && n == modelsFileName {
+			// Models file routed to a separate package directory.
+			if strings.Contains(modelsAbsfile, "..") {
+				return fmt.Errorf("invalid file output path: %s", modelsAbsfile)
+			}
+			if !strings.HasPrefix(modelsAbsfile, modelsAbsout) {
+				return fmt.Errorf("invalid file output path: %s", modelsAbsfile)
+			}
+			g.output[modelsAbsfile] = source
+			continue
+		}
 		filename := filepath.Join(g.dir, out, n)
 		// filepath.Join calls filepath.Clean which should remove all "..", but
 		// double check to make sure

internal/codegen/golang/gen.go

@@ -17,13 +17,14 @@ import (
 )
 
 type tmplCtx struct {
-	Q           string
-	Package     string
-	SQLDriver   opts.SQLDriver
-	Enums       []Enum
-	Structs     []Struct
-	GoQueries   []Query
-	SqlcVersion string
+	Q             string
+	Package       string
+	ModelsPackage string
+	SQLDriver     opts.SQLDriver
+	Enums         []Enum
+	Structs       []Struct
+	GoQueries     []Query
+	SqlcVersion   string
 
 	// TODO: Race conditions
 	SourceName string
@@ -120,13 +121,13 @@ func Generate(ctx context.Context, req *plugin.GenerateRequest) (*plugin.Generat
 
 	enums := buildEnums(req, options)
 	structs := buildStructs(req, options)
-	queries, err := buildQueries(req, options, structs)
+	queries, err := buildQueries(req, options, enums, structs)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	if options.OmitUnusedStructs {
-		enums, structs = filterUnusedStructs(enums, structs, queries)
+		enums, structs = filterUnusedStructs(enums, structs, queries, options.ModelsTypeQualifier())
 	}
 
 	if err := validate(options, enums, structs, queries); err != nil {
@@ -186,6 +187,7 @@ func generate(req *plugin.GenerateRequest, options *opts.Options, enums []Enum,
 		SQLDriver:                 parseDriver(options.SqlPackage),
 		Q:                         "`",
 		Package:                   options.Package,
+		ModelsPackage:             options.ModelsPackage(),
 		Enums:                     enums,
 		Structs:                   structs,
 		SqlcVersion:               req.SqlcVersion,
@@ -292,8 +294,10 @@ func generate(req *plugin.GenerateRequest, options *opts.Options, enums []Enum,
 	if err := execute(dbFileName, "dbFile"); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if err := execute(modelsFileName, "modelsFile"); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	if options.ModelsEmitEnabled() {
+		if err := execute(modelsFileName, "modelsFile"); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
 	if options.EmitInterface {
 		if err := execute(querierFileName, "interfaceFile"); err != nil {
@@ -367,25 +371,35 @@ func checkNoTimesForMySQLCopyFrom(queries []Query) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func filterUnusedStructs(enums []Enum, structs []Struct, queries []Query) ([]Enum, []Struct) {
+func filterUnusedStructs(enums []Enum, structs []Struct, queries []Query, qualifier string) ([]Enum, []Struct) {
 	keepTypes := make(map[string]struct{})
 
+	keep := func(t string) {
+		keepTypes[t] = struct{}{}
+		// Also store the bare type name so that lookups against
+		// bare struct/enum names match even when types have been
+		// qualified with the models package prefix (e.g. "model.User").
+		if bare := stripQualifier(t, qualifier); bare != t {
+			keepTypes[bare] = struct{}{}
+		}
+	}
+
 	for _, query := range queries {
 		if !query.Arg.isEmpty() {
-			keepTypes[query.Arg.Type()] = struct{}{}
+			keep(query.Arg.Type())
 			if query.Arg.IsStruct() {
 				for _, field := range query.Arg.Struct.Fields {
-					keepTypes[field.Type] = struct{}{}
+					keep(field.Type)
 				}
 			}
 		}
 		if query.hasRetType() {
-			keepTypes[query.Ret.Type()] = struct{}{}
+			keep(query.Ret.Type())
 			if query.Ret.IsStruct() {
 				for _, field := range query.Ret.Struct.Fields {
-					keepTypes[strings.TrimPrefix(field.Type, "[]")] = struct{}{}
+					keep(strings.TrimPrefix(field.Type, "[]"))
 					for _, embedField := range field.EmbedFields {
-						keepTypes[embedField.Type] = struct{}{}
+						keep(embedField.Type)
 					}
 				}
 			}

internal/codegen/golang/imports.go

@@ -243,6 +243,17 @@ func buildImports(options *opts.Options, queries []Query, uses func(string) bool
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Models package import. When models live in a separate Go package and
+	// any type in this file references a qualified model type, we need to
+	// import the models package. The qualifier is derived from the
+	// configured models package name, so the alias matches references like
+	// `model.User`.
+	if options.ModelsAreExternal() {
+		if uses(options.ModelsTypeQualifier()) {
+			pkg[ImportSpec{Path: options.OutputModelsImport, ID: options.OutputModelsPackage}] = struct{}{}
+		}
+	}
+
 	return std, pkg
 }
 

internal/codegen/golang/opts/options.go

@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ type Options struct {
 	OutputBatchFileName          string            `json:"output_batch_file_name,omitempty" yaml:"output_batch_file_name"`
 	OutputDbFileName             string            `json:"output_db_file_name,omitempty" yaml:"output_db_file_name"`
 	OutputModelsFileName         string            `json:"output_models_file_name,omitempty" yaml:"output_models_file_name"`
+	OutputModelsPath             string            `json:"output_models_path,omitempty" yaml:"output_models_path"`
+	OutputModelsPackage          string            `json:"output_models_package,omitempty" yaml:"output_models_package"`
+	OutputModelsImport           string            `json:"output_models_import,omitempty" yaml:"output_models_import"`
+	OutputModelsEmit             *bool             `json:"output_models_emit,omitempty" yaml:"output_models_emit"`
 	OutputQuerierFileName        string            `json:"output_querier_file_name,omitempty" yaml:"output_querier_file_name"`
 	OutputCopyfromFileName       string            `json:"output_copyfrom_file_name,omitempty" yaml:"output_copyfrom_file_name"`
 	OutputFilesSuffix            string            `json:"output_files_suffix,omitempty" yaml:"output_files_suffix"`
@@ -154,5 +158,74 @@ func ValidateOpts(opts *Options) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("invalid options: query parameter limit must not be negative")
 	}
 
+	if err := validateModelsOptions(opts); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// ModelsEmitEnabled reports whether this codegen block should write the
+// models file. Defaults to true when the option is unset.
+func (o *Options) ModelsEmitEnabled() bool {
+	if o.OutputModelsEmit == nil {
+		return true
+	}
+	return *o.OutputModelsEmit
+}
+
+// ModelsPackage returns the Go package name to use for model types. When the
+// caller has not configured a separate models package, this is the same as
+// Package.
+func (o *Options) ModelsPackage() string {
+	if o.OutputModelsPackage != "" {
+		return o.OutputModelsPackage
+	}
+	return o.Package
+}
+
+// ModelsAreExternal reports whether model types live in a different Go
+// package than the queries package. When true, query files must import the
+// models package and reference types as `<pkg>.Type`.
+func (o *Options) ModelsAreExternal() bool {
+	return o.OutputModelsPackage != "" && o.OutputModelsPackage != o.Package
+}
+
+// ModelsTypeQualifier returns the prefix to use when referencing a model
+// type from a query file (e.g. "model."). Empty string when no qualifier is
+// needed.
+func (o *Options) ModelsTypeQualifier() string {
+	if o.ModelsAreExternal() {
+		return o.OutputModelsPackage + "."
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func validateModelsOptions(opts *Options) error {
+	hasAnyModelsOpt := opts.OutputModelsPath != "" ||
+		opts.OutputModelsPackage != "" ||
+		opts.OutputModelsImport != "" ||
+		opts.OutputModelsEmit != nil
+
+	if !hasAnyModelsOpt {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	if opts.OutputModelsImport == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid options: output_models_import is required when any output_models_* option is set")
+	}
+
+	if opts.ModelsEmitEnabled() && opts.OutputModelsPath == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid options: output_models_path is required when emitting models to a separate package")
+	}
+
+	if opts.OutputModelsPackage == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid options: output_models_package is required when any output_models_* option is set")
+	}
+
+	if !opts.ModelsEmitEnabled() && opts.OutputModelsPackage == opts.Package {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid options: output_models_emit is false but output_models_package matches package; nothing to import")
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }

internal/codegen/golang/qualify.go

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+package golang
+
+import "strings"
+
+// stripQualifier removes a leading slice/pointer prefix and the given
+// `pkg.` qualifier from a Go type expression. When the qualifier is empty
+// or absent from the type, the input is returned unchanged.
+func stripQualifier(t, qualifier string) string {
+	if qualifier == "" {
+		return t
+	}
+	prefix := ""
+	rest := t
+	for {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(rest, "[]") {
+			prefix += "[]"
+			rest = rest[2:]
+			continue
+		}
+		if strings.HasPrefix(rest, "*") {
+			prefix += "*"
+			rest = rest[1:]
+			continue
+		}
+		break
+	}
+	if strings.HasPrefix(rest, qualifier) {
+		return prefix + rest[len(qualifier):]
+	}
+	return t
+}
+
+// modelTypeSet is the set of Go type names that live in the models file.
+type modelTypeSet map[string]struct{}
+
+// buildModelTypeSet returns the set of type names that are declared in
+// models.go for the current codegen invocation.
+func buildModelTypeSet(enums []Enum, structs []Struct) modelTypeSet {
+	set := make(modelTypeSet, len(enums)*4+len(structs))
+	for _, e := range enums {
+		set[e.Name] = struct{}{}
+		set["Null"+e.Name] = struct{}{}
+	}
+	for _, s := range structs {
+		if s.IsModel {
+			set[s.Name] = struct{}{}
+		}
+	}
+	return set
+}
+
+// qualifyType prefixes a Go type expression with `qualifier` when the bare
+// type name belongs to `models`. Slice and pointer prefixes are preserved.
+// When qualifier is empty (i.e. models live in the queries package), the
+// input is returned unchanged.
+func qualifyType(t string, models modelTypeSet, qualifier string) string {
+	if qualifier == "" || t == "" || len(models) == 0 {
+		return t
+	}
+	prefix := ""
+	rest := t
+	for {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(rest, "[]") {
+			prefix += "[]"
+			rest = rest[2:]
+			continue
+		}
+		if strings.HasPrefix(rest, "*") {
+			prefix += "*"
+			rest = rest[1:]
+			continue
+		}
+		break
+	}
+	if _, ok := models[rest]; ok {
+		return prefix + qualifier + rest
+	}
+	return t
+}

internal/codegen/golang/query.go

@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ type QueryValue struct {
 	Typ         string
 	SQLDriver   opts.SQLDriver
 
+	// ModelQualifier prefixes references to model types when the models file
+	// lives in a different Go package (e.g. "model."). Empty otherwise.
+	ModelQualifier string
+
 	// Column is kept so late in the generation process around to differentiate
 	// between mysql slices and pg arrays
 	Column *plugin.Column
@@ -88,6 +92,14 @@ func (v QueryValue) Type() string {
 		return v.Typ
 	}
 	if v.Struct != nil {
+		// Model structs (table-derived) live in the models file. When that
+		// file is generated into a different Go package, references from
+		// query files must be qualified. Synthetic structs (Params/Row)
+		// are defined in the same query file as their use, so they stay
+		// bare.
+		if v.Struct.IsModel && v.ModelQualifier != "" {
+			return v.ModelQualifier + v.Struct.Name
+		}
 		return v.Struct.Name
 	}
 	panic("no type for QueryValue: " + v.Name)