Guide: Derived / formula properties

Purpose

A formula property is a read-only entity property whose value is computed by a SQL expression at query time rather than stored in its own column. Ebean has two annotations for this:

• @Formula — you write the physical SQL for the select (and any join), using the ${ta} placeholder for the base table alias. Maximum control; verbose.
• @Formula2 — you write a logical expression using dot-notation property paths (e.g. parent.familyName). Ebean translates the paths to the correct table aliases and adds the required JOINs automatically.

@Formula2 is intended as the easier, path-based replacement for @Formula. Both produce read-only properties and behave the same way with respect to default inclusion (see Default inclusion).

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Quick comparison

	@Formula	@Formula2
Expression	Physical SQL columns + aliases	Logical property paths
Table alias	${ta} placeholder you write	Resolved automatically
Joins	You write the join clause	Added automatically from the paths
Read only	✅	✅
Included by default	✅ (use @Transient to opt out)	✅ (use @Transient to opt out)
Usable in select / where / orderBy / having	✅	✅
Creates a DB column (DDL)	❌	❌

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@Formula — physical SQL

You supply the SQL select fragment, and an optional join. Use ${ta} wherever you need the base table alias of the entity.

@Entity
public class ParentPerson {

  // aggregation via a derived join; ${ta} is the base table alias
  @Formula(select = "coalesce(f2.child_count, 0)",
           join = "left join (select parent_id, count(*) as child_count"
                + " from child group by parent_id) f2 on f2.parent_id = ${ta}.id")
  Integer childCount;

  // coalesce across a joined table using an explicit join alias (j1)
  @Formula(select = "coalesce(${ta}.family_name, j1.family_name)",
           join = "join parent_person j1 on j1.id = ${ta}.parent_id")
  String effectiveFamilyName;
}

Notes:

• The join string must start with join or left join.
• You manage the join aliases (j1, f2, …) yourself and reference them in select.
• @Formula is @Repeatable and supports a platforms() restriction.

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@Formula2 — logical property paths

Write the expression using property paths. Ebean resolves each path to the right table alias and adds the joins it needs.

@Entity
public class ParentPerson {

  @ManyToOne
  GrandParentPerson parent;

  String familyName;

  // Ebean automatically left joins 'parent' and resolves the aliases
  @Formula2("coalesce(familyName, parent.familyName)")
  String derivedFamilyName;
}

A query selecting derivedFamilyName produces (roughly):

select t0.id, coalesce(t0.family_name, t1.family_name)
from parent_person t0
left join grand_parent_person t1 on t1.id = t0.parent_id

Multi-level paths join through each step:

// joins parent and parent.parent automatically
@Formula2("coalesce(familyName, parent.familyName, parent.parent.familyName)")
String deepFamilyName;

@Formula2 works wherever a normal property does — the required joins are added automatically in each case:

// selected explicitly
DB.find(ParentPerson.class).select("derivedFamilyName").findList();

// used in where (auto-joins even when not selected)
DB.find(ParentPerson.class).where().eq("derivedFamilyName", "Smith").findList();

// used in order by
DB.find(ParentPerson.class).orderBy("derivedFamilyName").findList();

// referenced via a path from another bean
DB.find(ChildPerson.class).where().eq("parent.derivedFamilyName", "Smith").findList();

It also resolves correctly inside nested fetch() joins, so a @Formula2 on a fetched association is computed with its own joins relative to that association.

Notes:

• The expression supports any SQL function whose arguments are logical property paths.
• @Formula2 supports a platforms() restriction.
• No ${ta} and no hand-written join — that is the point of @Formula2.

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Default inclusion and @Transient

Both annotations are included in queries by default (just like a normal mapped property). When no explicit select()/fetch() is given, the formula — and for @Formula2 the joins it requires — are added to the query.

Add @Transient to make the formula opt-in: it is then not selected by default and must be requested explicitly via select() or fetch(). Do this when the formula (or the joins it needs) is relatively expensive.

// not selected by default; must be requested explicitly
@Transient
@Formula2("coalesce(familyName, parent.familyName)")
String lazyDerivedFamilyName;

DB.find(ParentPerson.class)
  .select("lazyDerivedFamilyName")   // explicitly included, join auto-added
  .findList();

This is the same @Transient opt-out mechanism used by @Formula.

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Which should I use?

• Prefer @Formula2 for expressions over property paths (coalesce/case/functions across associations). It is shorter, refactor-friendly, and the joins stay correct as the model changes.
• Use @Formula when you need raw SQL that does not map cleanly to property paths — for example a derived aggregate sub-select / dynamic view, or vendor-specific SQL.

For read models that exist only to carry computed values, also consider projecting to a DTO instead of mapping the formula onto the entity — see writing-ebean-query-beans.md.