/clickhouse-js-node-troubleshooting

Query Parameters Not Interpolated

Applies to: all versions. NULL parameter binding was fixed in 0.0.16. Tuple support via TupleParam wrapper and JS Map as a query parameter were added in >= 1.9.0. BigInt values in query parameters are supported since >= 1.15.0. Boolean formatting in Array/Tuple/Map params was fixed in >= 1.13.0.

Use the {name: type} syntax in the query string and pass values via query_params:

await client.query({
  query: "SELECT plus({val1: Int32}, {val2: Int32})",
  format: "CSV",
  query_params: { val1: 10, val2: 20 },
});

Never use template literals for user values

When $1/? don't work, a common instinct is to interpolate values directly with a template literal. Don't — this bypasses ClickHouse's server-side escaping and opens the door to SQL injection:

// ❌ Dangerous — never do this with user-controlled values
const userId = req.params.id;
await client.query({ query: `SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ${userId}` });

// ✓ Safe — parameterized
await client.query({
  query: "SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = {id: UInt32}",
  query_params: { id: userId },
});

Always bring this up when answering query-params questions, especially when the user is coming from another database (PostgreSQL, MySQL, etc.) — they're the most likely to reach for template literals as a fallback.

Common mistake: wrong parameter syntax

The ClickHouse JS client uses ClickHouse's native {name: type} syntax — not $1/?/:name placeholders from other databases:

// ❌ Wrong — these don't work
await client.query({
  query: "SELECT * FROM t WHERE id = $1",
  query: "SELECT * FROM t WHERE id = ?",
  query: "SELECT * FROM t WHERE id = :id",
  query_params: { id: 42 },
});

// ✓ Correct
await client.query({
  query: "SELECT * FROM t WHERE id = {id: UInt32}",
  query_params: { id: 42 },
});

Array parameters

await client.query({
  query: "SELECT * FROM t WHERE id IN {ids: Array(UInt32)}",
  format: "JSONEachRow",
  query_params: { ids: [1, 2, 3] },
});

Tuple parameters (>= 1.9.0)

Use the TupleParam wrapper to pass a tuple:

import { TupleParam, createClient } from "@clickhouse/client";

const client = createClient({
  url: "http://localhost:8123",
});

await client.query({
  query: "SELECT {t: Tuple(UInt32, String)}",
  format: "JSONEachRow",
  query_params: { t: new TupleParam([42, "hello"]) },
});

Map parameters (>= 1.9.0)

Pass a JS Map directly:

await client.query({
  query: "SELECT {m: Map(String, UInt32)}",
  format: "JSONEachRow",
  query_params: { m: new Map([["key", 1]]) },
});

NULL parameters

Pass null directly — binding fixed in 0.0.16:

await client.query({
  query: "SELECT {val: Nullable(String)}",
  format: "JSONEachRow",
  query_params: { val: null },
});