description: "SOQL query generation, optimization, and analysis with 100-point scoring. Use this skill when the user needs SOQL/SOSL authoring or optimization: natural-language-to-query generation, relationship queries, aggregates, query-plan analysis, and performance or safety improvements for Salesforce queries. TRIGGER when: user writes, optimizes, or debugs SOQL/SOSL queries, touches .soql files, or asks about relationship queries, aggregates, or query performance. DO NOT TRIGGER when: bulk data operations (use platform-data-manage), Apex DML logic (use platform-apex-generate), or report/dashboard queries."
Use this skill when the user needs **SOQL/SOSL authoring or optimization**: natural-language-to-query generation, relationship queries, aggregates, query-plan analysis, and performance/safety improvements for Salesforce queries.
## When This Skill Owns the Task
Use `platform-soql-query` when the work involves:
-`.soql` files
- query generation from natural language
- relationship queries and aggregate queries
- query optimization and selectivity analysis
- SOQL/SOSL syntax and governor-aware design
Delegate elsewhere when the user is:
- performing bulk data operations → [platform-data-manage](../platform-data-manage/SKILL.md)
- debugging via logs rather than query shape → [platform-apex-logs-debug](../platform-apex-logs-debug/SKILL.md)
---
## Required Context to Gather First
Ask for or infer:
- target object(s)
- fields needed
- filter criteria
- sort / limit requirements
- whether the query is for display, automation, reporting-like analysis, or Apex usage
- whether performance / selectivity is already a concern
---
## Recommended Workflow
### 1. Generate the simplest correct query
Prefer:
- only needed fields
- clear WHERE criteria
- reasonable LIMIT when appropriate
- relationship depth only as deep as necessary
While drafting, call `mcp__plugin_salesforce-development_salesforce-lsp__complete_soql` with the partial query to get schema-aware completion of object, field, and relationship names against the connected org — this avoids guessing API names that then fail validation. On error envelope or unavailable (`{error: <code>}` / tool not registered), skip completion and rely on the syntax reference in `references/soql-syntax-reference.md`.
When the query already lives inside an Apex class (optimizing or debugging embedded SOQL rather than authoring new), call `mcp__plugin_salesforce-development_salesforce-lsp__extract_soql_from_apex` with the `.cls` file to pull the SOQL strings out before analyzing them, so you optimize the exact query the class runs.
### 2. Choose the right query shape
| Need | Default pattern |
|---|---|
| parent data from child | child-to-parent traversal |
| child rows from parent | subquery |
| counts / rollups | aggregate query |
| records with / without related rows | semi-join / anti-join |
| text search across objects | SOSL |
### 3. Validate with LSP tools (REQUIRED)
**REQUIRED:** Before running a SOQL query against the org or recommending it for production use:
1.**Call `mcp__plugin_salesforce-development_salesforce-lsp__validate_soql`** with the query string to check syntax and catch parse errors before execution.
- On success (`{ok: true}`), proceed. **A clean parse is not a clean query.**`validate_soql` is parser-only — it accepts objects, fields, and relationships that do not exist in the target org. A successful parse means the syntax is well-formed, NOT that the identifiers resolve.
- **Fail closed on an uncertain result.** If the call timed out, was retried, or its result is otherwise uncertain, do NOT treat it as a successful validation — fall back to step 2 and record `validate_soql=unavailable: timeout`.
- On error envelope (`{error: <code>}`), record `validate_soql=unavailable: <code>` and fall back to step 2.
- On unavailable (tool not registered), record `validate_soql=unavailable: lsp_not_present` and fall back to step 2.
2.**Verify identifiers against org schema (REQUIRED, even when the parse succeeds).** Confirm every object, field, and relationship in the query actually exists in the target org before recommending it — a well-formed parse over a nonexistent field must not be reported as valid.
- **Authoritative check — describe or a bounded probe. Do NOT execute the user's full query to verify schema** (it may be unbounded and retrieve large result sets). Instead:
- **Preferred:** `sf sobject describe --sobject <Object> --target-org <org>` for each object in the query, and confirm every referenced field/relationship appears in the describe output. This resolves identifiers with no rows retrieved.
- **Alternative:** a bounded org-backed probe — the same query rewritten with `LIMIT 0` (or the object's key with `LIMIT 1`) via `sf data query --query "<bounded-query>" --json --target-org <org>`. `LIMIT 0` validates every identifier server-side while returning no rows; a bad object or field surfaces as an `INVALID_TYPE` / `INVALID_FIELD` error.
-`mcp__plugin_salesforce-development_salesforce-lsp__complete_soql` may be used to resolve names while drafting, but completion returns candidates at a cursor position — not a validation result for every identifier — and can return `{ok: true, hint: "no_org_connected"}` with placeholder schema. **Completion output is NOT sufficient schema verification:** if `complete_soql` returns `no_org_connected` or does not resolve every identifier, fall back to the describe or bounded-probe check above.
- **NEVER** report a query as valid because the validation check didn't run or only parsed — always confirm identifiers against the org schema first.
3.**For production queries**, also call `mcp__plugin_salesforce-development_salesforce-lsp__check_soql_selectivity` to analyze selectivity heuristics before recommending the query for high-volume or scheduled use.
- On error envelope or unavailable, record `check_soql_selectivity=unavailable: <code>` and note selectivity was not verified.
4.**After deploying schema changes**, if a field or object reference fails validation immediately after deployment, call `mcp__plugin_salesforce-development_salesforce-lsp__refresh_org_schema` to invalidate the cached org describe, then re-validate before assuming a code error.
See the `platform-lsp-integrate` skill for the complete LSP Call/Fallback Contract and error code reference.
### 4. Optimize for selectivity and safety
Check:
- indexed / selective filters
- no unnecessary fields
- no avoidable wildcard or scan-heavy patterns
- security enforcement expectations
### 5. Validate execution path if needed
If the user wants runtime verification, hand off execution to:
