---
title: "Feature: #104482 - Add if() support to ExpressionBuilder"
manual: "TYPO3 Core Changelog"
version: "main"
permalink: "https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/changelog:feature-104482-1721939108"
source: "Changelog/13.3/Feature-104482-IfSupportInExpressionBuilder.rst"
typo3-version: "13.3"
typo3-major: 13
type: "feature"
issue: 104482
forge: "https://forge.typo3.org/issues/104482"
tags: ["Database", "PHP-API", "ext:core"]
rendered: "2026-10-03T08:19:36+00:00"
---

# Feature: #104482 - Add if() support to ExpressionBuilder {#feature-104482-1721939108}

See [forge#104482](https://forge.typo3.org/issues/104482)

## Description {#description}

The TYPO3 `\TYPO3\CMS\Core\Database\Query\Expression\ExpressionBuilder`
provides a new method to phrase "if-then-else" expressions. Those are translated
into `IF` or `CASE` statements depending on the used database engine.

### `ExpressionBuilder::if()` {#expressionbuilder-if}

Creates an IF-THEN-ELSE expression.

**Method signature**

```php
/**
 * Creates IF-THEN-ELSE expression construct compatible with all supported database vendors.
 * No automatic quoting or escaping is done, which allows to build up nested expression statements.
 *
 * **Example:**
 * ```
 * $queryBuilder
 *   ->selectLiteral(
 *     $queryBuilder->expr()->if(
 *       $queryBuilder->expr()->eq('hidden', $queryBuilder->createNamedParameter(0, Connection::PARAM_INT)),
 *       $queryBuilder->quote('page-is-visible'),
 *       $queryBuilder->quote('page-is-not-visible'),
 *       'result_field_name'
 *     ),
 *   )
 *   ->from('pages');
 * ```
 *
 * **Result with MySQL:**
 * ```
 * SELECT (IF(`hidden` = 0, 'page-is-visible', 'page-is-not-visible')) AS `result_field_name` FROM `pages`
 * ```
 */
public function if(
    CompositeExpression|\Doctrine\DBAL\Query\Expression\CompositeExpression|\Stringable|string $condition,
    \Stringable|string $truePart,
    \Stringable|string $falsePart,
    \Stringable|string|null $as = null
): string {
    $platform = $this->connection->getDatabasePlatform();
    $pattern = match (true) {
        $platform instanceof DoctrineSQLitePlatform => 'IIF(%s, %s, %s)',
        $platform instanceof DoctrinePostgreSQLPlatform => 'CASE WHEN %s THEN %s ELSE %s END',
        $platform instanceof DoctrineMariaDBPlatform,
        $platform instanceof DoctrineMySQLPlatform => 'IF(%s, %s, %s)',
        default => throw new \RuntimeException(
            sprintf('Platform "%s" not supported for "%s"', $platform::class, __METHOD__),
            1721806463
        )
    };
    $expression = sprintf($pattern, $condition, $truePart, $falsePart);
    if ($as !== null) {
        $expression = $this->as(sprintf('(%s)', $expression), $as);
    }
    return $expression;
}
```

## Impact {#impact}

Extension authors can use the new expression method to build more advanced
queries without the requirement to deal with the correct implementation for
all supported database vendors.

> [!NOTE]
> No automatic quoting or escaping is done for the condition and true/false
> part. Extension authors need to ensure proper quoting for each part or use
> API calls doing the quoting, for example the TYPO3 CompositeExpression or
> ExpressionBuilder calls.