Database Manual / Reference / Query Language / Expressions

$getField (expression operator)

Definition

$getField

New in version 5.0.

Returns the value of a specified field from a document. If you don't specify an object, $getField returns the value of the field from $$CURRENT.

You can use $getField to retrieve the value of fields with names that contain periods (.) or start with dollar signs ($).

Tip

Use $setField to add or update fields with names that contain dollar signs ($) or periods (.).

Syntax

$getField has the following syntax:

{
  $getField: {
    field: <String>,
    input: <Object>
  }
}
FieldTypeDescription

field

String

Input object for which you want to return a value.

Changed in version 7.2: field accepts any valid expression that resolves to a string.

If field begins with a dollar sign ($), place the field name inside of a $literal or $toString expression to return its value.

input

Object

Default: $$CURRENT

A valid expression that contains the field for which you want to return a value. input must resolve to an object, missing, null, or undefined. If omitted, defaults to the document currently being processed in the pipeline ($$CURRENT).

$getField has the following shorthand syntax for retrieving field values from $$CURRENT:

{
  $getField: <String>
}

For this syntax, the argument is equivalent to the value of field described above.

Behavior

  • If the field that you specify is not present in the input object, or in $$CURRENT if you don't specify an input object, $getField returns missing.

  • If input evaluates to missing, undefined, or null, $getField returns null.
  • If input evaluates to anything other than an object, missing, undefined, or null, $getField returns an error.
  • $getField doesn't implicitly traverse objects or arrays. For example, $getField evaluates a field value of a.b.c as a top-level field a.b.c instead of a nested field { a: { b: { c: } } }.

Tip

Considerations for field names

Examples

Query Fields that Contain Periods (.)

Consider an inventory collection with the following documents:

db.inventory.insertMany( [
   { _id: 1, item: "sweatshirt", "price.usd": 45.99, qty: 300 },
   { _id: 2, item: "winter coat", "price.usd": 499.99, qty: 200 },
   { _id: 3, item: "sun dress", "price.usd": 199.99, qty: 250 },
   { _id: 4, item: "leather boots", "price.usd": 249.99, qty: 300 },
   { _id: 5, item: "bow tie", "price.usd": 9.99, qty: 180 }
] )

The following operation uses the $getField and $gt operators to find which products have a price.usd greater than 200:

db.inventory.aggregate( [
  {
    $match:
      { $expr:
        { $gt: [ { $getField: "price.usd" }, 200 ] }
      }
   }
] )

The operation returns the following results:

[
  { _id: 2, item: 'winter coat', qty: 200, 'price.usd': 499.99 },
  { _id: 4, item: 'leather boots', qty: 300, 'price.usd': 249.99 }
]

Query Fields that Start with a Dollar Sign ($)

Consider an inventory collection with the following documents:

db.inventory.insertMany( [
   { _id: 1, item: "sweatshirt", "$price": 45.99, qty: 300 },
   { _id: 2, item: "winter coat", "$price": 499.99, qty: 200 },
   { _id: 3, item: "sun dress", "$price": 199.99, qty: 250 },
   { _id: 4, item: "leather boots", "$price": 249.99, qty: 300 },
   { _id: 5, item: "bow tie", "$price": 9.99, qty: 180 }
] )

The following operation uses the $getField, $gt, and $literal operators to find which products have a $price greater than 200:

db.inventory.aggregate( [
  {
    $match:
      { $expr:
        { $gt: [ { $getField: {$literal: "$price" } }, 200 ] }
      }
   }
] )

The operation returns the following results:

[
  { _id: 2, item: 'winter coat', qty: 200, '$price': 499.99 },
  { _id: 4, item: 'leather boots', qty: 300, '$price': 249.99 }
]

Query a Field in a Sub-document

Create an inventory collection with the following documents:

db.inventory.insertMany( [
   { _id: 1, item: "sweatshirt",  "price.usd": 45.99,
     quantity: { "$large": 50, "$medium": 50, "$small": 25 }
   },
   { _id: 2, item: "winter coat", "price.usd": 499.99,
     quantity: { "$large": 35, "$medium": 35, "$small": 35 }
   },
   { _id: 3, item: "sun dress", "price.usd": 199.99,
     quantity: { "$large": 45, "$medium": 40, "$small": 5 }
   },
   { _id: 4, item: "leather boots", "price.usd": 249.99,
     quantity: { "$large": 20, "$medium": 30, "$small": 40 }
   },
   { _id: 5, item: "bow tie", "price.usd": 9.99,
     quantity: { "$large": 0, "$medium": 10, "$small": 75 }
   }
] )

The following operation returns documents where the number of $small items is less than or equal to 20.

db.inventory.aggregate( [
   { $match:
      { $expr:
         { $lte:
            [
               { $getField:
                  { field: { $literal: "$small" },
                    input: "$quantity"
                  }
               },
               20
            ]
         }
      }
   }
] )

Use these operators to query the collection:

  • The $lte operator finds values less than or equal to 20.

  • $getField requires explicit field and input parameters because the $small field is part of a sub-document.

  • $getField uses $literal to evaluate "$small", because the field name has a dollar sign ($) in it.

Example output:

[
  {
    _id: 3,
    item: 'sun dress',
    'price.usd': 199.99,
    quantity: { '$large': 45, '$medium': 40, '$small': 5 }
  }
]