For me that's ecto (an elixir dsl for performing queries). The single defining improvement is I can define reusable building blocks. (This is also why I like react-style frameworks over raw js).

    entry_of(record)
    |> select_basic_info()


    def entry_of(record) do
        Entry
        |> where(record_id: record.id)
    end


    def select_basic_info(query) do
        query
        |> select([entry], BasicEntey.new(entry.foo, entry.bar))
    end