diff --git a/apps/server/src/core/base/query-cache/duckdb-query-builder.spec.ts b/apps/server/src/core/base/query-cache/duckdb-query-builder.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..71cfd929
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/server/src/core/base/query-cache/duckdb-query-builder.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import { buildColumnSpecs } from './column-types';
+import { buildDuckDbListQuery } from './duckdb-query-builder';
+import { BasePropertyType } from '../base.schemas';
+
+const numericProp = {
+  id: '00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001',
+  type: BasePropertyType.NUMBER,
+  typeOptions: {},
+} as any;
+const textProp = {
+  id: '00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000002',
+  type: BasePropertyType.TEXT,
+  typeOptions: {},
+} as any;
+
+const columns = buildColumnSpecs([numericProp, textProp]);
+
+describe('buildDuckDbListQuery', () => {
+  it('renders no-filter, no-sort, no-search as live-rows-paginated-by-position', () => {
+    const { sql, params } = buildDuckDbListQuery({
+      columns,
+      pagination: { limit: 100 },
+    });
+    expect(sql).toMatch(/FROM rows/);
+    expect(sql).toMatch(/deleted_at IS NULL/);
+    expect(sql).toMatch(/ORDER BY position ASC, id ASC/);
+    expect(sql).toMatch(/LIMIT 101/);
+    expect(params).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('renders numeric gt filter with parameterized value', () => {
+    const { sql, params } = buildDuckDbListQuery({
+      columns,
+      filter: {
+        op: 'and',
+        children: [{ propertyId: numericProp.id, op: 'gt', value: 42 }],
+      },
+      pagination: { limit: 100 },
+    });
+    expect(sql).toMatch(new RegExp(`"${numericProp.id}" > \\?`));
+    expect(params).toContain(42);
+  });
+
+  it('renders text contains with ILIKE and escaped wildcards', () => {
+    const { sql, params } = buildDuckDbListQuery({
+      columns,
+      filter: {
+        op: 'and',
+        children: [{ propertyId: textProp.id, op: 'contains', value: 'a_b%c' }],
+      },
+      pagination: { limit: 100 },
+    });
+    expect(sql).toMatch(/ILIKE \?/);
+    expect(params).toContain('%a\\_b\\%c%');
+  });
+
+  it('renders sort with sentinel wrapping and cursor keyset', () => {
+    const { sql } = buildDuckDbListQuery({
+      columns,
+      sorts: [{ propertyId: numericProp.id, direction: 'asc' }],
+      pagination: {
+        limit: 50,
+        afterKeys: { s0: 10, position: 'A0', id: '00000000-0000-0000-0000-0000000000aa' },
+      },
+    });
+    expect(sql).toMatch(/COALESCE\("[0-9a-f-]+", '?[Ii]nfinity'?::[A-Z]+\) AS s0/);
+    expect(sql).toMatch(/ORDER BY s0 ASC, position ASC, id ASC/);
+    // keyset OR-chain
+    expect(sql).toMatch(/s0 > \?/);
+  });
+
+  it('renders search in trgm mode as ILIKE on search_text', () => {
+    const { sql, params } = buildDuckDbListQuery({
+      columns,
+      search: { mode: 'trgm', query: 'hello' },
+      pagination: { limit: 10 },
+    });
+    expect(sql).toMatch(/search_text ILIKE \?/);
+    expect(params).toContain('%hello%');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/server/src/core/base/query-cache/duckdb-query-builder.ts b/apps/server/src/core/base/query-cache/duckdb-query-builder.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3518e3df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/server/src/core/base/query-cache/duckdb-query-builder.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,620 @@
+import { BasePropertyType } from '../base.schemas';
+import {
+  Condition,
+  FilterNode,
+  SearchSpec,
+  SortSpec,
+} from '../engine/schema.zod';
+import { escapeIlike } from '../engine/extractors';
+import { PropertyKind, propertyKind } from '../engine/kinds';
+import { ColumnSpec } from './query-cache.types';
+
+export type AfterKeys = Record<string, unknown>;
+
+export type DuckDbListQueryOpts = {
+  columns: ColumnSpec[];
+  filter?: FilterNode;
+  sorts?: SortSpec[];
+  search?: SearchSpec;
+  pagination: { limit: number; afterKeys?: AfterKeys };
+};
+
+export type DuckDbListQuery = {
+  sql: string;
+  params: unknown[];
+};
+
+export class FtsNotSupportedInCache extends Error {
+  constructor() {
+    super('FTS search mode is not supported in the DuckDB query cache');
+    this.name = 'FtsNotSupportedInCache';
+  }
+}
+
+type ColumnIndex = {
+  byId: Map<string, ColumnSpec>;
+  userColumns: ColumnSpec[];
+};
+
+type SortBuild = {
+  key: string;
+  expression: string;
+  direction: 'asc' | 'desc';
+};
+
+// System property type → DuckDB system column name. Mirrors
+// engine/kinds.SYSTEM_COLUMN but in snake_case (DuckDB table uses
+// snake_case columns; the engine relies on Kysely's camel-case plugin).
+const SYSTEM_COLUMN_DUCK: Record<string, 'created_at' | 'updated_at' | 'last_updated_by_id'> = {
+  [BasePropertyType.CREATED_AT]: 'created_at',
+  [BasePropertyType.LAST_EDITED_AT]: 'updated_at',
+  [BasePropertyType.LAST_EDITED_BY]: 'last_updated_by_id',
+};
+
+export function buildDuckDbListQuery(
+  opts: DuckDbListQueryOpts,
+): DuckDbListQuery {
+  const index = indexColumns(opts.columns);
+  const params: unknown[] = [];
+
+  const whereClauses: string[] = ['deleted_at IS NULL'];
+
+  if (opts.search) {
+    whereClauses.push(buildSearch(opts.search, params));
+  }
+
+  if (opts.filter) {
+    const filterSql = buildFilter(opts.filter, index, params);
+    if (filterSql) whereClauses.push(filterSql);
+  }
+
+  const sortBuilds = buildSorts(opts.sorts ?? [], index);
+
+  const selectParts: string[] = buildSelect(index, sortBuilds);
+
+  if (opts.pagination.afterKeys) {
+    whereClauses.push(
+      buildKeyset(opts.pagination.afterKeys, sortBuilds, params),
+    );
+  }
+
+  const orderByParts: string[] = [
+    ...sortBuilds.map((s) => `${s.key} ${s.direction.toUpperCase()}`),
+    'position ASC',
+    'id ASC',
+  ];
+
+  const sql =
+    `SELECT ${selectParts.join(', ')}` +
+    ` FROM rows` +
+    ` WHERE ${whereClauses.join(' AND ')}` +
+    ` ORDER BY ${orderByParts.join(', ')}` +
+    ` LIMIT ${opts.pagination.limit + 1}`;
+
+  return { sql, params };
+}
+
+// --- select projection -------------------------------------------------
+
+function buildSelect(index: ColumnIndex, sortBuilds: SortBuild[]): string[] {
+  const cellsJson = buildCellsJson(index.userColumns);
+  const parts: string[] = [
+    'id',
+    'base_id',
+    `${cellsJson} AS cells`,
+    'position',
+    'creator_id',
+    'last_updated_by_id',
+    'workspace_id',
+    'created_at',
+    'updated_at',
+    'deleted_at',
+  ];
+  for (const sb of sortBuilds) {
+    parts.push(`${sb.expression} AS ${sb.key}`);
+  }
+  return parts;
+}
+
+function buildCellsJson(userColumns: ColumnSpec[]): string {
+  if (userColumns.length === 0) return `'{}'::JSON`;
+  const entries: string[] = [];
+  for (const col of userColumns) {
+    entries.push(`'${col.column}'`);
+    entries.push(quoteIdent(col.column));
+  }
+  return `json_object(${entries.join(', ')})`;
+}
+
+// --- filter ------------------------------------------------------------
+
+function buildFilter(
+  node: FilterNode,
+  index: ColumnIndex,
+  params: unknown[],
+): string {
+  if ('children' in node) {
+    if (node.children.length === 0) return 'TRUE';
+    const built = node.children
+      .map((c) => buildFilter(c, index, params))
+      .filter((s) => s.length > 0);
+    if (built.length === 0) return 'TRUE';
+    const joiner = node.op === 'and' ? ' AND ' : ' OR ';
+    return `(${built.join(joiner)})`;
+  }
+  return buildCondition(node, index, params);
+}
+
+function buildCondition(
+  cond: Condition,
+  index: ColumnIndex,
+  params: unknown[],
+): string {
+  const col = index.byId.get(cond.propertyId);
+  if (!col) return 'FALSE';
+
+  const propType = col.property?.type;
+  if (propType && SYSTEM_COLUMN_DUCK[propType]) {
+    return systemCondition(SYSTEM_COLUMN_DUCK[propType], cond, params);
+  }
+
+  const kind = propType ? propertyKind(propType) : null;
+  if (!kind) return 'FALSE';
+
+  const colRef = quoteIdent(col.column);
+
+  switch (kind) {
+    case PropertyKind.TEXT:
+      return textCondition(colRef, cond, params);
+    case PropertyKind.NUMERIC:
+      return numericCondition(colRef, cond, params);
+    case PropertyKind.DATE:
+      return dateCondition(colRef, cond, params);
+    case PropertyKind.BOOL:
+      return boolCondition(colRef, cond, params);
+    case PropertyKind.SELECT:
+      return selectCondition(colRef, cond, params);
+    case PropertyKind.MULTI:
+      return arrayOfIdsCondition(colRef, cond, params);
+    case PropertyKind.PERSON: {
+      const allowMultiple = !!(col.property?.typeOptions as any)?.allowMultiple;
+      return allowMultiple
+        ? arrayOfIdsCondition(colRef, cond, params)
+        : selectCondition(colRef, cond, params);
+    }
+    case PropertyKind.FILE:
+      return arrayOfIdsCondition(colRef, cond, params);
+    default:
+      return 'FALSE';
+  }
+}
+
+function textCondition(
+  colRef: string,
+  cond: Condition,
+  params: unknown[],
+): string {
+  const val = cond.value;
+  switch (cond.op) {
+    case 'isEmpty':
+      return `(${colRef} IS NULL OR ${colRef} = '')`;
+    case 'isNotEmpty':
+      return `(${colRef} IS NOT NULL AND ${colRef} != '')`;
+    case 'eq':
+      if (val == null) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(val));
+      return `${colRef} = ?`;
+    case 'neq':
+      if (val == null) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(val));
+      return `(${colRef} IS NULL OR ${colRef} != ?)`;
+    case 'contains':
+      if (val == null) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(`%${escapeIlike(String(val))}%`);
+      return `${colRef} ILIKE ?`;
+    case 'ncontains':
+      if (val == null) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(`%${escapeIlike(String(val))}%`);
+      return `(${colRef} IS NULL OR ${colRef} NOT ILIKE ?)`;
+    case 'startsWith':
+      if (val == null) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(`${escapeIlike(String(val))}%`);
+      return `${colRef} ILIKE ?`;
+    case 'endsWith':
+      if (val == null) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(`%${escapeIlike(String(val))}`);
+      return `${colRef} ILIKE ?`;
+    default:
+      return 'FALSE';
+  }
+}
+
+function numericCondition(
+  colRef: string,
+  cond: Condition,
+  params: unknown[],
+): string {
+  const raw = cond.value;
+  const num = raw == null ? null : Number(raw);
+  const bad = num == null || Number.isNaN(num);
+  switch (cond.op) {
+    case 'isEmpty':
+      return `${colRef} IS NULL`;
+    case 'isNotEmpty':
+      return `${colRef} IS NOT NULL`;
+    case 'eq':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(num);
+      return `${colRef} = ?`;
+    case 'neq':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(num);
+      return `(${colRef} IS NULL OR ${colRef} != ?)`;
+    case 'gt':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(num);
+      return `${colRef} > ?`;
+    case 'gte':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(num);
+      return `${colRef} >= ?`;
+    case 'lt':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(num);
+      return `${colRef} < ?`;
+    case 'lte':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(num);
+      return `${colRef} <= ?`;
+    default:
+      return 'FALSE';
+  }
+}
+
+function dateCondition(
+  colRef: string,
+  cond: Condition,
+  params: unknown[],
+): string {
+  const raw = cond.value;
+  const bad = raw == null || raw === '';
+  switch (cond.op) {
+    case 'isEmpty':
+      return `${colRef} IS NULL`;
+    case 'isNotEmpty':
+      return `${colRef} IS NOT NULL`;
+    case 'eq':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(raw));
+      return `${colRef} = ?`;
+    case 'neq':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(raw));
+      return `(${colRef} IS NULL OR ${colRef} != ?)`;
+    case 'before':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(raw));
+      return `${colRef} < ?`;
+    case 'after':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(raw));
+      return `${colRef} > ?`;
+    case 'onOrBefore':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(raw));
+      return `${colRef} <= ?`;
+    case 'onOrAfter':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(raw));
+      return `${colRef} >= ?`;
+    default:
+      return 'FALSE';
+  }
+}
+
+function boolCondition(
+  colRef: string,
+  cond: Condition,
+  params: unknown[],
+): string {
+  switch (cond.op) {
+    case 'isEmpty':
+      return `${colRef} IS NULL`;
+    case 'isNotEmpty':
+      return `${colRef} IS NOT NULL`;
+    case 'eq':
+      if (cond.value == null) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(Boolean(cond.value));
+      return `${colRef} = ?`;
+    case 'neq':
+      if (cond.value == null) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(Boolean(cond.value));
+      return `(${colRef} IS NULL OR ${colRef} != ?)`;
+    default:
+      return 'FALSE';
+  }
+}
+
+function selectCondition(
+  colRef: string,
+  cond: Condition,
+  params: unknown[],
+): string {
+  const val = cond.value;
+  switch (cond.op) {
+    case 'isEmpty':
+      return `(${colRef} IS NULL OR ${colRef} = '')`;
+    case 'isNotEmpty':
+      return `(${colRef} IS NOT NULL AND ${colRef} != '')`;
+    case 'eq':
+      if (val == null) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(val));
+      return `${colRef} = ?`;
+    case 'neq':
+      if (val == null) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(val));
+      return `(${colRef} IS NULL OR ${colRef} != ?)`;
+    case 'any': {
+      const arr = asStringArray(val);
+      if (arr.length === 0) return 'FALSE';
+      const placeholders = arr.map(() => '?').join(', ');
+      for (const v of arr) params.push(v);
+      return `${colRef} IN (${placeholders})`;
+    }
+    case 'none': {
+      const arr = asStringArray(val);
+      if (arr.length === 0) return 'TRUE';
+      const placeholders = arr.map(() => '?').join(', ');
+      for (const v of arr) params.push(v);
+      return `(${colRef} IS NULL OR ${colRef} NOT IN (${placeholders}))`;
+    }
+    default:
+      return 'FALSE';
+  }
+}
+
+function arrayOfIdsCondition(
+  colRef: string,
+  cond: Condition,
+  params: unknown[],
+): string {
+  const val = cond.value;
+  switch (cond.op) {
+    case 'isEmpty':
+      return `(${colRef} IS NULL OR json_array_length(${colRef}) = 0)`;
+    case 'isNotEmpty':
+      return `(${colRef} IS NOT NULL AND json_array_length(${colRef}) > 0)`;
+    case 'any': {
+      const arr = asStringArray(val);
+      if (arr.length === 0) return 'FALSE';
+      const legs = arr.map(() => `json_array_contains(${colRef}, ?)`);
+      for (const v of arr) params.push(v);
+      return `(${legs.join(' OR ')})`;
+    }
+    case 'all': {
+      const arr = asStringArray(val);
+      if (arr.length === 0) return 'TRUE';
+      const legs = arr.map(() => `json_array_contains(${colRef}, ?)`);
+      for (const v of arr) params.push(v);
+      return `(${legs.join(' AND ')})`;
+    }
+    case 'none': {
+      const arr = asStringArray(val);
+      if (arr.length === 0) return 'TRUE';
+      const legs = arr.map(() => `json_array_contains(${colRef}, ?)`);
+      for (const v of arr) params.push(v);
+      return `(${colRef} IS NULL OR NOT (${legs.join(' OR ')}))`;
+    }
+    default:
+      return 'FALSE';
+  }
+}
+
+function systemCondition(
+  column: 'created_at' | 'updated_at' | 'last_updated_by_id',
+  cond: Condition,
+  params: unknown[],
+): string {
+  const val = cond.value;
+
+  if (column === 'last_updated_by_id') {
+    switch (cond.op) {
+      case 'isEmpty':
+        return `${column} IS NULL`;
+      case 'isNotEmpty':
+        return `${column} IS NOT NULL`;
+      case 'eq':
+        if (val == null) return 'FALSE';
+        params.push(String(val));
+        return `${column} = ?`;
+      case 'neq':
+        if (val == null) return 'FALSE';
+        params.push(String(val));
+        return `(${column} IS NULL OR ${column} != ?)`;
+      case 'any': {
+        const arr = asStringArray(val);
+        if (arr.length === 0) return 'FALSE';
+        const placeholders = arr.map(() => '?').join(', ');
+        for (const v of arr) params.push(v);
+        return `${column} IN (${placeholders})`;
+      }
+      case 'none': {
+        const arr = asStringArray(val);
+        if (arr.length === 0) return 'TRUE';
+        const placeholders = arr.map(() => '?').join(', ');
+        for (const v of arr) params.push(v);
+        return `(${column} IS NULL OR ${column} NOT IN (${placeholders}))`;
+      }
+      default:
+        return 'FALSE';
+    }
+  }
+
+  const bad = val == null || val === '';
+  switch (cond.op) {
+    case 'isEmpty':
+      return 'FALSE';
+    case 'isNotEmpty':
+      return 'TRUE';
+    case 'eq':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(val));
+      return `${column} = ?`;
+    case 'neq':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(val));
+      return `${column} != ?`;
+    case 'before':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(val));
+      return `${column} < ?`;
+    case 'after':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(val));
+      return `${column} > ?`;
+    case 'onOrBefore':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(val));
+      return `${column} <= ?`;
+    case 'onOrAfter':
+      if (bad) return 'FALSE';
+      params.push(String(val));
+      return `${column} >= ?`;
+    default:
+      return 'FALSE';
+  }
+}
+
+// --- sort --------------------------------------------------------------
+
+function buildSorts(sorts: SortSpec[], index: ColumnIndex): SortBuild[] {
+  const out: SortBuild[] = [];
+  for (let i = 0; i < sorts.length; i++) {
+    const s = sorts[i];
+    const col = index.byId.get(s.propertyId);
+    if (!col) continue;
+    const key = `s${i}`;
+
+    const propType = col.property?.type;
+    const sys = propType ? SYSTEM_COLUMN_DUCK[propType] : undefined;
+    if (sys) {
+      out.push({ key, expression: sys, direction: s.direction });
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const kind = propType ? propertyKind(propType) : null;
+    if (!kind) continue;
+
+    out.push(wrapWithSentinel(col.column, kind, s.direction, key));
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+function wrapWithSentinel(
+  column: string,
+  kind: ReturnType<typeof propertyKind>,
+  direction: 'asc' | 'desc',
+  key: string,
+): SortBuild {
+  const colRef = quoteIdent(column);
+  let sentinel: string;
+  if (kind === PropertyKind.NUMERIC) {
+    sentinel = direction === 'asc' ? `'Infinity'::DOUBLE` : `'-Infinity'::DOUBLE`;
+  } else if (kind === PropertyKind.DATE) {
+    sentinel =
+      direction === 'asc'
+        ? `'9999-12-31 23:59:59+00'::TIMESTAMPTZ`
+        : `'0001-01-01 00:00:00+00'::TIMESTAMPTZ`;
+  } else if (kind === PropertyKind.BOOL) {
+    sentinel = direction === 'asc' ? 'TRUE' : 'FALSE';
+  } else {
+    // TEXT / SELECT / MULTI / PERSON / FILE — sort by the column's raw text
+    // representation; JSON-typed list columns will stringify in DuckDB
+    // lexicographically, matching the Postgres engine's text extractor.
+    sentinel = direction === 'asc' ? 'CHR(1114111)' : `''`;
+  }
+  return {
+    key,
+    expression: `COALESCE(${colRef}, ${sentinel})`,
+    direction,
+  };
+}
+
+// --- search ------------------------------------------------------------
+
+function buildSearch(spec: SearchSpec, params: unknown[]): string {
+  const q = spec.query.trim();
+  if (!q) return 'TRUE';
+  if (spec.mode === 'fts') {
+    throw new FtsNotSupportedInCache();
+  }
+  params.push(`%${escapeIlike(q)}%`);
+  return `search_text ILIKE ?`;
+}
+
+// --- keyset ------------------------------------------------------------
+
+function buildKeyset(
+  afterKeys: AfterKeys,
+  sortBuilds: SortBuild[],
+  params: unknown[],
+): string {
+  // Keys in the same order as ORDER BY: s0..sN, then position, then id.
+  // Mirrors cursor-pagination.ts `applyCursor`: builds the lexicographic
+  // OR-chain from tail to head, wrapping each step as
+  // `(fi > v) OR (fi = v AND <tail>)`.
+  type Leg = { key: string; expression: string; direction: 'asc' | 'desc' };
+  const legs: Leg[] = [
+    ...sortBuilds.map((s) => ({
+      key: s.key,
+      expression: s.key,
+      direction: s.direction,
+    })),
+    { key: 'position', expression: 'position', direction: 'asc' },
+    { key: 'id', expression: 'id', direction: 'asc' },
+  ];
+
+  let expr = '';
+  for (let i = legs.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+    const leg = legs[i];
+    if (!(leg.key in afterKeys)) continue;
+    const value = afterKeys[leg.key];
+    const cmp = leg.direction === 'asc' ? '>' : '<';
+
+    params.push(value);
+    const head = `${leg.expression} ${cmp} ?`;
+
+    if (!expr) {
+      expr = head;
+      continue;
+    }
+    params.push(value);
+    const tie = `${leg.expression} = ?`;
+    expr = `(${head} OR (${tie} AND ${expr}))`;
+  }
+  return expr || 'TRUE';
+}
+
+// --- utilities ---------------------------------------------------------
+
+function indexColumns(columns: ColumnSpec[]): ColumnIndex {
+  const byId = new Map<string, ColumnSpec>();
+  const userColumns: ColumnSpec[] = [];
+  for (const c of columns) {
+    if (c.property) {
+      byId.set(c.property.id, c);
+      userColumns.push(c);
+    }
+  }
+  return { byId, userColumns };
+}
+
+function quoteIdent(name: string): string {
+  return `"${name.replace(/"/g, '""')}"`;
+}
+
+function asStringArray(val: unknown): string[] {
+  if (val == null) return [];
+  if (Array.isArray(val)) return val.filter((v) => v != null).map(String);
+  return [String(val)];
+}