Allow table.get() to look up rows by column values

docs/python-api.rst

@@ -652,6 +652,13 @@ If the table has a compound primary key you can pass in the primary key values a
 
     >>> db.table("compound_dogs").get(("mixed", 3))
 
+You can also look a record up by one or more column values, passed as keyword arguments. This returns the first matching row, which is useful for fetching a record by a column with a unique constraint rather than by its primary key::
+
+    >>> db.table("dogs").get(name="Cleo")
+    {'id': 1, 'age': 4, 'name': 'Cleo'}
+
+Passing more than one keyword argument matches rows against all of them. You cannot combine a primary key value with keyword arguments in the same call.
+
 If the record does not exist a ``NotFoundError`` will be raised:
 
 .. code-block:: python

sqlite_utils/db.py

@@ -2387,14 +2387,44 @@ def table_checks(self) -> list[Check]:
         "Table-level CHECK constraints on this table."
         return [check for check in self.checks if not check.column]
 
-    def get(self, pk_values: list | tuple | str | int) -> dict:
+    def get(self, pk_values: list | tuple | str | int = DEFAULT, **kwargs) -> dict:
         """
         Return row (as dictionary) for the specified primary key.
 
+        Alternatively, pass one or more ``column=value`` keyword arguments to
+        return the first row that matches those columns. This is convenient for
+        looking a row up by a column with a unique constraint rather than by its
+        primary key::
+
+            row = table.get(name="Cleo")
+
         Raises ``sqlite_utils.db.NotFoundError`` if a matching row cannot be found.
 
         :param pk_values: A single value, or a tuple of values for tables that have a compound primary key
+        :param kwargs: Alternatively, ``column=value`` pairs to look the row up by
         """
+        if kwargs:
+            if pk_values is not DEFAULT:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "get() accepts either pk_values or column keyword "
+                    "arguments, not both"
+                )
+            wheres = [f"{quote_identifier(column)} = ?" for column in kwargs]
+            rows = self.rows_where(" and ".join(wheres), list(kwargs.values()), limit=1)
+            try:
+                row = next(iter(rows))
+            except StopIteration:
+                raise NotFoundError
+            pks = self.pks
+            if all(pk in row for pk in pks):
+                self.last_pk = (
+                    row[pks[0]] if len(pks) == 1 else tuple(row[pk] for pk in pks)
+                )
+            return row
+        if pk_values is DEFAULT:
+            raise TypeError(
+                "get() requires pk_values or one or more column keyword arguments"
+            )
         if not isinstance(pk_values, (list, tuple)):
             pk_values = [pk_values]
         pks = self.pks

tests/test_get.py

@@ -30,3 +30,71 @@ def test_get_not_found(argument, expected_msg, fresh_db):
         fresh_db.table("dogs").get(argument)
     if expected_msg is not None:
         assert expected_msg == excinfo.value.args[0]
+
+
+def test_get_by_column(fresh_db):
+    dogs = fresh_db.table("dogs")
+    dogs.insert_all(
+        [
+            {"id": 1, "name": "Cleo", "age": 4},
+            {"id": 2, "name": "Pancakes", "age": 2},
+        ],
+        pk="id",
+    )
+    assert dogs.get(name="Pancakes") == {"id": 2, "name": "Pancakes", "age": 2}
+
+
+def test_get_by_multiple_columns(fresh_db):
+    dogs = fresh_db.table("dogs")
+    dogs.insert_all(
+        [
+            {"id": 1, "name": "Cleo", "age": 4},
+            {"id": 2, "name": "Cleo", "age": 2},
+        ],
+        pk="id",
+    )
+    assert dogs.get(name="Cleo", age=2)["id"] == 2
+
+
+def test_get_by_column_sets_last_pk(fresh_db):
+    dogs = fresh_db.table("dogs")
+    dogs.insert({"id": 5, "name": "Cleo", "age": 4}, pk="id")
+    dogs.get(name="Cleo")
+    assert dogs.last_pk == 5
+
+
+def test_get_by_column_compound_pk_sets_last_pk(fresh_db):
+    table = fresh_db.table("records")
+    table.insert_all(
+        [{"a": 1, "b": 2, "note": "x"}, {"a": 1, "b": 3, "note": "y"}],
+        pk=("a", "b"),
+    )
+    assert table.get(note="y")["b"] == 3
+    assert table.last_pk == (1, 3)
+
+
+def test_get_by_column_on_rowid_table(fresh_db):
+    dogs = fresh_db.table("dogs")
+    dogs.insert({"name": "Cleo", "age": 4})
+    assert dogs.get(name="Cleo")["name"] == "Cleo"
+
+
+def test_get_by_column_not_found(fresh_db):
+    dogs = fresh_db.table("dogs")
+    dogs.insert({"id": 1, "name": "Cleo", "age": 4}, pk="id")
+    with pytest.raises(NotFoundError):
+        dogs.get(name="Pancakes")
+
+
+def test_get_rejects_pk_and_column(fresh_db):
+    dogs = fresh_db.table("dogs")
+    dogs.insert({"id": 1, "name": "Cleo", "age": 4}, pk="id")
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        dogs.get(1, name="Cleo")
+
+
+def test_get_requires_argument(fresh_db):
+    dogs = fresh_db.table("dogs")
+    dogs.insert({"id": 1, "name": "Cleo", "age": 4}, pk="id")
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+        dogs.get()