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Getting Started for Server

Appwrite is a development platform that provides a powerful API and management console to get your next project up and running quickly.

This tutorial helps you start using Appwrite with your project. Before starting, make sure you have followed the Appwrite installation guide, and you have an Appwrite server instance up and running on your host machine or server.

Get the Appwrite SDK for Your Platform

We provide libraries and SDKs for major programming languages and platforms so you don't have to write code for interacting with our HTTP APIs from scratch.

Choose your desired SDK corresponding to your product development platform and import it using the given package manager. For the sake of this tutorial we use code examples using Appwrite SDKs for Node.js, PHP, Python, Ruby, Dart, and Deno, but the same can be applied to any of our server side SDKs.

  • Node.js

    npm install node-appwrite --save

  • PHP

    composer require 'appwrite/appwrite'

  • Python

    pip install appwrite

  • Ruby

    gem install appwrite

  • Deno

    import * as sdk from "https://deno.land/x/appwrite/mod.ts";

  • Dart

    dart pub add dart_appwrite

  • Kotlin

    Add maven repositories to your build.gradle(.kts) file

    repositories {
    mavenCentral()
}

    Add Appwrite SDK under dependencies in your build.gradle(.kts) file

    dependencies {
    implementation("io.appwrite:sdk-for-kotlin:1.1.0")
}

  • Swift

    Add the Appwrite Swift SDK package as a dependency

    dependencies: [
    .package(
        name: "Appwrite",
        url: "https://github.com/appwrite/sdk-for-swift.git",
        .exact("1.1.0")
    )
]

    Add the dependency product to your target

    dependencies: [
    "Appwrite"
]

Create Your First Appwrite Project

Go to your new Appwrite console and click the icon in the top navigation header or on the 'Create Project' button on your console homepage. Choose a name for your project and click create to get started.

Authentication

The Appwrite server API provides you with two authentication methods. The first one uses an API key, and the second is using a JSON Web Token (JWT). Each method has different use cases, and you can use whichever fills your app needs.

API Key

Using an API Key you can interact with the Appwrite server API as an admin. You'll be able to access all of your project resources as long as your key has the relevant access scopes attached. To get your first API key, go to your appwrite console, choose the project you created in the step before and click the 'API Keys' link.

Inside your API keys screen, click the 'Add API Key' button, choose your key name, for example: 'Demo Key', and select the scopes your key are granted to use. After complete, you could copy your new API Key and use it to initialize your Appwrite server SDK. To learn about the different API scopes available to you, read more about Appwrite API Keys

  • Node.js

    const { Client } = require('node-appwrite');

const client = new Client()
    .setEndpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject('5df5acd0d48c2')                // Your project ID
    .setKey('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2');         // Your secret API key

  • PHP

    use Appwrite\Client;

$client = (new Client())
    ->setEndpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') // Your API Endpoint
    ->setProject('5df5acd0d48c2')                // Your project ID
    ->setKey('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2');         // Your secret API key

  • Python

    from appwrite.client import Client

client = Client()
    .set_endpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') # Your API Endpoint
    .set_project('5df5acd0d48c2')                # Your project ID
    .set_key('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2')          # Your secret API key

  • Ruby

    require 'appwrite'

client = Appwrite::Client.new()
    .set_endpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') # Your API Endpoint
    .set_project('5df5acd0d48c2')                # Your project ID
    .set_key('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2')          # Your secret API key

  • Deno

    import { Client } from "https://deno.land/x/appwrite/mod.ts";

const client = new Client()
    .setEndpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject('5df5acd0d48c2')                // Your project ID
    .setKey('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2');         // Your secret API key

  • Dart

    import 'package:dart_appwrite/dart_appwrite.dart';

Client client = Client()
    .setEndpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject('5df5acd0d48c2')                // Your project ID
    .setKey('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2');         // Your secret API key

  • Kotlin

    import io.appwrite.Client

val client = Client()
    .setEndpoint("https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1") // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject("5df5acd0d48c2")                // Your project ID
    .setKey("919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2")          // Your secret API key

  • Swift

    import Appwrite

let client = Client()
    .setEndpoint("https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1") // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject("5df5acd0d48c2")                // Your project ID
    .setKey("919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2")          // Your secret API key

API Key Authentication

When using Server SDKs, you authenticate with API keys. API keys are not restricted by account-based permissions but have restrictions on the types of resources that can be accessed. This means API keys can access all resources of specified types, regardless of which account can access them.

Learn more about API keys

JSON Web Token (JWT)  version >= 0.8

Using a JSON Web Token (JWT), you can interact with the Appwrite server API as a specific user. You'll be able to access only the relevant user resources and perform actions on his behalf.

To create a JWT, you need to use the "account->createJWT" method using one of the Appwrite client SDKs. Before creating a token, you need to make sure your user is authenticated using the createSession method or log in with an OAuth provider.

  • Web SDK

    const account = new Account(client);
account.createJWT()
    .then(function (response) {
        console.log(response);
    }, function (error) {
        console.log(error);
    });

  • Flutter SDK

    Account account = Account(client);

Response user = await account.createJWT();

  • Android SDK

    val account = Account(client)

val response = account.createJWT()

  • Apple SDK

    let account = Account(client)

let response = try await account.createJWT()

After you get your valid token, you can pass it to your server and use it to initialize your Appwrite Server SDK and start making API calls. Your JWT is valid for a maximum time of 15 minutes or less if the user session has expired before that time.

  • Node.js

    const { Client } = require('node-appwrite');

const client = new Client()
    .setEndpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject('5df5acd0d48c2')                // Your project ID
    .setJWT('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2');         // Your secret JWT

  • PHP

    use Appwrite\Client;

$client = (new Client())
    ->setEndpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') // Your API Endpoint
    ->setProject('5df5acd0d48c2')                // Your project ID
    ->setJWT('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2');         // Your secret JWT

  • Python

    from appwrite.client import Client

client = Client()
  .set_endpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') # Your API Endpoint
  .set_project('5df5acd0d48c2')                # Your project ID
  .set_key('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2')          # Your secret JWT

  • Ruby

    require 'appwrite'

client = Client.new()
    .set_endpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') # Your API Endpoint
    .set_project('5df5acd0d48c2')                # Your project ID
    .set_key('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2')          # Your secret JWT

  • Deno

    import { Client } from "https://deno.land/x/appwrite/mod.ts";

const client = new Client()
    .setEndpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject('5df5acd0d48c2')                // Your project ID
    .setJWT('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2');         // Your secret JWT

  • Dart

    import 'package:dart_appwrite/dart_appwrite.dart';

Client client = Client()
    .setEndpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject('5df5acd0d48c2')                // Your project ID
    .setJWT('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2');         // Your secret JWT

  • Kotlin

    import io.appwrite.Client

val client = Client()
    .setEndpoint("https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1") // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject("5df5acd0d48c2")                // Your project ID
    .setJWT("919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2")          // Your secret JWT

  • Swift

    import Appwrite

let client = Client()
    .setEndpoint("https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1") // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject("5df5acd0d48c2")                // Your project ID
    .setJWT("919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2")          // Your secret JWT

Make Your First Request

After your SDK configuration is set, create any of the Appwrite service objects and choose any request to send. Full documentation for any service method you would like to use can be found in your SDK documentation or in the API References section.

  • Node.js

    const users = new Users(client);

let promise = users.create(
    ID.unique(),
    'email@example.com',
    null,
    'password'
);

promise.then(function (response) {
    console.log(response);
}, function (error) {
    console.log(error);
});

  • PHP

    $users = new Users($client);

$user = $users->create(
    userId: ID::unique(),
    email: 'email@example.com',
    phone: null,
    password: 'password'
);

  • Python

    users = Users(client)

user = users.create(
    userId=ID.unique(),
    email='email@example.com',
    phone=None,
    password='password'
)

  • Ruby

    users = Appwrite::Users.new(client)

user = users.create(
    userId: ID.unique(),
    email: 'email@example.com',
    phone: nil,
    password: 'password'
)

  • Deno

    const users = new Users(client);

let promise = users.create(
    ID.unique(),
    'email@example.com',
    null,
    'password'
);

promise.then(function (response) {
    console.log(response);
}, function (error) {
    console.log(error);
});

  • Dart

    final users = Users(client);

final user = await users.create(
    userId: ID.unique(),
    email: 'email@example.com',
    phone: null,
    password: 'password'
);

  • Kotlin

    val users = Users(client)

val user = users.create(
    userId = ID.unique(),
    email = 'email@example.com',
    phone = null,
    password = 'password'
)

  • Swift

    let users = Users(client)

let user = try await users.create(
    userId: ID.unique(),
    email: "email@example.com",
    phone: nil,
    password: "password"
)

Full Example

  • Node.js

    const { Client, ID, Users } = require('node-appwrite');

const client = new Client()
    .setEndpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject('5df5acd0d48c2')                // Your project ID
    .setKey('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2');         // Your secret API key

const users = new Users(client);

let promise = users.create(
    ID.unique(),
    'email@example.com',
    null,
    'password'
);

promise.then(function (response) {
    console.log(response);
}, function (error) {
    console.log(error);
});

  • PHP

    use Appwrite\Client;
use Appwrite\ID;
use Appwrite\Services\Users;

$client = (new Client())
    ->setEndpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') // Your API Endpoint
    ->setProject('5df5acd0d48c2')                // Your project ID
    ->setKey('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2');         // Your secret API key

$users = new Users($client);

$user = $users->create(
    userId: ID::unique(),
    email: 'email@example.com',
    phone: null,
    password: 'password'
);

  • Python

    from appwrite.client import Client
from appwrite.id import ID
from appwrite.services.users import Users

client = Client()
  .set_endpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') # Your API Endpoint
  .set_project('5df5acd0d48c2')                # Your project ID
  .set_key('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2')          # Your secret API key

users = Users(client)

user = users.create(
    userId=ID.unique(),
    email='email@example.com',
    phone=None,
    password='password'
)

  • Ruby

    require 'appwrite'

include Appwrite

client = Client.new()
    .set_endpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') # Your API Endpoint
    .set_project('5df5acd0d48c2')                # Your project ID
    .set_key('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2')          # Your secret API key

users = Users.new(client)

user = users.create(
    userId: ID.unique(),
    email: 'email@example.com',
    phone: nil,
    password: 'password'
)

  • Deno

    import { Client, ID, Users } from "https://deno.land/x/appwrite/mod.ts";

const client = new Client()
    .setEndpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject('5df5acd0d48c2')                // Your project ID
    .setKey('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2')          // Your secret API key

const users = new Users(client);

let promise = users.create(
    ID.unique(),
    'email@example.com',
    null,
    'password'
);

promise.then(function (response) {
    console.log(response);
}, function (error) {
    console.log(error);
});

  • Dart

    import 'package:dart_appwrite/dart_appwrite.dart';

final client = Client()
    .setEndpoint('https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1') // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject('5df5acd0d48c2')                // Your project ID
    .setKey('919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2');         // Your secret API key

final users = Users(client);

final user = await users.create(
    userId: ID.unique(),
    email: 'email@example.com',
    phone: null,
    password: 'password'
);

  • Kotlin

    import io.appwrite.Client
import io.appwrite.ID
import io.appwrite.services.Users

val client = Client()
    .setEndpoint("https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1") // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject("5df5acd0d48c2")                // Your project ID
    .setKey("919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2")          // Your secret API key

val users = Users(client)

val user = users.create(
    userId = ID.unique(),
    email = 'email@example.com',
    phone = null,
    password = 'password'
)

  • Swift

    import Appwrite
import AppwriteModels

let client = Client()
    .setEndpoint("https://[HOSTNAME_OR_IP]/v1") // Your API Endpoint
    .setProject("5df5acd0d48c2")                // Your project ID
    .setKey("919c2db5d4...a2a3346ad2")          // Your secret API key

let users = Users(client)

let user = try await users.create(
    userId: ID.unique(),
    email: "email@example.com",
    phone: nil,
    password: "password"
)

Next Steps

Appwrite has many services and tools to help improve your app and speed up your development. The best way to learn how you can take advantage of them is to explore the different API references docs.