beginner
5 min

Start with Node.js

Learn how to setup your first Node.js project powered by Appwrite.

Create project

Head to the Appwrite Console.

If this is your first time using Appwrite, create an account and create your first project.

Then, under Integrate with your server, add an API Key with the following scopes.

Category	Required scopes	Purpose
Database	databases.write	Allows API key to create, update, and delete databases.
	collections.write	Allows API key to create, update, and delete collections.
	attributes.write	Allows API key to create, update, and delete attributes.
	documents.read	Allows API key to read documents.
	documents.write	Allows API key to create, update, and delete documents.

Other scopes are optional.

Create Node.js project

Create a Node.js CLI application.

Shell

mkdir my-app
cd my-app
npm init

Install Appwrite

Install the Node.js Appwrite SDK.

Shell

npm install node-appwrite@11.1.1

Import Appwrite

Find your project ID in the Settings page. Also, click on the View API Keys button to find the API key that was created earlier.

Create a new file app.js and initialize the Appwrite Client. Replace <PROJECT_ID> with your project ID and <YOUR_API_KEY> with your API key.

JavaScript

const sdk = require("node-appwrite");

const client = new sdk.Client();

client
    .setEndpoint("https://cloud.appwrite.io/v1")
    .setProject("<PROJECT_ID>")
    .setKey("<YOUR_API_KEY>");

Initialize database

Once the Appwrite Client is initialized, create a function to configure a todo collection.

JavaScript

const databases = new sdk.Databases(client);

var todoDatabase;
var todoCollection;

async function prepareDatabase() {
    todoDatabase = await databases.create(
        sdk.ID.unique(),
        'TodosDB'
    );

    todoCollection = await databases.createCollection(
        todoDatabase.$id,
        sdk.ID.unique(),
        'Todos'
    );

    await databases.createStringAttribute(
        todoDatabase.$id,
        todoCollection.$id,
        'title',
        255,
        true
    );

    await databases.createStringAttribute(
        todoDatabase.$id,
        todoCollection.$id,
        'description',
        255, false,
        'This is a test description'
    );
    await databases.createBooleanAttribute(
        todoDatabase.$id,
        todoCollection.$id,
        'isComplete',
        true
    );
}

Add documents

Create a function to add some mock data into your new collection.

JavaScript

async function seedDatabase() {
    var testTodo1 = {
        title: 'Buy apples',
        description: 'At least 2KGs',
        isComplete: true
    };

    var testTodo2 = {
        title: 'Wash the apples',
        isComplete: true
    };

    var testTodo3 = {
        title: 'Cut the apples',
        description: 'Don\'t forget to pack them in a box',
        isComplete: false
    };

    await databases.createDocument(
        todoDatabase.$id,
        todoCollection.$id,
        sdk.ID.unique(),
        testTodo1
    );
    await databases.createDocument(
        todoDatabase.$id,
        todoCollection.$id,
        sdk.ID.unique(),
        testTodo2
    );
    await databases.createDocument(
        todoDatabase.$id,
        todoCollection.$id,
        sdk.ID.unique(),
        testTodo3
    );
}

Retrieve documents

Create a function to retrieve the mock todo data and a function to execute the requests in order. Run the functions to by calling runAllTasks();.

JavaScript

async function getTodos() {
    var todos = await databases.listDocuments(
        todoDatabase.$id,
        todoCollection.$id
    );

    todos.documents.forEach(todo => {
        console.log(`Title: ${todo.title}\nDescription: ${todo.description}\nIs Todo Complete: ${todo.isComplete}\n\n`);
    });
}

async function runAllTasks() {
    await prepareDatabase();
    await seedDatabase();
    await getTodos();
}
runAllTasks();

All set

Run your project with node app.js and view the response in your console.

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