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Dive into our step-by-step guide on integrating Appwrite with your Node.js server backend application. Get your backend up and running quickly with this tutorial.

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

1. 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.
	`tables.write`	Allows API key to create, update, and delete tables.
	`columns.write`	Allows API key to create, update, and delete columns.
	`rows.read`	Allows API key to read rows.
	`rows.write`	Allows API key to create, update, and delete rows.

Other scopes are optional.

2. Create Node.js project

Create a Node.js CLI application.

Bash

mkdir my-app
cd my-app
npm init

3. Install Appwrite

Install the Node.js Appwrite SDK.

Bash

npm install node-appwrite

4. 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://<REGION>.cloud.appwrite.io/v1")
    .setProject("<PROJECT_ID>")
    .setKey("<YOUR_API_KEY>");

5. Initialize database

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

JavaScript

const tablesDB = new sdk.TablesDB(client);

var todoDatabase;
var todoTable;

async function prepareDatabase() {
    todoDatabase = await tablesDB.create({
        databaseId: sdk.ID.unique(),
        name: 'TodosDB'
    });

    todoTable = await tablesDB.createTable({
        databaseId: todoDatabase.$id,
        tableId: sdk.ID.unique(),
        name: 'Todos'
    });

    await tablesDB.createVarcharColumn({
        databaseId: todoDatabase.$id,
        tableId: todoTable.$id,
        key: 'title',
        size: 255,
        required: true
    });

    await tablesDB.createTextColumn({
        databaseId: todoDatabase.$id,
        tableId: todoTable.$id,
        key: 'description',
        required: false,
        xdefault: 'This is a test description'
    });

    await tablesDB.createBooleanColumn({
        databaseId: todoDatabase.$id,
        tableId: todoTable.$id,
        key: 'isComplete',
        required: true
    });
}

6. Add rows

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

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 tablesDB.createRow({
        databaseId: todoDatabase.$id,
        tableId: todoTable.$id,
        rowId: sdk.ID.unique(),
        data: testTodo1
    });
    await tablesDB.createRow({
        databaseId: todoDatabase.$id,
        tableId: todoTable.$id,
        rowId: sdk.ID.unique(),
        data: testTodo2
    });
    await tablesDB.createRow({
        databaseId: todoDatabase.$id,
        tableId: todoTable.$id,
        rowId: sdk.ID.unique(),
        data: testTodo3
    });
}

7. Retrieve rows

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

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

async function getTodos() {
    // Retrieve rows (default limit is 25)
    var todos = await tablesDB.listRows({
        databaseId: todoDatabase.$id,
        tableId: todoTable.$id
    });

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

async function getCompletedTodos() {
    // Use queries to filter completed todos with pagination
    var todos = await tablesDB.listRows({
        databaseId: todoDatabase.$id,
        tableId: todoTable.$id,
        queries: [
            Query.equal("isComplete", true),
            Query.orderDesc("$createdAt"),
            Query.limit(5)
        ]
    });

    console.log("Completed todos (limited to 5):");
    todos.rows.forEach(todo => {
        console.log(`Title: ${todo.title}\nDescription: ${todo.description}\nIs Todo Complete: ${todo.isComplete}\n\n`);
    });
}

async function getIncompleteTodos() {
    // Query for incomplete todos
    var todos = await tablesDB.listRows({
        databaseId: todoDatabase.$id,
        tableId: todoTable.$id,
        queries: [
            Query.equal("isComplete", false),
            Query.orderAsc("title")
        ]
    });

    console.log("Incomplete todos (ordered by title):");
    todos.rows.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();
    await getCompletedTodos();
    await getIncompleteTodos();
}
runAllTasks();

8. Type safety with TypeScript

For better type safety in TypeScript Node.js projects, define interfaces and use generics:

TypeScript

interface Todo {
    title: string;
    description: string;
    isComplete: boolean;
}

import { Client, TablesDB } from 'node-appwrite';

const client = new Client()
    .setEndpoint('https://<REGION>.cloud.appwrite.io/v1')
    .setProject('<PROJECT_ID>');

const tablesDB = new TablesDB(client);

// Type-safe database operations
async function getTodos() {
    const todos = await tablesDB.listRows<Todo>({
        databaseId: '<DATABASE_ID>',
        tableId: '<TABLE_ID>'
    });

    todos.rows.forEach(todo => {
        console.log(`Title: ${todo.title} - Complete: ${todo.isComplete}`);
    });
}

Generate types automatically

Use the Appwrite CLI to generate TypeScript interfaces automatically: appwrite types ./types

9. All set

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

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