Appwrite Patterns

Quick Guide: Use Appwrite as your open-source BaaS for authentication, structured data (TablesDB), file storage, serverless functions, and realtime subscriptions. Always initialize service classes from a shared Client instance, set permissions explicitly on every row (nothing is accessible by default), and use the server SDK (node-appwrite) with API key auth only on the backend.

---

<critical_requirements>

CRITICAL: Before Using This Skill

All code must follow project conventions in CLAUDE.md (kebab-case, named exports, import ordering, import type, named constants)

(You MUST set permissions explicitly on every row and file — Appwrite grants NO access by default, so omitting permissions makes data inaccessible)

(You MUST use node-appwrite with API key auth on the server and appwrite with session auth on the client — NEVER expose API keys in client bundles)

(You MUST always check for AppwriteException on every SDK call — Appwrite throws exceptions, it does NOT return { data, error } tuples)

(You MUST use ID.unique() for auto-generated IDs — passing a raw string creates a custom ID, not an auto-generated one)

(You MUST use the TablesDB API for new projects — the legacy Databases/collections/documents API is deprecated and receives only security patches)

</critical_requirements>

---

Auto-detection: Appwrite, appwrite, node-appwrite, TablesDB, Account, Databases, Permission, Role, ID.unique, Query.equal, createEmailPasswordSession, realtime.subscribe, Channel.files, Channel.tablesdb, APPWRITE_FUNCTION

When to use:

• Setting up an Appwrite client or server SDK with TypeScript
• Implementing authentication (email/password, OAuth, magic URL, phone OTP, anonymous sessions)
• Performing CRUD on TablesDB tables (rows, queries, permissions)
• Uploading and serving files from Storage buckets with access control
• Building serverless functions triggered by events, schedules, or HTTP
• Subscribing to realtime changes on rows, files, or account events
• Managing team memberships and role-based permissions

Key patterns covered:

• Client and server SDK initialization with typed service classes
• Auth flows: sign up, sign in, OAuth, magic URL, session management
• TablesDB operations with Query class for filtering, pagination, ordering
• Permission model: Permission.read(Role.any()), Role.user(), Role.team()
• Storage: upload, download, preview with image transforms, bucket permissions
• Serverless functions: export default async ({ req, res, log, error }) => {}
• Realtime subscriptions via Channel helpers and realtime.subscribe()

When NOT to use:

• Direct database connections or SQL queries (Appwrite is API-only, no raw SQL)
• Complex relational joins across many tables (Appwrite supports relationships but not arbitrary SQL joins)
• Applications requiring server-side realtime (Appwrite Realtime is client SDK only)

Detailed Resources:

• For decision frameworks and anti-patterns, see reference.md

Client & Queries:

• examples/core.md — Client setup, TablesDB CRUD, error handling, permissions

Authentication:

• examples/auth.md — Full auth flows, OAuth, magic URL, sessions, teams

Storage & Functions:

• examples/storage.md — File upload, download, previews, bucket permissions
• examples/functions.md — Serverless functions, triggers, SDK usage inside functions

Realtime:

• examples/realtime.md — Channel subscriptions, event filtering, cleanup

---

<philosophy>

Philosophy

Appwrite is an open-source backend-as-a-service providing authentication, databases (TablesDB), file storage, serverless functions, and realtime — all through a unified SDK. It can be self-hosted or used via Appwrite Cloud.

Core principles:

1. Secure by default — Nothing is accessible without explicit permissions. Every row and file must have permissions set, or it is invisible to all users. This is the opposite of "open by default" — treat it as a mandatory step, not an afterthought.
2. Service class architecture — All SDK interactions go through service classes (Account, TablesDB, Storage, Functions, Teams, Realtime) instantiated from a shared Client. This pattern is consistent across client and server SDKs.
3. Two SDK split — appwrite (client) uses session-based auth for browsers. node-appwrite (server) uses API key auth for backends. They share the same API shape but different auth mechanisms. Never mix them.
4. Exceptions, not tuples — Appwrite throws AppwriteException on failure, not { data, error } tuples. Always wrap calls in try/catch.
5. TablesDB is the future — Appwrite 1.8 introduced TablesDB (tables/rows/columns) as the modern API. The legacy Databases API (collections/documents/attributes) still works but is deprecated. New features only land in TablesDB.
6. ID generation — Use ID.unique() for server-generated unique IDs. If you pass a string directly, it becomes a custom ID (which must be globally unique within the table).

When to use Appwrite:

• Open-source, self-hostable BaaS with full control over your data
• Projects needing auth, database, storage, and functions in one platform
• Teams wanting a self-hostable BaaS with no vendor lock-in
• Applications that benefit from granular document/row-level permissions

When NOT to use:

• Complex SQL-heavy applications requiring joins, views, and stored procedures
• Server-side realtime consumers (Appwrite Realtime is client SDK only — no server SDK support)
• Offline-first apps requiring local-first sync (Appwrite has no built-in offline sync)

</philosophy>

---

<patterns>

Core Patterns

Pattern 1: Client SDK Setup (Browser)

Initialize the Appwrite client with endpoint and project ID. All service classes share a single Client instance.

// lib/appwrite.ts
import { Client, Account, TablesDB, Storage, Realtime } from "appwrite";

const APPWRITE_ENDPOINT = process.env.APPWRITE_ENDPOINT!;
const APPWRITE_PROJECT_ID = process.env.APPWRITE_PROJECT_ID!;

const client = new Client()
  .setEndpoint(APPWRITE_ENDPOINT)
  .setProject(APPWRITE_PROJECT_ID);

export const account = new Account(client);
export const tablesDB = new TablesDB(client);
export const storage = new Storage(client);
export const realtime = new Realtime(client);

Why good: Single client instance shared across services, named constants for config, named exports for each service, environment variables keep config out of code

// BAD: Hardcoded config, recreating clients
import { Client, Account } from "appwrite";

const account = new Account(
  new Client()
    .setEndpoint("https://cloud.appwrite.io/v1") // Hardcoded
    .setProject("abc123"), // Hardcoded project ID
);

Why bad: Hardcoded endpoint and project ID, new Client per service wastes resources, no shared config

---

Pattern 2: Server SDK Setup (Node.js)

The server SDK uses API key authentication — never expose API keys in client code.

// lib/appwrite-server.ts
import { Client, TablesDB, Users, Storage } from "node-appwrite";

const APPWRITE_ENDPOINT = process.env.APPWRITE_ENDPOINT!;
const APPWRITE_PROJECT_ID = process.env.APPWRITE_PROJECT_ID!;
const APPWRITE_API_KEY = process.env.APPWRITE_API_KEY!;

const client = new Client()
  .setEndpoint(APPWRITE_ENDPOINT)
  .setProject(APPWRITE_PROJECT_ID)
  .setKey(APPWRITE_API_KEY);

export const tablesDB = new TablesDB(client);
export const users = new Users(client);
export const storage = new Storage(client);

Why good: .setKey() for API key auth (server only), Users service for admin user management (not available in client SDK), named constants

When to use: API routes, serverless functions, admin scripts, webhooks. NEVER import this module from client-side code.

---

Pattern 3: Error Handling (AppwriteException)

Appwrite throws AppwriteException — it does NOT return { data, error } tuples. Always use try/catch.

import { AppwriteException, type Models } from "appwrite";

async function getUser(): Promise<Models.User<Models.Preferences>> {
  try {
    return await account.get();
  } catch (error) {
    if (error instanceof AppwriteException) {
      // error.message — human-readable message
      // error.code — HTTP status code (401, 404, etc.)
      // error.type — machine-readable error type string
      throw new Error(`Appwrite error ${error.code}: ${error.message}`);
    }
    throw error;
  }
}

Why good: Type-narrowed AppwriteException provides code, message, type; re-throws unknown errors; explicit return type using Models namespace

// BAD: Assuming { data, error } tuple returns
const { data, error } = await account.get(); // WRONG — Appwrite throws, not returns tuples
if (error) {
  /* ... */
}

Why bad: Appwrite does NOT return error tuples — this code will fail silently because account.get() either returns data or throws

---

Pattern 4: TablesDB Operations (CRUD)

Use TablesDB for all database operations. Row IDs are required for create — use ID.unique() for auto-generation.

Create a Row

import { ID, Permission, Role } from "appwrite";

interface Todo {
  title: string;
  completed: boolean;
}

const DATABASE_ID = "main";
const TABLE_ID = "todos";

const row = await tablesDB.createRow<Todo>({
  databaseId: DATABASE_ID,
  tableId: TABLE_ID,
  rowId: ID.unique(),
  data: {
    title: "Buy groceries",
    completed: false,
  },
  permissions: [
    Permission.read(Role.user(userId)),
    Permission.update(Role.user(userId)),
    Permission.delete(Role.user(userId)),
  ],
});

List Rows with Queries

import { Query } from "appwrite";

const PAGE_SIZE = 25;

const result = await tablesDB.listRows<Todo>({
  databaseId: DATABASE_ID,
  tableId: TABLE_ID,
  queries: [
    Query.equal("completed", false),
    Query.orderDesc("$createdAt"),
    Query.limit(PAGE_SIZE),
  ],
});

// result.rows — array of Todo rows
// result.total — total matching count

Update a Row

const updated = await tablesDB.updateRow<Todo>({
  databaseId: DATABASE_ID,
  tableId: TABLE_ID,
  rowId: row.$id,
  data: { completed: true },
});

Delete a Row

await tablesDB.deleteRow({
  databaseId: DATABASE_ID,
  tableId: TABLE_ID,
  rowId: row.$id,
});

Why good: Named constants for database/table IDs, ID.unique() for auto-generated IDs, permissions set explicitly on create, Query class for type-safe filtering, generic type parameter for row shape

---

Pattern 5: Permissions Model

Appwrite grants NO access by default. You must set permissions on every row and file.

Permission + Role Syntax

import { Permission, Role } from "appwrite";

// Public read, owner full access
const publicReadPermissions = [
  Permission.read(Role.any()),
  Permission.update(Role.user(userId)),
  Permission.delete(Role.user(userId)),
];

// Team access
const teamPermissions = [
  Permission.read(Role.team(teamId)),
  Permission.update(Role.team(teamId, "admin")),
  Permission.delete(Role.team(teamId, "owner")),
];

// Verified users only
const verifiedOnlyPermissions = [Permission.read(Role.users("verified"))];

Common Role Helpers

Role.any(); // Anyone (including guests)
Role.guests(); // Unauthenticated users only
Role.users(); // All authenticated users
Role.users("verified"); // Only verified users
Role.user(userId); // Specific user by ID
Role.team(teamId); // All members of a team
Role.team(teamId, "admin"); // Team members with "admin" role
Role.member(membershipId); // Specific team membership
Role.label("premium"); // Users with "premium" label

Why good: Explicit permissions on every resource, role helpers are type-safe, team roles enable granular access

// BAD: Creating a row without permissions
const row = await tablesDB.createRow({
  databaseId: DATABASE_ID,
  tableId: TABLE_ID,
  rowId: ID.unique(),
  data: { title: "Secret" },
  // NO permissions set — this row is INVISIBLE to everyone!
});

Why bad: Without permissions, the row exists in the database but NO user can read, update, or delete it (not even the creator) — this is the most common Appwrite mistake

---

Pattern 6: Authentication Flows

Use the Account service for all auth operations.

Email/Password Sign Up and Sign In

import { ID, type Models } from "appwrite";

// Sign up: create account + create session (two steps)
const user = await account.create({
  userId: ID.unique(),
  email,
  password,
  name,
});
const session = await account.createEmailPasswordSession({ email, password });

// Sign in
const session = await account.createEmailPasswordSession({ email, password });

// Sign out (current device)
await account.deleteSession({ sessionId: "current" });

Why good: Two-step sign up (create account + create session), object parameters for all SDK calls, deleteSession({ sessionId: "current" }) for current device only

See examples/auth.md for full auth flows including OAuth, magic URL, anonymous sessions, teams, and password reset.

---

Pattern 7: Storage Operations

Upload, download, and preview files with the Storage service.

import { ID, Permission, Role } from "appwrite";

const BUCKET_ID = "user-uploads";
const PREVIEW_WIDTH = 400;
const PREVIEW_HEIGHT = 300;

// Upload with permissions
await storage.createFile({
  bucketId: BUCKET_ID,
  fileId: ID.unique(),
  file,
  permissions: [
    Permission.read(Role.user(userId)),
    Permission.update(Role.user(userId)),
  ],
});

// Image preview with transforms
const url = storage.getFilePreview({
  bucketId: BUCKET_ID,
  fileId,
  width: PREVIEW_WIDTH,
  height: PREVIEW_HEIGHT,
});

// Download URL
const downloadUrl = storage.getFileDownload({ bucketId: BUCKET_ID, fileId });

Why good: Object parameters for all SDK calls, named constants, ID.unique() for file IDs, permissions set on upload

See examples/storage.md for full upload, preview, download, and file management patterns.

---

Pattern 8: Realtime Subscriptions

Subscribe to changes using the Realtime service with Channel helpers.

import { Realtime, Channel } from "appwrite";

const DATABASE_ID = "main";
const TABLE_ID = "messages";

// Subscribe to all changes on a table
const subscription = await realtime.subscribe(
  Channel.tablesdb(DATABASE_ID).table(TABLE_ID),
  (response) => {
    if (response.events.includes("tablesdb.*.tables.*.rows.*.create")) {
      console.log("New row:", response.payload);
    }
    if (response.events.includes("tablesdb.*.tables.*.rows.*.update")) {
      console.log("Updated row:", response.payload);
    }
    if (response.events.includes("tablesdb.*.tables.*.rows.*.delete")) {
      console.log("Deleted row:", response.payload);
    }
  },
);

// IMPORTANT: Always unsubscribe when done
await subscription.close();

Subscribe to Files

const fileSubscription = await realtime.subscribe(
  Channel.files(),
  (response) => {
    if (response.events.includes("buckets.*.files.*.create")) {
      console.log("New file uploaded:", response.payload);
    }
  },
);

Subscribe to Account Changes

const accountSub = await realtime.subscribe(Channel.account(), (response) => {
  console.log("Account event:", response.events);
});

Why good: Channel helpers provide type-safe channel construction, event string matching for filtering, explicit cleanup with subscription.close(), separate subscriptions per concern

When to use: Chat apps, live dashboards, collaborative editing, notification feeds. Avoid for high-frequency data streams.

</patterns>

---

<decision_framework>

Decision Framework

Client SDK vs Server SDK

Where is the code running?
+-  Browser / Client-side -> `appwrite` package, session auth
+-  Server / API route -> `node-appwrite` package, API key auth
+-  Serverless function -> `node-appwrite` package, dynamic key from `req.headers['x-appwrite-key']`
    +-- NEVER expose API keys in client bundles

TablesDB vs Legacy Databases

Which API should I use?
+-  New project -> TablesDB (tables, rows, columns)
+-  Existing project with collections -> Legacy Databases still works (deprecated, security patches only)
+-  Migrating -> Adopt TablesDB for new tables, migrate existing gradually

Auth Method Selection

What auth flow does the user need?
+-  Email + Password -> account.create({ ... }) + account.createEmailPasswordSession({ ... })
+-  Social login (GitHub, Google, etc.) -> account.createOAuth2Session({ provider: OAuthProvider.Github, ... })
+-  Passwordless email -> account.createMagicURLToken({ ... })
+-  Phone + SMS -> account.createPhoneToken({ ... })
+-  Guest / anonymous -> account.createAnonymousSession()
+-  Existing JWT -> client.setJWT()

Permissions Strategy

Who should access this resource?
+-  Public (anyone) -> Permission.read(Role.any())
+-  Owner only -> Permission.read(Role.user(userId))
+-  Team members -> Permission.read(Role.team(teamId))
+-  Team role (e.g. admins) -> Permission.read(Role.team(teamId, "admin"))
+-  Verified users -> Permission.read(Role.users("verified"))
+-  Labeled users -> Permission.read(Role.label("premium"))

Storage: Public vs Private

Who should see the files?
+-  Anyone (public assets) -> Set Permission.read(Role.any()) on the file
+-  Owner only (private docs) -> Set Permission.read(Role.user(userId))
+-  Team access -> Set Permission.read(Role.team(teamId))
+-  Server-only -> Use server SDK with API key (bypasses all permissions)

</decision_framework>

---

<red_flags>

RED FLAGS

High Priority Issues:

• No permissions on rows/files — Appwrite grants ZERO access by default. A row without permissions is completely invisible. This is the number one mistake new Appwrite developers make.
• API key in client bundle — The node-appwrite server SDK with API key auth must NEVER be imported in browser code. API keys bypass all permissions.
• Assuming { data, error } return pattern — Appwrite throws AppwriteException, not error tuples. Using destructuring like const { data, error } = await account.get() will fail silently.
• Using legacy Databases API for new projects — Databases (collections/documents) is deprecated as of Appwrite 1.8. Use TablesDB (tables/rows) for all new work.
• Using positional parameters — As of appwrite@19.0.0 / node-appwrite@18.0.0 (September 2025), all SDK methods use object parameters. Positional arguments are deprecated. Use account.create({ userId, email, password }) not account.create(userId, email, password).
• Using string literals for OAuth providers — Use the OAuthProvider enum: OAuthProvider.Github not "github".

Medium Priority Issues:

• Forgetting ID.unique() — Passing a raw string as a row/file ID creates a custom ID. If you want auto-generated IDs, you must explicitly call ID.unique().
• Not unsubscribing from Realtime — Each realtime.subscribe() adds to a shared WebSocket. Failing to subscription.close() leaks connections and causes duplicate events.
• Using Permission.write() when you mean specific actions — Permission.write() is an alias for create + update + delete combined. Use Permission.update() and Permission.delete() separately for granular control.
• Calling account.create() without createEmailPasswordSession() — create() registers the user but does NOT create a session. The user is not logged in until you call a session method.
• Server SDK Realtime — Appwrite Realtime is NOT available through server SDKs. Subscriptions only work with client SDKs.

Common Mistakes:

• OAuth: no code runs after createOAuth2Session() — This method triggers a browser redirect. Any code after the call will not execute.
• Not setting both success AND failure URLs for OAuth — If you omit the failure URL, failed auth has no redirect target.
• Using Role.users() when you mean Role.user(userId) — Role.users() grants access to ALL authenticated users. Role.user(userId) grants access to ONE specific user.
• Expecting $createdAt / $updatedAt in queries without $ prefix — System fields in Appwrite use $ prefix: $id, $createdAt, $updatedAt, $permissions.

Gotchas & Edge Cases:

• Row security vs table-level permissions — By default, only table-level permissions apply. To use row-level (document-level) permissions, you must enable "Row Security" in the table settings. When enabled, BOTH table-level AND row-level permissions must pass.
• Permission.read(Role.any()) includes guests — Role.any() means everyone, including unauthenticated users. Use Role.users() for authenticated-only access.
• Realtime reconnection creates new WebSocket — Adding or removing a subscription tears down and recreates the entire WebSocket connection. Batch subscription changes where possible.
• File preview only works for images — storage.getFilePreview() with width/height transforms only works on image files. For non-images, use getFileDownload() or getFileView().
• account.get() throws if no session — There is no "null user" return. An unauthenticated call throws 401. Wrap in try/catch and return null for "no user" state.
• Max 100 rows per listRows() call — The default and maximum limit is 100. For larger datasets, use cursor-based pagination with Query.cursorAfter().
• Appwrite function cold starts — Functions have cold start latency on first invocation after idle. Design "fat functions" (one function handling multiple routes) to reduce cold starts.
• Query.search() requires a full-text index — The search query method only works on columns that have a full-text index configured in the Appwrite console.
• Labels are server-only — User labels (Role.label("premium")) can only be set via the server SDK users.updateLabels(). Clients cannot modify their own labels.

</red_flags>

---

<critical_reminders>

CRITICAL REMINDERS

All code must follow project conventions in CLAUDE.md (kebab-case, named exports, import ordering, import type, named constants)

(You MUST set permissions explicitly on every row and file — Appwrite grants NO access by default, so omitting permissions makes data inaccessible)

(You MUST use node-appwrite with API key auth on the server and appwrite with session auth on the client — NEVER expose API keys in client bundles)

(You MUST always check for AppwriteException on every SDK call — Appwrite throws exceptions, it does NOT return { data, error } tuples)

(You MUST use ID.unique() for auto-generated IDs — passing a raw string creates a custom ID, not an auto-generated one)

(You MUST use the TablesDB API for new projects — the legacy Databases/collections/documents API is deprecated and receives only security patches)

Failure to follow these rules will create inaccessible data, security vulnerabilities, and silent runtime failures.

</critical_reminders>