StaticBackend
StaticBackend is a simple backend server API that helps you create web applications. It handles most of the building blocks you'll need on the backend.
- Authentication (docs →)
- Account->users management (docs →)
- Database CRUD, queries and full-text search (docs →)
- Realtime/Websockets (docs →)
- File storage (docs →)
- server-side functions (docs →)
- Schedule jobs
- Send mails/sms (docs →)
- Caching (docs →)
- Handle forms (docs →)
- Resize images & convert URL to PDF (docs →)
Table of content
Install
You'll want to install different pieces depending on what you want to build. Here's what you can install:
Local development
Our CLI includes a fully functional development server. You don't need to install anything else.
$ npm install -g @staticbackend/cli
You may install the CLI manually as well.
This will install as the backend
program. Start the development server with:
$ backend server
This command creates a new application and an admin user for you. You'll receive a PublicKey and a RootToken.
All HTTP request to the API requires a public key. The root token allows you to sign in to the dashboard for this application as the owner.
Frontend client
Add the library to your dependencies:
$ npm install @staticbackend/js
Inside your module:
import { Backend } from "@staticbackend/js";
const bkn = new Backend("dev_memory_pk", "dev");
dev_memory_pk is the default local development public key and dev is the default region / host for the instance you're targetting.
You may also include the library inside a <script
tag if you're not using
a module system:
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@staticbackend/[email protected]/dist/backend.min.js"></script>
<script>
const bkn = new sb.Backend("dev_memory_pk", "dev");
</script>
Backend clients
We've pre-built backend client libraries you may use directly:
Node:
$ npm install @staticbackend/backend
Go:
$ go get github.com/staticbackendhq/backend-go
View the Go package documentation
Python:
$ pip install staticbackend
Go package
You can import a Go package directly into your Go program and build your application with the same building blocks without hosting the API separately.
$ go get github.com/staticbackendhq/core/backend
Usage
You may build web and mobile applications using StaticBackend as your main backend API.
StaticBackend is a multi-tenant platform allowing you to host multiple isolated applications.
You need an instance of the backend API running via the CLI for local development or running as a normal process with required dependencies.
You create your first application before you can start.
Using the CLI:
$ backend server
Using the source code:
$ git clone https://github.com/staticbackendhq/core
$ cd core
$ cp .local.env .env
$ make start
Visit http://localhost:8099 and create an application.
Javascript example
Note that the Nodejs client library has the same API / function names as the JavaScript library.
import { Backend } from "@staticbackend/js";
const bkn = new Backend("dev_memory_pk", "dev");
let token = "";
login = async () => {
const res = await bkn.register("[email protected]", "password");
if (!res.ok) {
console.error(res.content);
return;
}
token = res.content;
createTask();
}
createTask = async () => {
const task = {
desc: "Do something for XYZ",
done: false
};
const res = bkn.create(token, "tasks", task);
if (!res.ok) {
console.error(res.content);
return;
}
console.log(res.content);
}
Go client example
package main
import (
"fmt"
"github.com/staticbackendhq/backend-go"
)
func main() {
backend.PublicKey = "dev_memory_pk"
backend.Region = "dev"
token, err := backend.Login("[email protected]", "devpw1234")
// no err handling in example
task := new(struct{
ID string `json:"id"`
AccountID string `json:"accountId"`
Title string `json:"title"`
Done bool `json:"done"`
})
task.Title = "A todo item"
err = backend.Create(token, "tasks", task, &task)
// task.ID and task.AccountID would be filled with proper values
}
Go package example
// using the cache & pub/sub
backend.Cache.Set("key", "value")
msg := model.Command{Type: "chan_out", Channel: "#lobby", Data: "hello world"}
backend.Cache.Publish(msg)
// use the generic Collection for strongly-typed CRUD and querying
type Task struct {
ID string `json:"id"`
Title string `json:"title"`
}
// auth is the currently authenticated user performing the action.
// base is the current tenant's database to execute action
// "tasks" is the collection name
tasks := backend.Collection[Task](auth, base, "tasks")
newTask, err := tasks.Create(Task{Title: "testing"})
// newTask.ID is filled with the unique ID of the created task in DB
View a full example in the doc.
Documentation
We're trying to have the best experience possible reading our documentation.
Please help us improve if you have any feedback.
- Documentation with code samples for client libraries and CURL
- Go client library package
- Go importable package
- Self-host guide
- Install the CLI
Examples:
- To-do list example
- Realtime collaboration
- Live chat using server-side function & real-time component
- Jamstack Bostom talk
Deployment
To deploy StaticBackend you'll need the following:
- Either PostgreSQL or MongoDB
- Redis
StaticBackend is a single file binary you can run as a systemd
daemon.
Here's some quick way to deploy an instance.
Render
Heroku
Docker
If you have Docker and Docker Compose ready, here's how to run StaticBackend:
$ git clone https://github.com/staticbackendhq/core
$ cd core
$ cp .demo.env .env
$ docker build . -t staticbackend:latest
$ docker-compose -f docker-compose-demo.yml up
Open a browser at http://localhost:8099 to create your first application.
For production, you'll want to configure environment variables found in .env
file.
Get support
You may use the following channels to get help and support.
- Discord: for any help and joining the conversation.
- GitHub issues: To report bugs / contributing code.
- GitHub Discussions: For ideas, feature requests and general discussions.
Contributing
If you have any feedback (good or bad) we'd be more than happy to talk. Please use the Discussions tab.
Same for contributing. The easiest is to get in touch first. We're working to make it easier to contribute code. If you'd like to work on something precise let us know.
Here are videos made specifically for people wanting to contribute:
Check the contributing file for details.
How you can help
If you're looking to help the project, here are multiple ways:
- Use it and share your experiences.
- Sponsor the development via GitHub sponsors.
- Spread the words, a tweet, a blog post, any mention is helpful.
- Join the Discord server.