Database

💡 Understand the bkend database system and learn how to manage data with the REST API.

What is the Database?

If you want to store and query data with just API calls — without defining table structures in advance — use bkend's dynamic tables. bkend provides an isolated database for each project. You can create tables and perform data CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations via the REST API without any server setup.

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Key Features

Per-Project Isolation

Each project uses its own independent database. Data is also separated by environment (dev/staging/prod), ensuring development and production data never overlap.

Schema-Based Validation

Data is automatically validated according to the schema defined on each table. Constraints such as required fields, types, patterns, and ranges are enforced.

Role-Based Permissions

You can configure role-based access permissions for each table.

Role	Description
admin	Full access to all data
user	Access based on table permission settings
guest	Access based on table permission settings (no authentication required)
self	Access only to data created by the user

System Fields

The following system fields are automatically added to every record.

Field	Type	Description
id	string	Unique data ID
createdBy	string	Creator ID
createdAt	string	Creation timestamp (ISO 8601)
updatedAt	string	Last modified timestamp (ISO 8601)

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API Structure

The database API supports two path formats.

Path	Description
/v1/data/:tableName	Standard path
/v1/:tableName	Shorthand path

Both paths work identically. This documentation uses the standard path (/v1/data/:tableName).

Required Headers

Header	Required	Description
X-API-Key	✅	{pk_publishable_key} — Publishable Key
Authorization	Conditional	Bearer {accessToken} — Required depending on permissions

💡 The Publishable Key contains project and environment information, so no additional headers are needed.

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Development Workflow

Here is the end-to-end workflow for using the database. Design your structure in the console, then manage data from your app via the REST API.

Step	Tool	Task	Where to Check
1	Console	Create tables, define columns	Console > Database
2	Console	Set CRUD permissions per role	Console > Database > Table > Permissions
3	Console	Issue an API Key (Bearer Token)	Console > API Keys > Create New Token
4	REST API	Perform data CRUD from your app	POST/GET/PATCH/DELETE /v1/data/:tableName

💡 You can find your Publishable Key in Console > API Keys.

If you are integrating the REST API in your app for the first time, see Integrate bkend in Your App first.

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Table Management

💡 Table naming rules: Must start with a letter. Only letters, numbers, dashes, and underscores are allowed (/^[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9_-]*$/). Examples: posts, user-profiles, order_items

Table creation, schema editing, and index management are performed in the console.

• Table Management — Create and manage tables in the console

• Schema Editor — Configure columns and constraints

• Index Management — Indexes for performance optimization

If you use AI tools, you can also manage tables through MCP tools.

• Table Tools — Manage tables via AI

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In This Section

Document	Description
Understanding the Data Model	Schema, permissions, system fields
Create Data	POST — Add new data
Get a Single Record	GET — Retrieve data by ID
List Data	GET — Retrieve a list of data
Update Data	PATCH — Update data
Delete Data	DELETE — Remove data
Filtering	AND/OR filters, search
Sorting & Pagination	Sorting, paging
Table Schema Query	Inspect table structure
API Reference	Full endpoint listing
Data CRUD App Patterns	Implement CRUD in your app

💡 Learn by doing: To see how data CRUD is used in real projects, check out the Cookbooks.