Appwrite TypeScript SDK

Installation

# Web
npm install appwrite

# React Native
npm install react-native-appwrite

# Node.js / Deno
npm install node-appwrite

Setting Up the Client

Client-side (Web / React Native)

// Web
import { Client, Account, TablesDB, Storage, ID, Query } from 'appwrite';

// React Native
import { Client, Account, TablesDB, Storage, ID, Query } from 'react-native-appwrite';

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

Server-side (Node.js / Deno)

import { Client, Users, TablesDB, Storage, Functions, ID, Query } from 'node-appwrite';

const client = new Client()
    .setEndpoint('https://<REGION>.cloud.appwrite.io/v1')
    .setProject(process.env.APPWRITE_PROJECT_ID)
    .setKey(process.env.APPWRITE_API_KEY);

Code Examples

Authentication (client-side)

const account = new Account(client);

// Email signup
await account.create({
    userId: ID.unique(),
    email: 'user@example.com',
    password: 'password123',
    name: 'User Name'
});

// Email login
const session = await account.createEmailPasswordSession({
    email: 'user@example.com',
    password: 'password123'
});

// OAuth login
account.createOAuth2Session({
    provider: 'github',
    success: 'https://example.com/success',
    failure: 'https://example.com/fail'
});

// Get current user
const user = await account.get();

// Logout
await account.deleteSession({ sessionId: 'current' });

User Management (server-side)

const users = new Users(client);

// Create user
const user = await users.create({
    userId: ID.unique(),
    email: 'user@example.com',
    password: 'password123',
    name: 'User Name'
});

// List users
const list = await users.list({ queries: [Query.limit(25)] });

// Get user
const fetched = await users.get({ userId: '[USER_ID]' });

// Delete user
await users.delete({ userId: '[USER_ID]' });

Database Operations

Note: Use TablesDB (not the deprecated Databases class) for all new code. Only use Databases if the existing codebase already relies on it or the user explicitly requests it.

const tablesDB = new TablesDB(client);

// Create database (server-side only)
const db = await tablesDB.create({ databaseId: ID.unique(), name: 'My Database' });

// Create table (server-side only)
const col = await tablesDB.createTable({
    databaseId: '[DATABASE_ID]',
    tableId: ID.unique(),
    name: 'My Table'
});

// Create row
const doc = await tablesDB.createRow({
    databaseId: '[DATABASE_ID]',
    tableId: '[TABLE_ID]',
    rowId: ID.unique(),
    data: { title: 'Hello World', content: 'Example content' }
});

// List rows with query
const results = await tablesDB.listRows({
    databaseId: '[DATABASE_ID]',
    tableId: '[TABLE_ID]',
    queries: [Query.equal('status', 'active'), Query.limit(10)]
});

// Get row
const row = await tablesDB.getRow({
    databaseId: '[DATABASE_ID]',
    tableId: '[TABLE_ID]',
    rowId: '[ROW_ID]'
});

// Update row
await tablesDB.updateRow({
    databaseId: '[DATABASE_ID]',
    tableId: '[TABLE_ID]',
    rowId: '[ROW_ID]',
    data: { title: 'Updated Title' }
});

// Delete row
await tablesDB.deleteRow({
    databaseId: '[DATABASE_ID]',
    tableId: '[TABLE_ID]',
    rowId: '[ROW_ID]'
});

TypeScript Generics

import { Models } from 'appwrite';
// Server-side: import from 'node-appwrite'

// Define a typed interface for your row data
interface Todo {
    title: string;
    done: boolean;
    priority: number;
}

// listRows returns Models.DocumentList<Models.Document> by default
// Cast or use generics for typed results
const results = await tablesDB.listRows({
    databaseId: '[DATABASE_ID]',
    tableId: '[TABLE_ID]',
    queries: [Query.equal('done', false)]
});

// Each document includes built-in fields alongside your data
const doc = results.documents[0];
doc.$id;            // string — unique row ID
doc.$createdAt;     // string — ISO 8601 creation timestamp
doc.$updatedAt;     // string — ISO 8601 update timestamp
doc.$permissions;   // string[] — permission strings
doc.$databaseId;    // string
doc.$collectionId;  // string

// Common model types
// Models.User<Preferences>  — user account
// Models.Session             — auth session
// Models.File                — storage file metadata
// Models.Team                — team object
// Models.Execution           — function execution result
// Models.DocumentList<T>     — paginated list with total count

Query Methods

// Filtering
Query.equal('field', 'value')           // field == value (or pass array for IN)
Query.notEqual('field', 'value')        // field != value
Query.lessThan('field', 100)            // field < value
Query.lessThanEqual('field', 100)       // field <= value
Query.greaterThan('field', 100)         // field > value
Query.greaterThanEqual('field', 100)    // field >= value
Query.between('field', 1, 100)          // 1 <= field <= 100
Query.isNull('field')                   // field is null
Query.isNotNull('field')                // field is not null
Query.startsWith('field', 'prefix')     // string starts with prefix
Query.endsWith('field', 'suffix')       // string ends with suffix
Query.contains('field', 'substring')    // string/array contains value
Query.search('field', 'keywords')       // full-text search (requires full-text index)

// Sorting
Query.orderAsc('field')                 // sort ascending
Query.orderDesc('field')                // sort descending

// Pagination
Query.limit(25)                         // max rows returned (default 25, max 100)
Query.offset(0)                         // skip N rows
Query.cursorAfter('[ROW_ID]')           // paginate after this row ID (preferred for large datasets)
Query.cursorBefore('[ROW_ID]')          // paginate before this row ID

// Selection
Query.select(['field1', 'field2'])      // return only specified fields

// Logical
Query.or([Query.equal('a', 1), Query.equal('b', 2)])   // OR condition
Query.and([Query.greaterThan('age', 18), Query.lessThan('age', 65)])  // explicit AND (queries are AND by default)

File Storage

const storage = new Storage(client);

// Upload file (client-side — from file input)
const file = await storage.createFile({
    bucketId: '[BUCKET_ID]',
    fileId: ID.unique(),
    file: document.getElementById('file-input').files[0]
});

// Upload file (server-side — from path)
import { InputFile } from 'node-appwrite/file';

const file2 = await storage.createFile({
    bucketId: '[BUCKET_ID]',
    fileId: ID.unique(),
    file: InputFile.fromPath('/path/to/file.png', 'file.png')
});

// List files
const files = await storage.listFiles({ bucketId: '[BUCKET_ID]' });

// Get file preview (image)
const preview = storage.getFilePreview({
    bucketId: '[BUCKET_ID]',
    fileId: '[FILE_ID]',
    width: 300,
    height: 300
});

// Download file
const download = await storage.getFileDownload({
    bucketId: '[BUCKET_ID]',
    fileId: '[FILE_ID]'
});

// Delete file
await storage.deleteFile({ bucketId: '[BUCKET_ID]', fileId: '[FILE_ID]' });

InputFile Factory Methods (server-side)

import { InputFile } from 'node-appwrite/file';

InputFile.fromPath('/path/to/file.png', 'file.png')          // from filesystem path
InputFile.fromBuffer(buffer, 'file.png')                       // from Buffer
InputFile.fromStream(readableStream, 'file.png', size)         // from ReadableStream (size in bytes required)
InputFile.fromPlainText('Hello world', 'hello.txt')            // from string content

Teams

const teams = new Teams(client);

// Create team
const team = await teams.create({ teamId: ID.unique(), name: 'Engineering' });

// List teams
const list = await teams.list();

// Create membership (invite a user by email)
const membership = await teams.createMembership({
    teamId: '[TEAM_ID]',
    roles: ['editor'],
    email: 'user@example.com',
});

// List memberships
const members = await teams.listMemberships({ teamId: '[TEAM_ID]' });

// Update membership roles
await teams.updateMembership({
    teamId: '[TEAM_ID]',
    membershipId: '[MEMBERSHIP_ID]',
    roles: ['admin'],
});

// Delete team
await teams.delete({ teamId: '[TEAM_ID]' });

Role-based access: Use Role.team('[TEAM_ID]') for all team members or Role.team('[TEAM_ID]', 'editor') for a specific team role when setting permissions.

Real-time Subscriptions (client-side)

// Subscribe to row changes
const unsubscribe = client.subscribe('databases.[DATABASE_ID].tables.[TABLE_ID].rows', (response) => {
    console.log(response.events);   // e.g. ['databases.*.tables.*.rows.*.create']
    console.log(response.payload);  // the affected resource
});

// Subscribe to file changes
client.subscribe('buckets.[BUCKET_ID].files', (response) => {
    console.log(response.payload);
});

// Subscribe to multiple channels
client.subscribe([
    'databases.[DATABASE_ID].tables.[TABLE_ID].rows',
    'buckets.[BUCKET_ID].files',
], (response) => { /* ... */ });

// Unsubscribe
unsubscribe();

Available channels:

The response object includes: events (array of event strings), payload (the affected resource), channels (channels matched), and timestamp (ISO 8601).

Serverless Functions (server-side)

const functions = new Functions(client);

// Execute function
const execution = await functions.createExecution({
    functionId: '[FUNCTION_ID]',
    body: JSON.stringify({ key: 'value' })
});

// List executions
const executions = await functions.listExecutions({ functionId: '[FUNCTION_ID]' });

Writing a Function Handler (Node.js runtime)

When deploying your own Appwrite Function, the entry point file must export a default async function:

// src/main.js (or src/main.ts)
export default async ({ req, res, log, error }) => {
    // Request properties
    // req.body        — raw request body (string)
    // req.bodyJson    — parsed JSON body (object, or undefined if not JSON)
    // req.headers     — request headers (object)
    // req.method      — HTTP method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH)
    // req.path        — URL path (e.g. '/hello')
    // req.query       — parsed query parameters (object)
    // req.queryString — raw query string

    log('Processing request: ' + req.method + ' ' + req.path);

    if (req.method === 'GET') {
        return res.json({ message: 'Hello from Appwrite Function!' });
    }

    const data = req.bodyJson;
    if (!data?.name) {
        error('Missing name field');
        return res.json({ error: 'Name is required' }, 400);
    }

    // Response methods
    return res.json({ success: true });                    // JSON (sets Content-Type automatically)
    // return res.text('Hello');                           // plain text
    // return res.empty();                                 // 204 No Content
    // return res.redirect('https://example.com');         // 302 Redirect
    // return res.send('data', 200, { 'X-Custom': '1' }); // custom body, status, headers
};

Server-Side Rendering (SSR) Authentication

SSR apps (Next.js, SvelteKit, Nuxt, Remix, Astro) use the server SDK (node-appwrite) to handle auth. You need two clients:

• Admin client — uses an API key, creates sessions, bypasses rate limits (reusable singleton)
• Session client — uses a session cookie, acts on behalf of a user (create per-request, never share)

import { Client, Account, OAuthProvider } from 'node-appwrite';

// Admin client (reusable)
const adminClient = new Client()
    .setEndpoint('https://<REGION>.cloud.appwrite.io/v1')
    .setProject('[PROJECT_ID]')
    .setKey(process.env.APPWRITE_API_KEY);

// Session client (create per-request)
const sessionClient = new Client()
    .setEndpoint('https://<REGION>.cloud.appwrite.io/v1')
    .setProject('[PROJECT_ID]');

const session = req.cookies['a_session_[PROJECT_ID]'];
if (session) {
    sessionClient.setSession(session);
}

Email/Password Login

app.post('/login', async (req, res) => {
    const account = new Account(adminClient);
    const session = await account.createEmailPasswordSession({
        email: req.body.email,
        password: req.body.password,
    });

    // Cookie name must be a_session_<PROJECT_ID>
    res.cookie('a_session_[PROJECT_ID]', session.secret, {
        httpOnly: true,
        secure: true,
        sameSite: 'strict',
        expires: new Date(session.expire),
        path: '/',
    });

    res.json({ success: true });
});

Authenticated Requests

app.get('/user', async (req, res) => {
    const session = req.cookies['a_session_[PROJECT_ID]'];
    if (!session) return res.status(401).json({ error: 'Unauthorized' });

    // Create a fresh session client per request
    const sessionClient = new Client()
        .setEndpoint('https://<REGION>.cloud.appwrite.io/v1')
        .setProject('[PROJECT_ID]')
        .setSession(session);

    const account = new Account(sessionClient);
    const user = await account.get();
    res.json(user);
});

OAuth2 SSR Flow

// Step 1: Redirect to OAuth provider
app.get('/oauth', async (req, res) => {
    const account = new Account(adminClient);
    const redirectUrl = await account.createOAuth2Token({
        provider: OAuthProvider.Github,
        success: 'https://example.com/oauth/success',
        failure: 'https://example.com/oauth/failure',
    });
    res.redirect(redirectUrl);
});

// Step 2: Handle callback — exchange token for session
app.get('/oauth/success', async (req, res) => {
    const account = new Account(adminClient);
    const session = await account.createSession({
        userId: req.query.userId,
        secret: req.query.secret,
    });

    res.cookie('a_session_[PROJECT_ID]', session.secret, {
        httpOnly: true, secure: true, sameSite: 'strict',
        expires: new Date(session.expire), path: '/',
    });
    res.json({ success: true });
});

Cookie security: Always use httpOnly, secure, and sameSite: 'strict' to prevent XSS. The cookie name must be a_session_<PROJECT_ID>.

Forwarding user agent: Call sessionClient.setForwardedUserAgent(req.headers['user-agent']) to record the end-user's browser info for debugging and security.

Error Handling

import { AppwriteException } from 'appwrite';
// Server-side: import from 'node-appwrite'

try {
    const doc = await tablesDB.getRow({
        databaseId: '[DATABASE_ID]',
        tableId: '[TABLE_ID]',
        rowId: '[ROW_ID]',
    });
} catch (err) {
    if (err instanceof AppwriteException) {
        console.log(err.message);   // human-readable error message
        console.log(err.code);      // HTTP status code (number)
        console.log(err.type);      // Appwrite error type string (e.g. 'document_not_found')
        console.log(err.response);  // full response body (object)
    }
}

Common error codes:

Permissions & Roles (Critical)

Appwrite uses permission strings to control access to resources. Each permission pairs an action (read, update, delete, create, or write which grants create + update + delete) with a role target. By default, no user has access unless permissions are explicitly set at the document/file level or inherited from the collection/bucket settings. Permissions are arrays of strings built with the Permission and Role helpers.

import { Permission, Role } from 'appwrite';
// Server-side: import from 'node-appwrite'

Database Row with Permissions

const doc = await tablesDB.createRow({
    databaseId: '[DATABASE_ID]',
    tableId: '[TABLE_ID]',
    rowId: ID.unique(),
    data: { title: 'Hello World' },
    permissions: [
        Permission.read(Role.user('[USER_ID]')),     // specific user can read
        Permission.update(Role.user('[USER_ID]')),   // specific user can update
        Permission.read(Role.team('[TEAM_ID]')),     // all team members can read
        Permission.read(Role.any()),                 // anyone (including guests) can read
    ]
});

File Upload with Permissions

const file = await storage.createFile({
    bucketId: '[BUCKET_ID]',
    fileId: ID.unique(),
    file: document.getElementById('file-input').files[0],
    permissions: [
        Permission.read(Role.any()),
        Permission.update(Role.user('[USER_ID]')),
        Permission.delete(Role.user('[USER_ID]')),
    ]
});

When to set permissions: Set document/file-level permissions when you need per-resource access control. If all documents in a collection share the same rules, configure permissions at the collection/bucket level and leave document permissions empty.

Common mistakes:

• Forgetting permissions — the resource becomes inaccessible to all users (including the creator)
• Role.any() with write/update/delete — allows any user, including unauthenticated guests, to modify or remove the resource
• Permission.read(Role.any()) on sensitive data — makes the resource publicly readable