PocketBase Collection Management

Use this skill whenever you need to modify the database schema (create/update/delete collections).

Why This Approach

PocketBase automatically generates migration files when collections are created/modified via the SDK. This ensures:

• Correct internal IDs

• Proper migration format

• Automatic rollback functions

• No manual SQL errors

Instructions

1. Get the PocketBase URL

Find the container IP:

docker network inspect shipyard-pocketbase-template_default --format '{{range .Containers}}{{.IPv4Address}}{{end}}'

2. Write a Temporary Script

Create a temp JS file (e.g., temp-collection.js ):

import PocketBase from 'pocketbase'

const pb = new PocketBase('http://<CONTAINER_IP>:8090')

await pb.collection('_superusers').authWithPassword('admin@test.local', 'testtest123')

// CREATE a collection await pb.collections.create({ name: 'my_collection', type: 'base', // or 'auth' for user collections fields: [ { name: 'title', type: 'text', required: true }, { name: 'completed', type: 'bool' }, { name: 'user_id', type: 'text', required: true }, ], listRule: '@request.auth.id != ""', viewRule: '@request.auth.id != ""', createRule: '@request.auth.id != ""', updateRule: 'user_id = @request.auth.id', deleteRule: 'user_id = @request.auth.id', })

// UPDATE a collection // const collection = await pb.collections.getOne('my_collection') // await pb.collections.update(collection.id, { name: 'new_name' })

// DELETE a collection // await pb.collections.delete('my_collection')

console.log('Done!')

3. Run the Script

node temp-collection.js

4. Verify Migration Was Created

ls -la pocketbase/pb_migrations/

You should see a new .js file with the timestamp and collection name.

5. Delete the Temp Script

rm temp-collection.js

Field Types

Common field types for pb.collections.create() :

• text

• String field

• bool

• Boolean

• number

• Numeric

• email

• Email validation

• url

• URL validation

• date

• Date/datetime

• select

• Enum (add values: ['a', 'b'] )

• relation

• Foreign key (add collectionId: 'xxx' )

• file

• File upload

• json

• JSON data

Rules

Access rules use PocketBase filter syntax:

• null

• Superusers only

• '' (empty string) - Anyone

• '@request.auth.id != ""'

• Authenticated users

• 'user_id = @request.auth.id'

• Owner only