Appwrite Backend: The Ultimate Developer Cheatsheet

Introduction: Understanding Appwrite

Appwrite is an open-source Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform that provides developers with a set of APIs, tools, and services designed to reduce backend development time. It offers authentication, database management, file storage, cloud functions, and more—all with a focus on security and simplicity.

This cheatsheet serves as a comprehensive reference for developers working with Appwrite backend services, providing essential commands, configurations, and best practices.

Core Concepts & Architecture

Installation & Setup

Docker Setup (Recommended)

# Pull and start Appwrite using Docker
docker run -it --rm \
    --volume /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock \
    --volume "$(pwd)"/appwrite:/usr/src/code/appwrite:rw \
    --entrypoint="install" \
    appwrite/appwrite:1.4.0

# Start Appwrite
docker-compose up -d

CLI Installation

# Install Appwrite CLI
npm install -g appwrite-cli

# Login to Appwrite
appwrite login

# Initialize a project
appwrite init project

Authentication Service

Key Authentication Methods

// Email/Password Authentication
const user = await sdk.account.create(
    ID.unique(),
    'email@example.com',
    'password123'
);

// OAuth Authentication
const oauthUrl = sdk.account.createOAuth2Session(
    'github', 
    'https://myapp.com/callback'
);

// Phone Authentication
const user = await sdk.account.createPhoneSession(
    '+1234567890'
);

// Magic URL Authentication
const user = await sdk.account.createMagicURLSession(
    ID.unique(),
    'email@example.com',
    'https://myapp.com/callback'
);

// Anonymous Session
const session = await sdk.account.createAnonymousSession();

Session Management

// Get current session
const session = await sdk.account.getSession('current');

// Get all sessions
const sessions = await sdk.account.listSessions();

// Delete session
await sdk.account.deleteSession('sessionId');

// Update session (extend expiry)
await sdk.account.updateSession('sessionId');

User Management

// Create user (admin API)
const user = await sdk.users.create(
    ID.unique(),
    'email@example.com',
    'password123',
    'John Doe'
);

// Get user
const user = await sdk.users.get('userId');

// List users
const users = await sdk.users.list();

// Update user
const user = await sdk.users.updateName('userId', 'New Name');

// Delete user
await sdk.users.delete('userId');

Database Service

Collections & Documents

// Create collection
const collection = await sdk.databases.createCollection(
    'databaseId',
    ID.unique(),
    'Products',
    [
        Permission.read(Role.any()),
        Permission.write(Role.team('adminTeamId'))
    ]
);

// Create document
const document = await sdk.databases.createDocument(
    'databaseId',
    'collectionId',
    ID.unique(),
    { name: 'Product 1', price: 99.99 },
    [
        Permission.read(Role.any()),
        Permission.update(Role.user('userId'))
    ]
);

// Get document
const document = await sdk.databases.getDocument(
    'databaseId',
    'collectionId',
    'documentId'
);

// List documents
const documents = await sdk.databases.listDocuments(
    'databaseId',
    'collectionId'
);

// Update document
const document = await sdk.databases.updateDocument(
    'databaseId',
    'collectionId',
    'documentId',
    { price: 89.99 }
);

// Delete document
await sdk.databases.deleteDocument(
    'databaseId',
    'collectionId',
    'documentId'
);

Attributes & Indexes

// Create string attribute
await sdk.databases.createStringAttribute(
    'databaseId',
    'collectionId',
    'title',
    255,
    true
);

// Create number attribute
await sdk.databases.createIntegerAttribute(
    'databaseId',
    'collectionId',
    'price',
    true
);

// Create boolean attribute
await sdk.databases.createBooleanAttribute(
    'databaseId',
    'collectionId',
    'isAvailable',
    true
);

// Create index
await sdk.databases.createIndex(
    'databaseId',
    'collectionId',
    'price_index',
    'key',
    ['price'],
    ['ASC']
);

Queries & Filters

// Equal to
const documents = await sdk.databases.listDocuments(
    'databaseId',
    'collectionId',
    [
        Query.equal('category', 'electronics')
    ]
);

// Greater/less than
const documents = await sdk.databases.listDocuments(
    'databaseId',
    'collectionId',
    [
        Query.greaterThan('price', 50),
        Query.lessThan('price', 200)
    ]
);

// Search text
const documents = await sdk.databases.listDocuments(
    'databaseId',
    'collectionId',
    [
        Query.search('name', 'apple')
    ]
);

// Limit and offset
const documents = await sdk.databases.listDocuments(
    'databaseId',
    'collectionId',
    [
        Query.limit(20),
        Query.offset(20)
    ]
);

// Sort
const documents = await sdk.databases.listDocuments(
    'databaseId',
    'collectionId',
    [
        Query.orderDesc('createdAt')
    ]
);

Storage Service

File Operations

// Upload file
const file = await sdk.storage.createFile(
    'bucketId',
    ID.unique(),
    document.getElementById('uploader').files[0],
    [
        Permission.read(Role.any()),
        Permission.update(Role.user('userId'))
    ]
);

// Get file
const file = await sdk.storage.getFile(
    'bucketId',
    'fileId'
);

// List files
const files = await sdk.storage.listFiles(
    'bucketId'
);

// Get file preview
const filePreview = sdk.storage.getFilePreview(
    'bucketId',
    'fileId',
    200, // width
    200, // height
    'center', // gravity
    100 // quality
);

// Get file download
const fileDownload = sdk.storage.getFileDownload(
    'bucketId',
    'fileId'
);

// Delete file
await sdk.storage.deleteFile(
    'bucketId',
    'fileId'
);

Bucket Management

// Create bucket
const bucket = await sdk.storage.createBucket(
    ID.unique(),
    'Images',
    [
        Permission.read(Role.any()),
        Permission.create(Role.users())
    ],
    5000000, // 5MB max file size
    ['image/jpeg', 'image/png'] // Allowed file types
);

// Get bucket
const bucket = await sdk.storage.getBucket(
    'bucketId'
);

// List buckets
const buckets = await sdk.storage.listBuckets();

// Update bucket
const bucket = await sdk.storage.updateBucket(
    'bucketId',
    'New Images'
);

// Delete bucket
await sdk.storage.deleteBucket(
    'bucketId'
);

Functions Service

Function Management

// Create function
const fn = await sdk.functions.create(
    ID.unique(),
    'hello-world',
    ['node-18.0'],
    'Hello world function'
);

// List functions
const functions = await sdk.functions.list();

// Get function
const fn = await sdk.functions.get(
    'functionId'
);

// Update function
const fn = await sdk.functions.update(
    'functionId',
    'hello-world-updated',
    ['node-18.0'],
    'Updated hello world function'
);

// Delete function
await sdk.functions.delete(
    'functionId'
);

Deployments & Execution

// Create deployment
const deployment = await sdk.functions.createDeployment(
    'functionId',
    'main.js',
    false, // activate immediately
    fs.createReadStream('./function/main.js') // Function code
);

// Execute function
const execution = await sdk.functions.createExecution(
    'functionId',
    JSON.stringify({ key: 'value' }),  // Optional data
    false,  // Async execution
    '/redirectUrl',  // Optional redirect URL
    'GET',  // HTTP method
    {}  // Optional headers
);

// Get execution
const execution = await sdk.functions.getExecution(
    'functionId',
    'executionId'
);

// List executions
const executions = await sdk.functions.listExecutions(
    'functionId'
);

Teams Service

Team Management

// Create team
const team = await sdk.teams.create(
    ID.unique(),
    'Engineering',
    [
        Permission.read(Role.any()),
        Permission.update(Role.team('teamId', 'owner'))
    ]
);

// Get team
const team = await sdk.teams.get(
    'teamId'
);

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

// Update team
const team = await sdk.teams.update(
    'teamId',
    'Engineering Team'
);

// Delete team
await sdk.teams.delete(
    'teamId'
);

Membership Management

// Create membership
const membership = await sdk.teams.createMembership(
    'teamId',
    ['member'],
    'https://example.com/callback',
    'user@example.com'
);

// Get membership
const membership = await sdk.teams.getMembership(
    'teamId',
    'membershipId'
);

// List memberships
const memberships = await sdk.teams.listMemberships(
    'teamId'
);

// Update membership
const membership = await sdk.teams.updateMembership(
    'teamId',
    'membershipId',
    ['admin']
);

// Delete membership
await sdk.teams.deleteMembership(
    'teamId',
    'membershipId'
);

Realtime Service

// Subscribe to changes
const unsubscribe = sdk.subscribe('collections.[databaseId].[collectionId].documents', response => {
    console.log(response);
});

// Subscribe to multiple channels
const unsubscribe = sdk.subscribe([
    'collections.[databaseId].[collectionId].documents',
    'files.[bucketId]'
], response => {
    console.log(response);
});

// Unsubscribe
unsubscribe();

Permissions System

Permission Types

// Read permission for anyone
Permission.read(Role.any())

// Write permission for authenticated users
Permission.write(Role.users())

// Create permission for specific user
Permission.create(Role.user('userId'))

// Update permission for team members
Permission.update(Role.team('teamId'))

// Delete permission for team admins
Permission.delete(Role.team('teamId', 'admin'))

Role Types

// Any user (including guests)
Role.any()

// Authenticated users
Role.users()

// Specific user
Role.user('userId')

// Team members
Role.team('teamId')

// Team members with specific role
Role.team('teamId', 'admin')

// Users with verified email
Role.users('verified')

Common Patterns & Recipes

User Registration with Verification

// Create user
const user = await sdk.account.create(
    ID.unique(),
    'email@example.com',
    'password123',
    'John Doe'
);

// Send verification email
await sdk.account.createVerification(
    'https://example.com/verify'
);

// Complete verification
await sdk.account.updateVerification(
    'userId',
    'secret'
);

File Upload with Progress

// Upload file with progress
const file = await sdk.storage.createFile(
    'bucketId',
    ID.unique(),
    document.getElementById('uploader').files[0],
    [Permission.read(Role.any())],
    (progress) => {
        console.log(`Uploaded ${progress}%`);
    }
);

Pagination Implementation

// Initial query
let offset = 0;
const limit = 25;

async function loadMore() {
    const documents = await sdk.databases.listDocuments(
        'databaseId',
        'collectionId',
        [
            Query.limit(limit),
            Query.offset(offset)
        ]
    );
    
    // Update offset for next page
    offset += limit;
    
    // Check if we have more results
    const hasMore = documents.documents.length === limit;
    
    return {
        documents: documents.documents,
        hasMore
    };
}

Common Challenges & Solutions

Security Best Practices

• Use environment variables for API keys and secrets
• Implement proper permission scopes for all resources
• Enable two-factor authentication for team members
• Regularly review access logs for suspicious activity
• Set secure password policies in project settings
• Use JWT expiration times appropriate to your use case
• Implement proper input validation in all function endpoints
• Use HTTPS for all API communications

Performance Optimization Tips

• Create appropriate indexes for frequently queried fields
• Use pagination for large data sets
• Implement caching for frequently accessed data
• Optimize query patterns to minimize data transfer
• Use batch operations where possible
• Compress assets before uploading to storage
• Implement lazy loading for media assets
• Monitor function execution times and optimize hotspots

Resources for Further Learning

• Appwrite Documentation – Official documentation
• Appwrite GitHub Repository – Source code and issues
• Appwrite Discord – Community support and discussions
• Appwrite Blog – Latest updates and tutorials
• Appwrite YouTube Channel – Video tutorials and webinars
• Awesome Appwrite – Curated list of resources

CLI Commands Reference

# Project commands
appwrite projects create --name="My Project"
appwrite projects list
appwrite projects get --projectId=123
appwrite projects delete --projectId=123

# Collection commands
appwrite databases collections create --databaseId=123 --name="Products"
appwrite databases collections list --databaseId=123
appwrite databases collections delete --databaseId=123 --collectionId=456

# Function commands
appwrite functions create --name="hello" --runtime="node-18.0"
appwrite functions createDeployment --functionId=123 --code="./function.zip"
appwrite functions createExecution --functionId=123

# Storage commands
appwrite storage buckets create --name="Images"
appwrite storage buckets list
appwrite storage files list --bucketId=123

This cheatsheet provides a comprehensive reference for Appwrite backend development, covering essential concepts, code examples, and best practices to help you build robust applications efficiently.