# InstantDB — Real-Time Database for Modern Apps

> InstantDB provides a client-side synced database with auth, permissions, and presence built in, letting you ship reactive apps without writing backend code.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# InstantDB — Real-Time Database for Modern Apps

## Quick Use
```bash
npm install @instantdb/react
```
```jsx
import { init, tx, id } from '@instantdb/react';
const db = init({ appId: 'YOUR_APP_ID' });

function App() {
  const { data } = db.useQuery({ todos: {} });
  const addTodo = () => db.transact(tx.todos[id()].update({ text: 'New todo' }));
  return <div>{data?.todos?.map(t => <p key={t.id}>{t.text}</p>)}</div>;
}
```

## Introduction
InstantDB is a real-time database that syncs data between client and server instantly. It combines a graph-based data model with built-in authentication, permissions, and presence, so developers can build collaborative apps without managing a traditional backend.

## What InstantDB Does
- Syncs data in real-time between all connected clients with optimistic updates
- Provides a graph-based relational data model with link and unlink operations
- Includes built-in auth (email magic links, Google OAuth) and row-level permissions
- Offers presence and cursor tracking for multiplayer experiences
- Works offline with a local cache that reconciles when connectivity returns

## Architecture Overview
InstantDB runs a server that maintains a triplestore-inspired data model where entities and relationships are first-class. The client SDK maintains a local replica using a reactive query engine. Mutations are applied optimistically on the client and confirmed by the server via WebSocket. Conflict resolution uses a last-writer-wins strategy with server-authoritative ordering.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Sign up at instantdb.com to get an app ID (cloud-hosted)
- Install the SDK: `npm install @instantdb/react` or `@instantdb/core`
- Define permissions in the InstantDB dashboard using InstaQL rules
- Set up auth providers in the dashboard configuration
- Use the CLI for schema management: `npx instant-cli push-schema`

## Key Features
- Optimistic mutations that feel instant to users with automatic rollback on conflict
- InstaQL query language for traversing relationships with nested joins
- Built-in presence API for showing who is online and what they are viewing
- TypeScript-first SDK with full type inference from your schema
- Transactions that batch multiple mutations atomically

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Firebase Realtime Database** — similar real-time sync, but uses a JSON tree model instead of a relational graph
- **Supabase** — PostgreSQL-based, more traditional SQL, requires more backend setup
- **Convex** — server-side functions with real-time sync, more opinionated about backend logic
- **PocketBase** — self-hosted, single-binary, but lacks real-time graph queries

## FAQ
**Q: Can I self-host InstantDB?**
A: The project is open source. Self-hosting documentation is available for running your own instance.

**Q: What frameworks are supported?**
A: Official SDKs exist for React, React Native, and vanilla JavaScript. Community wrappers cover Vue and Svelte.

**Q: How does it handle offline usage?**
A: The client SDK caches data locally and queues mutations. When the connection restores, it syncs changes automatically.

**Q: Is there a row limit or pricing tier?**
A: Check the official site for current pricing. The free tier is suitable for prototyping and small projects.

## Sources
- https://github.com/instantdb/instant
- https://www.instantdb.com/docs

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-dc5da43d
Author: AI Open Source