PowerSync SDK on NPM
This SDK is distributed via NPM
Source Code
Refer to packages/web in the
powersync-js repo on GitHubAPI Reference
Full API reference for the SDK
Example Projects
Gallery of example projects/demo apps built with JavaScript Web stacks and PowerSync
Changelog
Changelog for the SDK
Quickstart
📂 GitHub Repo
https://github.com/powersync-community/vite-react-ts-powersync-supabase/
SDK Features
- Real-time streaming of database changes: Changes made by one user are instantly streamed to all other users with access to that data. This keeps clients automatically in sync without manual polling or refresh logic.
- Direct access to a local SQLite database: Data is stored locally, so apps can read and write instantly without network calls. This enables offline support and faster user interactions.
- Asynchronous background execution: The SDK performs database operations in the background to avoid blocking the application’s main thread. This means that apps stay responsive, even during heavy data activity.
- Query subscriptions for live updates: The SDK supports query subscriptions that automatically push real-time updates to client applications as data changes, keeping your UI reactive and up to date.
- Automatic schema management: PowerSync syncs schemaless data and applies a client-defined schema using SQLite views. This architecture means that PowerSync SDKs can handle schema changes gracefully without requiring explicit migrations on the client-side.
Single-Page Application (SPA) Frameworks
The PowerSync JavaScript Web SDK is compatible with popular Single-Page Application (SPA) frameworks like React, Vue, Angular, and Svelte. Integration packages are provided specifically for the following:React Hooks
Wrapper package to support reactivity and live queries.
Vue Composables
Wrapper package to support reactivity and live queries.
TanStack Query & DB
PowerSync integrates with TanStack Query for React and TanStack DB for reactive data management across multiple frameworks.
Which package should I choose for queries?
Which package should I choose for queries?
For React or React Native apps:
-
The
@powersync/reactpackage is best for most basic use cases, especially when you only need reactive queries with loading and error states. -
For more advanced scenarios, such as query caching and pagination, TanStack Query is a powerful solution. The
@powersync/tanstack-react-querypackage extends theuseQueryhook from@powersync/reactand adds functionality from TanStack Query, making it a better fit for advanced use cases or performance-optimized apps. - For reactive data management and live query support across multiple frameworks, consider TanStack DB. PowerSync works with all TanStack DB framework adapters (React, Vue, Solid, Svelte, Angular).
@powersync/vue.Installation
Add the PowerSync Web NPM package to your project:- npm
- yarn
- pnpm
@journeyapps/wa-sqlite as a peer dependency. Install it in your app with:
- npm
- yarn
- pnpm
Getting Started
Prerequisites: To sync data between your client-side app and your backend source database, you must have completed the necessary setup for PowerSync, which includes connecting your source database to the PowerSync Service and deploying Sync Rules (steps 1-4 in the Setup Guide).1. Define the Client-Side Schema
This refers to the for the managed SQLite database exposed by the PowerSync Client SDKs, that your app can read from and write to. The schema is applied when the database is instantiated (as we’ll show in the next step) — . The types available aretext, integer and real. These should map directly to the values produced by the Sync Rules. If a value doesn’t match, it is cast automatically. For details on how backend source database types are mapped to the SQLite types, see Types.
Example:
Note: No need to declare a primary key
id column, as PowerSync will automatically create this.2. Instantiate the PowerSync Database
Next, you need to instantiate the PowerSync database. PowerSync streams changes from your backend source database into the client-side SQLite database, based on your Sync Rules. In your client-side app, you can read from and write to the local SQLite database, whether the user is online or offline. Example:SDK versions lower than 1.2.0In SDK versions lower than 1.2.0, you will need to use the deprecated WASQLitePowerSyncDatabaseOpenFactory syntax to instantiate the database.
3. Integrate with your Backend
The PowerSync backend connector provides the connection between your application backend and the PowerSync client-side managed SQLite database. It is used to:- Retrieve an auth token to connect to the PowerSync instance.
- Upload client-side writes to your backend API. Any writes that are made to the SQLite database are placed into an upload queue by the PowerSync Client SDK and automatically uploaded to your app backend (where you apply those changes to the backend source database) when the user is connected.
- PowerSyncBackendConnector.fetchCredentials - This method will be automatically invoked by the PowerSync Client SDK every couple of minutes to obtain authentication credentials. See Authentication Setup for instructions on how the credentials should be generated.
- PowerSyncBackendConnector.uploadData - This method will be automatically invoked by the PowerSync Client SDK whenever it needs to upload client-side writes to your app backend via your backend API. Therefore, in your implememtation, you need to define how your backend API is called. See Writing Client Changes for considerations on the app backend implementation.
Using PowerSync: CRUD functions
Once the PowerSync instance is configured you can start using the SQLite DB functions. The most commonly used CRUD functions to interact with your SQLite data are:- PowerSyncDatabase.get - get (SELECT) a single row from a table.
- PowerSyncDatabase.getAll - get (SELECT) a set of rows from a table.
- PowerSyncDatabase.watch - execute a read query every time source tables are modified.
- PowerSyncDatabase.execute - execute a write (INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE) query.
Fetching a Single Item
The get method executes a read-only (SELECT) query and returns a single result. It throws an exception if no result is found. Use getOptional to return a single optional result (returnsnull if no result is found).
Querying Items (PowerSync.getAll)
The getAll method returns a set of rows from a table.Watching Queries (PowerSync.watch)
The watch method executes a read query whenever a change to a dependent table is made.- AsyncIterator approach
- Callback approach
Mutations (PowerSync.execute, PowerSync.writeTransaction)
The execute method can be used for executing single SQLite write statements.Configure Logging
Additional Usage Examples
For more usage examples including accessing connection status, monitoring sync progress, and waiting for initial sync, see the Usage Examples page.ORM Support
See JavaScript ORM Support for details.Troubleshooting
See Troubleshooting for pointers to debug common issues.Supported Platforms
See Supported Platforms -> JS/Web SDK.Upgrading the SDK
Run the below command in your project folder:- npm
- yarn
- pnpm
Developer Notes
Connection Methods
This SDK supports two methods for streaming sync commands:- WebSocket (Default)
- The implementation leverages RSocket for handling reactive socket streams.
- Back-pressure is effectively managed through client-controlled command requests.
- Sync commands are transmitted efficiently as BSON (binary) documents.
- This method is recommended since it will support the future BLOB column support feature.
- HTTP Streaming (Legacy)
- This is the original implementation method.
- This method will not support the future BLOB column feature.
PowerSyncDatabase.connect() method uses WebSocket. You can optionally specify the connectionMethod to override this:
SQLite Virtual File Systems
This SDK supports multiple Virtual File Systems (VFS), responsible for storing the local SQLite database:1. IDBBatchAtomicVFS (Default)
- This system utilizes IndexedDB as its underlying storage mechanism.
- Multiple tabs are fully supported across most modern browsers.
- Users may experience stability issues when using Safari. For example, the
RangeError: Maximum call stack size exceedederror. See Troubleshooting for more details.
2. OPFS-based Alternatives
PowerSync supports two OPFS (Origin Private File System) implementations that generally offer improved performance:OPFSCoopSyncVFS (Recommended)
- This implementation provides comprehensive multi-tab support across all major browsers.
- It offers the most reliable compatibility with Safari and Safari iOS.
- Example configuration:
AccessHandlePoolVFS
- This implementation delivers optimal performance for single-tab applications.
- The system is not designed to handle multiple tab scenarios.
- The configuration is similar to
OPFSCoopSyncVFS, but requires usingWASQLiteVFS.AccessHandlePoolVFS.
VFS Compatibility Matrix
| VFS Type | Multi-Tab Support (Standard Browsers) | Multi-Tab Support (Safari/iOS) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDBBatchAtomicVFS | ✅ | ❌ | Default, some Safari stability issues |
| OPFSCoopSyncVFS | ✅ | ✅ | Recommended for multi-tab support |
| AccessHandlePoolVFS | ❌ | ❌ | Best for single-tab applications |
Managing OPFS Storage
Unlike IndexedDB, OPFS storage cannot be managed through browser developer tools. The following utility functions can help you manage OPFS storage programmatically:Multiple Tab Support
Using PowerSync between multiple tabs is supported on some web browsers. Multiple tab support relies on shared web workers for database and sync streaming operations. When enabled, shared web workers namedshared-DB-worker-[dbFileName] and shared-sync-[dbFileName] will be created.
shared-DB-worker-[dbFileName]
The shared database worker will ensure writes to the database will instantly be available between tabs.
shared-sync-[dbFileName]
The shared sync worker connects directly to the PowerSync backend instance and applies changes to the database. Note that the shared sync worker will call the fetchCredentials and uploadData method of the latest opened available tab. Closing a tab will shift the latest tab to the previously opened one.
Currently, using the SDK in multiple tabs without enabling the enableMultiTabs flag will spawn a standard web worker per tab for DB operations. These workers are safe to operate on the DB concurrently, however changes from one tab may not update watches on other tabs. Only one tab can sync from the PowerSync instance at a time. The sync status will not be shared between tabs, only the oldest tab will connect and display the latest sync status.
Support is enabled by default if available. This can be disabled as below:
Using PowerSyncDatabase Flags
This guide provides an overview of the customizable flags available for thePowerSyncDatabase in the JavaScript Web SDK. These flags allow you to enable or disable specific features to suit your application’s requirements.
Configuring Flags
You can configure flags during the initialization of thePowerSyncDatabase. Flags can be set using the flags property, which allows you to enable or disable specific functionalities.
Available Flags
enableMultiTabs
default:
trueEnables support for multiple tabs using shared web workers. When enabled, multiple tabs can interact with the same database and sync data seamlessly.broadcastLogs
default:
falseEnables the broadcasting of logs for debugging purposes. This flag helps monitor shared worker logs in a multi-tab environment.disableSSRWarning
default:
falseDisables warnings when running in SSR (Server-Side Rendering) mode.ssrMode
default:
falseEnables SSR mode. In this mode, only empty query results will be returned, and syncing with the backend is disabled.useWebWorker
default:
trueEnables the use of web workers for database operations. Disabling this flag also disables multi-tab support.Flag Behavior
Example 1: Multi-Tab Support By default, multi-tab support is enabled if supported by the browser. To explicitly disable this feature:Recommendations
- Set
enableMultiTabstotrueif your application requires seamless data sharing across multiple tabs. - Set
useWebWorkertotruefor efficient database operations using web workers. - Set
broadcastLogstotrueduring development to troubleshoot and monitor database and sync operations. - Set
disableSSRWarningtotruewhen running in SSR mode to avoid unnecessary console warnings. - Test combinations of flags to validate their behavior in your application’s specific use case.