Go backend

A Go HTTP server built on the standard library. main.go loads the environment, sets up the client and serves a health check. vaif/client.go creates the Go client from the project ID and keys in the environment.

Create the app

vaif init --template go-backend-api

Run it in a new, empty folder. It writes vaif.config.json and the template's files there. It stops if the folder already has a vaif.config.json, and leaves any other file that already exists alone; --force overwrites both.

It asks which features to include. This template has files for Database, Authentication, Storage and Functions; Database and Authentication are selected to start with. To skip the question, name them: vaif init --template go-backend-api --features database,auth,storage,functions. Add one later with vaif init --template go-backend-api --add-features <feature>.

What it writes

File	Written
`main.go`	Always
`vaif/client.go`	Always
`go.mod`	Always
`.env.example`	Always
`.gitignore`	Always
`README.md`	Always
`migrations/0001_initial.sql`	With Database
`models/models.go`	With Database
`middleware/auth.go`	With Authentication or Storage
`handlers/storage.go`	With Storage
`functions/hello.go`	With Functions

Authentication adds a middleware that checks the caller’s access token. Storage adds file handlers, and Database adds models for the starter tables.

Install

The code this template writes uses the client for its language:

The server builds only once the Go client can be installed. Until then, call the REST API from Go with net/http.

Configure

Copy .env.example to .env and fill it in. The project ID and the keys are on Security > Credentials in the console.

Variable	Value
`VAIF_PROJECT_ID`	Your project ID.
`VAIF_PUBLISHABLE_KEY`	The project's publishable key (`vk_pub_`). Row rules apply to it, so it is safe in an app.
`VAIF_SECRET_KEY`	The project's secret key (`vk_srv_`), for server code only. It bypasses row rules; never ship it in a browser or mobile app.

Set up the database

The template writes one SQL file for your database. The comment line above each CREATE TABLE sets that table's row rules.

migrations/0001_initial.sql, written with the Database feature, is an example: edit it to describe your own tables before you apply it.

-- Initial migration. Customize this schema for your project; vaif db push
-- applies it. The comment directly above each CREATE TABLE sets that table's
-- row rules: here each signed-in user reads and changes only their own rows,
-- and the owner column is filled in from their sign-in on insert. Keep a rule
-- comment on every table you add: a table with no row rules is closed to
-- signed-out visitors but open to every signed-in user.

-- vaif:owner id
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "users" (
  "id" uuid PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
  "email" text NOT NULL UNIQUE,
  "name" text,
  "created_at" timestamp with time zone NOT NULL DEFAULT now()
);

-- vaif:owner user_id
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "posts" (
  "id" uuid PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
  "user_id" uuid NOT NULL REFERENCES "users"("id"),
  "title" text NOT NULL,
  "content" text,
  "published" boolean NOT NULL DEFAULT false,
  "created_at" timestamp with time zone NOT NULL DEFAULT now()
);

users (-- vaif:owner id): each signed-in user reads and changes only their own rows, and id is filled in from their sign-in.
posts (-- vaif:owner user_id): each signed-in user reads and changes only their own rows, and user_id is filled in from their sign-in.

Put your project ID in vaif.config.json ("projectId"), sign in, and apply it. With no --dir, vaif db push finds the template's SQL folder, or a ./migrations folder, and applies its .sql files in name order.

vaif login
vaif db push --dry-run   # what each file would change
vaif db push

Run it

go mod tidy
go run main.go

Next steps

Go SDK for what the client covers.
REST API for every route.