Custom Build

By default, if you import RxDB into your javascript, a full batteries-included build will be imported. This has the advantage that you don't have to choose which things you need and which not. The disadvantage is the build-size. Often you don't need most of the functionality and you could save a lot of bandwidth by cherry-picking only the things you really need. For this, RxDB supports custom builds.

Core

The core-module is the part of RxDB which is always needed to provide basic functionality. If you need a custom build, you start with the core and then add all modules that you need.

import {
    createRxDatabase,
    addRxPlugin
    /* ... */
} from 'rxdb/plugins/core';

pouchdb

To call createRxDatabase you have to specify the storage engine which is used to store documents and run queries. At the moment we only have the pouchdb storage engine which uses pouchdb together with different adapters.

import { 
    addPouchPlugin,
    getRxStoragePouch,
    checkAdapter
} from 'rxdb/plugins/pouchdb';
addRxPlugin(RxDBAdapterCheckPlugin);

// add pouchdb specific plugins (non RxDB plugins)
addPouchPlugin(require('pouchdb-adapter-idb'));

// with that you can create a database with the pouchdb storage engine
const db = await createRxDatabase({
    name: 'heroesdb',
    // use pouchdb with the indexeddb-adapter as storage engine.
    storage: getRxStoragePouch('idb'),
    password: 'myLongAndStupidPassword'
});

// in the pouchdb plugin also there is the method to check if a given pouchdb-adapter works
await checkAdapter('leveldb'); // > boolean

required modules

Some parts of RxDB are not in the core, but are required. This means they must always be overwrite by at least one plugin.

validate

The validation-module does the schema-validation when you insert or update a RxDocument. To use RxDB you always have to add a validation-module. This one is using is-my-json-valid but you can also use your own validator instead. To import the default validation-module, do this:

import { RxDBValidatePlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/validate';
addRxPlugin(RxDBValidatePlugin);

ajv-validate

Another validation-module that does the schema-validation. This one is using ajv as validator which is a bit faster. Better compliant to the jsonschema-standart but also has a bigger build-size.

import { RxDBAjvValidatePlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/ajv-validate';
addRxPlugin(RxDBAjvValidatePlugin);

validate-z-schema

Both is-my-json-valid and ajv-validate use eval() to perform validation which might not be wanted when 'unsafe-eval' is not allowed in Content Security Policies. This one is using z-schema as validator which doesn't use eval.

import { RxDBValidateZSchemaPlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/validate-z-schema';
addRxPlugin(RxDBValidateZSchemaPlugin);

no-validate

A validation module that does nothing at handles all data as valid. Use this as an alternative for the normal validator when you can rely on the input of the database. This is meant for production to reduce the build-size, do not use this in dev-mode.

import { RxDBNoValidatePlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/no-validate';
addRxPlugin(RxDBNoValidatePlugin);

optional modules

Some modules are optional and only needed if you use their functionality.

dev-mode

This plugin add many additional check and validations to RxDB and also the extendes error messages. These checks increase your build size and decrease the performance. Therefore this plugin should always be used in development but never in production.

import { RxDBDevModePlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/dev-mode';
addRxPlugin(RxDBDevModePlugin);

query-builder

Adds the query-builder-functionality to RxDB which allows you to run queries like myCollection.find().where('x').eq(5)

import { RxDBQueryBuilderPlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/query-builder';
addRxPlugin(RxDBQueryBuilderPlugin);

migration

Adds the data-migration-functionality to RxDB which allows you to migrate documents when the schema changes.

import { RxDBMigrationPlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/migration';
addRxPlugin(RxDBMigrationPlugin);

replication-couchdb

Adds the CouchDB replication-functionality to RxDB which allows you to replicate the database with a CouchDB compliant endpoint.

import { RxDBReplicationCouchDBPlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/replication';
addRxPlugin(RxDBReplicationCouchDBPlugin);

replication-graphql

Allows you to do a replication with a GraphQL endpoint.

See: Replication with GraphQL

import { RxDBReplicationGraphQLPlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/replication-graphql';
addRxPlugin(RxDBReplicationGraphQLPlugin);

attachments

Adds the attachments-functionality to RxDB.

import { RxDBAttachmentsPlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/attachments';
addRxPlugin(RxDBAttachmentsPlugin);

in-memory

Adds the in-memory-replication to the collections.

import { RxDBInMemoryPlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/in-memory';
addRxPlugin(RxDBInMemoryPlugin);

local-documents

Adds the local-documents to the collections and databases.

import { RxDBLocalDocumentsPlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/local-documents';
addRxPlugin(RxDBLocalDocumentsPlugin);

json-dump

Adds the json import/export-functionality to RxDB.

import { RxDBJsonDumpPlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/json-dump';
addRxPlugin(RxDBJsonDumpPlugin);

backup

Adds the filesystem backup-functionality to RxDB.

import { RxDBBackupPlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/backup';
addRxPlugin(RxDBBackupPlugin);

key-compression

The keycompressor-module is needed when you have keyCompression enabled. This is done by default so make sure that you set disableKeyCompression to true when you do not have this module.

import { RxDBKeyCompressionPlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/key-compression';
addRxPlugin(RxDBKeyCompressionPlugin);

leader-election

The leaderelection-module is needed when want to use the leaderelection.

import { RxDBLeaderElectionPlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/leader-election';
addRxPlugin(RxDBLeaderElectionPlugin);

encryption

The encryption-module is using crypto-js and is only needed when you create your RxDB-Database with a password.

import { RxDBEncryptionPlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/encryption';
addRxPlugin(RxDBEncryptionPlugin);

update

The update-module is only required when you use RxDocument.update or RxQuery.update.

import { RxDBUpdatePlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/update';
addRxPlugin(RxDBUpdatePlugin);

server

Spawns a couchdb-compatible server from a RxDatabase. Use this to replicate data from your electron-node to the browser-window. Or to fast setup a dev-environment.

See: Tutorial: Using the RxDB Server-Plugin

Do never expose this server to the internet, use a couchdb-instance at production.

// run 'npm install express-pouchdb' before you use this plugin

// This plugin is not included into the default RxDB-build. You have to manually add it.
import { RxDBServerPlugin } from 'rxdb/plugins/server';
addRxPlugin(RxDBServerPlugin);

Third Party Plugins

• rxdb-utils Additional features for RxDB like models, timestamps, default values, view and more.
• rxdb-hooks A set of hooks to integrate RxDB into react applications.

If you are new to RxDB, you should continue here