PocketBase Dart SDK

Official Multi-platform Dart SDK for interacting with the PocketBase Web API.

• Installation
• Caveats
  • File upload
  • RecordModel
  • Error handling
  • AuthStore
  • Binding filter parameters
• Services
• Limitations
• Development

Installation

Add the library to your dependencies:

dart pub add pocketbase

# or with Flutter:
flutter pub add pocketbase

Import it in your Dart code:

import 'package:pocketbase/pocketbase.dart';

final pb = PocketBase('http://127.0.0.1:8090');

...

// authenticate as regular user
final userData = await pb.collection('users').authWithPassword('test@example.com', '123456');

// list and filter "example" collection records
final result = await pb.collection('example').getList(
  page:    1,
  perPage: 20,
  filter:  'status = true && created >= "2022-08-01"',
  sort:    '-created',
  expand:  'someRelField',
);

// subscribe to realtime "example" collection changes
pb.collection('example').subscribe("*", (e) {
  print(e.action); // create, update, delete
  print(e.record); // the changed record
}, filter: "someField > 10");

// and much more...

More detailed API docs and copy-paste examples could be found in the API documentation for each service or in the Services section below.

Caveats

File upload

PocketBase Dart SDK handles file upload seamlessly by using http.MultipartFile list.

Here is a simple example of uploading a single text file together with some other regular fields:

import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;
import 'package:pocketbase/pocketbase.dart';

final pb = PocketBase('http://127.0.0.1:8090');

pb.collection('example').create(
  body: {
    'title': 'Hello world!',
    // ... any other regular field
  },
  files: [
    http.MultipartFile.fromString(
      'document', // the name of the file field
      'example content...',
      filename: 'example_document.txt',
    ),
  ],
).then((record) {
  print(record.id);
  print(record.getStringValue('title'));
});

RecordModel

The SDK comes with several helpers to make it easier working with the RecordService and RecordModel DTO. You could find more detailed documentation in the RecordModel class reference, but below is an example how to access and cast record data values:

final record = await pb.collection('example').getOne('RECORD_ID');

final options = record.getDataValue<List<String>>('options');
final email   = record.getDataValue<String>('email');
final status  = record.getDataValue<bool>('status');
final total   = record.getDataValue<int>('total');
final price   = record.getDataValue<double>('price');
final nested  = record.getDataValue<String>('a.b.c', 'missing');

Alternatively, you can also create your own typed DTO data classes and use for example the record.toJson() to populate your object, eg:

import "package:pocketbase/pocketbase.dart";
import 'package:json_annotation/json_annotation.dart';

part 'task.g.dart';

@JsonSerializable()
class Task {
  Task({this.id = '', this.description = ''});

  // type the collection fields you want to use...
  final String id;
  final String description;

  /// Creates a new Task instance form the provided RecordModel.
  factory Task.fromRecord(RecordModel record) => Task.fromJson(record.toJson());

  /// Connect the generated [_$Task] function to the `fromJson` factory.
  factory Task.fromJson(Map<String, dynamic> json) => _$Task(json);

  /// Connect the generated [_$Task] function to the `toJson` method.
  Map<String, dynamic> toJson() => _$Task(this);
}

...

// fetch your raw record model
final record = await pb.collection('tasks').getOne('TASK_ID');

final task = Task.fromRecord(record);

Error handling

All services return a standard Future-based response, so the error handling is straightforward:

pb.collection('example').getList(page: 1, perPage: 50).then((result) {
  // success...
  print('Result: $result');
}).catchError((error) {
  // error...
  print('Error: $error');
});

// OR if you are using the async/await syntax:
try {
  final result = await pb.collection('example').getList(page: 1, perPage: 50);
} catch (error) {
  print('Error: $error');
}

All response errors are normalized and wrapped as ClientException with the following public members that you could use:

ClientException {
    url            Uri     // The address of the failed request
    statusCode     int     // The status code of the failed request
    response       Map     // The JSON API error response
    isAbort        bool    // Indicates whether the request was aborted/cancelled
    originalError  dynamic // The original response error
}

AuthStore

The SDK keeps track of the authenticated token and auth model for you via the pb.authStore service. The default AuthStore class has the following public members that you could use:

AuthStore {
    token:    String                      // Getter for the stored auth token
    model:    RecordModel|AdminModel|null // Getter for the stored auth RecordModel or AdminModel
    isValid   bool                        // Getter to loosely check if the store has an existing and unexpired token
    onChange  Stream                      // Stream that gets triggered on each auth store change

    // methods
    save(token, model)             // update the store with the new auth data
    clear()                        // clears the current auth store state
}

To "logout" an authenticated record or admin, you can just call pb.authStore.clear().

To "listen" for changes in the auth store, you can listen to the onChange broadcast stream:

pb.authStore.onChange.listen((e) {
  print(e.token);
  print(e.model);
});

The default AuthStore is not persistent!

If you want to persist the AuthStore state (eg. in case the app get closed), you can extend the default store and pass a new custom instance as constructor argument to the client. To make it slightly easier, the SDK has a builtin AsyncAuthStore that you can combine with any async persistent layer (shared_preferences, hive, local file, etc.). Here is an example using Flutter's shared_preferences:

final prefs = await SharedPreferences.getInstance();

final store = AsyncAuthStore(
 save:    (String data) async => prefs.setString('pb_auth', data),
 initial: prefs.getString('pb_auth'),
);

final pb = PocketBase('http://example.com', authStore: store);

Binding filter parameters

The SDK comes with a helper pb.filter(expr, params) method to generate a filter string with placeholder parameters ({:paramName}) populated from a Map.

final records = await pb.collection('example').getList(filter: pb.filter(
  // the same as: "title ~ 'exa\\'mple' && created = '2023-10-18 18:20:00.123Z'"
  'title ~ {:title} && created >= {:created}',
  { "title": "exa'mple", "created": DateTime.now() },
));

The supported placeholder parameter values are:

• String (single quotes are autoescaped)
• DateTime
• bool
• num
• null
• everything else is converted to a string using jsonEncode()

Services

RecordService (Detailed class reference, API docs)

Crud handlers

// Returns a paginated records list.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).getList({page = 1, perPage = 30, filter?, sort?, expand?, fields?, query, headers});

// Returns a list with all records batch fetched at once.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).getFullList({batch = 100, filter?, sort?, expand?, fields?, query, headers});

// Returns the first found record matching the specified filter.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).getFirstListItem(filter, {expand?, fields?, query, headers});

// Returns a single record by its id.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).getOne(recordId, {expand?, fields?, query, headers});

// Creates (aka. register) a new record.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).create({body, files, expand?, fields?, query, headers});

// Updates an existing record by its id.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).update(recordId, {body, files, expand?, fields?, query, headers});

// Deletes a single record by its id.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).delete(recordId, {query, body, headers});

Realtime handlers

// Subscribe to realtime changes to the specified topic ("*" or recordId).
//
// It is safe to subscribe multiple times to the same topic.
//
// You can use the returned UnsubscribeFunc to remove a single registered subscription.
// If you want to remove all subscriptions related to the topic use unsubscribe(topic).
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).subscribe(topic, callback, {filter?, expand?, fields?, query, headers});

// Unsubscribe from all registered subscriptions to the specified topic ("*" or recordId).
// If topic is not set, then it will remove all registered collection subscriptions.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).unsubscribe([topic]);

Auth handlers

Available only for "auth" type collections.

// Returns all available application auth methods.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).listAuthMethods({query, headers});

// Authenticates a record with their username/email and password.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).authWithPassword(usernameOrEmail, password, {expand?, fields?, query, body, headers});

// Authenticates a record with OAuth2 provider without custom redirects, deeplinks or even page reload.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).authWithOAuth2(provider, urlCallback {scopes, createData, expand?});

// Authenticates a record with OAuth2 code.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).authWithOAuth2Code(provider, code, codeVerifier, redirectUrl, {createData?, expand?, fields?, query, body, headers});

// Refreshes the current authenticated record model and auth token.
🔐 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).authRefresh({expand?, fields?, query, body, headers});

// Sends a user password reset email.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).requestPasswordReset(email, {query, body, headers});

// Confirms a record password reset request.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).confirmPasswordReset(resetToken, newPassword, newPasswordConfirm, {expand?, fields?, query, body, headers});

// Sends a record verification email request.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).requestVerification(email, {query, body, headers});

// Confirms a record email verification request.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).confirmVerification(verificationToken, {expand?, fields?, query, body, headers});

// Sends a record email change request to the provider email.
🔐 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).requestEmailChange(newEmail, {query, body, headers});

// Confirms record new email address.
🔓 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).confirmEmailChange(emailChangeToken, userPassword, {expand?, fields?, query, body, headers});

// Lists all linked external auth providers for the specified record.
🔐 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).listExternalAuths(recordId, {query, headers});

// Unlinks a single external auth provider relation from the specified record.
🔐 pb.collection(collectionIdOrName).unlinkExternalAuth(recordId, provider, {query, body headers});

---

FileService

// Builds and returns an absolute record file url for the provided filename.
🔓 pb.files.getUrl(record, filename, {thumb?, token?, query, body, headers});

// Requests a new private file access token for the current auth model (admin or record).
🔐 pb.files.getToken({query, body, headers});

---

AdminService (Detailed class reference, API docs)

// Authenticates an admin account by its email and password.
🔓 pb.admins.authWithPassword(email, password, {query, body, headers});

// Refreshes the current admin authenticated model and token.
🔐 pb.admins.authRefresh({query, body, headers});

// Sends an admin password reset email.
🔓 pb.admins.requestPasswordReset(email, {query, body, headers});

// Confirms an admin password reset request.
🔓 pb.admins.confirmPasswordReset(resetToken, newPassword, newPasswordConfirm, {query, body, headers});

// Returns a paginated admins list.
🔐 pb.admins.getList({page = 1, perPage = 30, filter?, sort?, query, headers});

// Returns a list with all admins batch fetched at once.
🔐 pb.admins.getFullList({batch = 100, filter?, sort?, query, headers});

// Returns the first found admin matching the specified filter.
🔐 pb.admins.getFirstListItem(filter, {query, headers});

// Returns a single admin by their id.
🔐 pb.admins.getOne(id, {query, headers});

// Creates a new admin.
🔐 pb.admins.create({body, files, query, headers});

// Updates an existing admin by their id.
🔐 pb.admins.update(id, {body, files, query, headers});

// Deletes a single admin by their id.
🔐 pb.admins.delete(id, {query, body, headers});

---

CollectionService (Detailed class reference, API docs)

// Returns a paginated collections list.
🔐 pb.collections.getList({page = 1, perPage = 30, filter?, sort?, query, headers});

// Returns a list with all collections batch fetched at once.
🔐 pb.collections.getFullList({batch = 100, filter?, sort?, query, headers});

// Returns the first found collection matching the specified filter.
🔐 pb.collections.getFirstListItem(filter, {query, headers});

// Returns a single collection by its id.
🔐 pb.collections.getOne(id, {query, headers});

// Creates (aka. register) a new collection.
🔐 pb.collections.create({body, files, query, headers});

// Updates an existing collection by its id.
🔐 pb.collections.update(id, {body, files, query, headers});

// Deletes a single collection by its id.
🔐 pb.collections.delete(id, {query, body, headers});

// Imports the provided collections.
🔐 pb.collections.import(collections, {deleteMissing=false, query, body, headers});

---

LogService (Detailed class reference, API docs)

// Returns a paginated logs list.
🔐 pb.logs.getList({page = 1, perPage = 30, filter?, sort?, query, headers});

// Returns a single log by its id.
🔐 pb.logs.getOne(id, {query, headers});

// Returns logs statistics.
🔐 pb.logs.getStats({query, headers});

---

SettingsService (Detailed class reference, API docs)

// Returns a map with all available app settings.
🔐 pb.settings.getAll({query, headers});

// Bulk updates app settings.
🔐 pb.settings.update({body, query, headers});

// Performs a S3 storage connection test.
🔐 pb.settings.testS3({body, query, headers});

// Sends a test email (verification, password-reset, email-change).
🔐 pb.settings.testEmail(toEmail, template, {body, query, headers});

// Generates a new Apple OAuth2 client secret.
🔐 pb.settings.generateAppleClientSecret(clientId, teamId, keyId, privateKey, duration, {body, query, headers});

---

RealtimeService (Detailed class reference, API docs)

This service is usually used with custom realtime actions. For records realtime subscriptions you can use the subscribe/unsubscribe methods available in the pb.collection() RecordService.

// Initialize the realtime connection (if not already) and register the subscription.
//
// You can subscribe to the `PB_CONNECT` event if you want to listen to the realtime connection connect/reconnect events.
🔓 pb.realtime.subscribe(subscription, callback, {filter?, expand?, fields?, query, headers});

// Unsubscribe from a subscription (if empty - unsubscibe from all registered subscriptions).
🔓 pb.realtime.unsubscribe([subscription = '']);

// Unsubscribe from all subscriptions starting with the provided prefix.
🔓 pb.realtime.unsubscribeByPrefix(subscriptionsPrefix);

---

BackupService

// Returns list with all available backup files.
🔐 pb.backups.getFullList({query, headers});

// Initializes a new backup.
🔐 pb.backups.create(basename, {body, query, headers});

// Uploads an existing backup file (_the multipart file key is "file"_).
🔐 pb.backups.upload(file, {body, query, headers});

// Deletes a single backup by its file key.
🔐 pb.backups.delete(key, {body, query, headers});

// Initializes an app data restore from an existing backup.
🔐 pb.backups.restore(key, {body, query, headers});

// Builds a download url for a single existing backup using an
// admin file token and the backup file key.
🔐 pb.backups.getDownloadUrl(token, key, {query});

---

HealthService

// Checks the health status of the api.
🔓 pb.health.check({query, headers});

Limitations

PocketBase Dart SDK is built on top of the standard dart-lang/http package and inherits some of its limitations:

• Requests cancellation/abort is not supported yet - dart-lang/http #424
• Streamed responses (used by the realtime service and the "all-in-one" OAuth2 flow) are not supported on the web - dart-lang/http #595

One possible workaround for the latter is to provide a 3rd party http.Client implementation specific for the web like fetch_client using the httpClientFactory constructor option:

import 'package:pocketbase/pocketbase.dart';
import 'package:fetch_client/fetch_client.dart';
import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart' show kIsWeb;

void main() {
  final pb = PocketBase(
    'http://127.0.0.1:8090',
    // load the fetch_client only for web, otherwise - fallback to the default http.Client()
    httpClientFactory: kIsWeb ? () => FetchClient(mode: RequestMode.cors) : null,
  );

  // ...
}

Development

# run the unit tests
dart test

# view dartdoc locally
dart doc

# run the example
dart run example/example.dart

# generate the DTOs json serializable artifacts
dart run build_runner build