JavaScript SDK
Official JavaScript SDK for interacting with the PocketBase API in browser and Node.js environments.
What is JavaScript SDK?
PocketBase JavaScript SDK is the official client library for interacting with the PocketBase backend API. It enables developers to perform CRUD operations, manage authentication, handle file uploads, and subscribe to real-time updates from JavaScript applications running in browsers, Node.js, or React Native. It solves the problem of building a consistent and type-safe interface to communicate with PocketBase services across different environments.
JavaScript developers building frontend or full-stack applications that use PocketBase as their backend, including those working with React, Vue, Svelte, or Node.js frameworks.
Developers choose this SDK because it is the officially maintained, feature-complete client for PocketBase with first-class TypeScript support, built-in security features like auto-escaping for filters, and detailed examples for SSR integration with popular frameworks.
Overview
PocketBase JavaScript SDK
Use Cases
Best For
- Building web applications that interact with a PocketBase backend
- Adding real-time features to a JavaScript app using PocketBase subscriptions
- Developing React Native mobile apps with PocketBase authentication and data sync
- Creating server-side rendered (SSR) applications with frameworks like SvelteKit or Next.js
- Implementing secure file uploads and management in a client-side application
- Writing type-safe API clients for PocketBase using TypeScript
Not Ideal For
- Projects using alternative backends like Firebase or Supabase, as the SDK is exclusively designed for PocketBase.
- Static sites or applications with minimal backend interaction that don't warrant a full-featured SDK.
- Environments where bundle size is critical, since the SDK includes comprehensive features that may bloat simple projects.
- Teams preferring GraphQL APIs over REST, as PocketBase relies on REST and real-time via EventSource without GraphQL support.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Mirrors the full PocketBase REST API with services for Records, Files, Collections, and more, eliminating the need for manual endpoint calls across all backend features.
Includes built-in TypeScript definitions and supports custom type assertions via generics or global type overrides, ensuring end-to-end type safety for record models.
Enables real-time updates via EventSource for records and custom topics, with built-in subscription management and polyfill guidance for Node.js and React Native.
Provides pb.filter() helper to safely construct and escape filter strings, preventing injection attacks, along with CSP guidance for frontend deployments.
Works in browsers, Node.js, and React Native with configurable auth stores like LocalStorage and AsyncAuthStore, plus SSR examples for major frameworks.
Cons
Requires manual polyfills for fetch and EventSource in Node.js <17 and React Native, adding setup overhead and potential compatibility issues in server environments.
Server-side rendering requires framework-specific manual setup, with the README admitting there's no 'one size fits all' solution, leading to repetitive boilerplate code.
Tightly coupled to PocketBase's API; migrating to another backend would necessitate a complete rewrite of client-side data layer and authentication logic.
Default auto cancellation of duplicate requests can silently drop intended API calls if not configured carefully, especially in rapid-fire or concurrent operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
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