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AvionDB: A MongoDB-like Distributed Database

by Vaibhav SainiMay 7th, 2020

Too Long; Didn't Read

AvionDB is a distributed database built on top of OrbitDB & IPFS. The Javascript implementation works both in Browsers and Node.js with support for Linux, OS X, and Windows. The database can be used natively on Mobile, Web & Desktop platforms. It uses OrbitDB stores to model MongoDB-like Databases. The minimum required version of Node.JS is now 8.6.0 due to the usage of... spread syntax. LTS versions (even numbered versions 8, 10) are preferred.

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featured image - AvionDB: A MongoDB-like Distributed Database

In the past few months we have been getting this question a lot:

What do I use for managing dynamic data for my Decentralized App?

We have InterPlanetary File System for storing static data, but what about the data that keeps changing?

There are a number of exiting distributed databases like GUN, OrbitDB, Scuttlebutt, Textile Threads, etc.

Although these existing databases are great, but we wanted a distributed database that will feel familiar, when you are coming from Web 2.0 & still has all the features that you would expect from a distributed database.

Something like a distributed MongoDB.

Enter AvionDB

AvionDB is a distributed database built on top of OrbitDB & IPFS.

When we started our work on AvionDB, we had a few design goals in our mind.

Design Goals

Familiar developer interface: MongoDB/Mongoose like interface.

Local-first: Your app can work locally without internet. For example, you can take notes on your notepad without (or even sync with other devices) connecting to the Internet.

Privacy-first: All the data, whether it is on your device or on out in the network, it should be encrypted by default.

Cross-platform: The database can be used natively on Mobile, Web & Desktop platforms.

How it Works?

AvionDB uses OrbitDB stores to model MongoDB-like Databases.

Each AvionDB instance can have several Databases.Each Database can have several Collections.Each Collection can have several Documents.

The Javascript implementation works both in Browsers and Node.js with support for Linux, OS X, and Windows . The minimum required version of Node.js is now 8.6.0 due to the usage of ... spread syntax. LTS versions (even numbered versions 8, 10, etc) are preferred.

Using AvionDB with Node.js

// Import modules
const AvionDB = require("aviondb");
const IPFS = require("ipfs");
const ipfs = new IPFS();
 
const runExample = async () => {
  await ipfs.ready;
    
  // Creates a db named "DatabaseName"
  const aviondb = await AvionDB.init("DatabaseName", ipfs); 
  
  // Creates a Collection named "employees"
  const collection = await aviondb.initCollection("employees");
 
  // Returns the List of collection names
  await aviondb.listCollections() 
  // prints ['employees'] 
 
  // Adding an employee document
  await collection.insertOne({
    hourly_pay: "$15",
    name: "Elon",
    ssn: "562-48-5384",
    weekly_hours: 100,
  });
 
  // We also support multi-insert using collection.insert()
  // See https://github.com/dappkit/aviondb/blob/master/API.md
    
    
  // Search by a single field Or many!
  var employee = await collection.findOne({
    ssn: "562-48-5384", 
  });
 
  // We also support find(), findById()
  // See https://github.com/dappkit/aviondb/blob/master/API.md
    
  // Returns the matching document
  console.log(employee); 
  // Prints the above added JSON document
    
    
  // Update a document
  var updatedEmployee = await collection.update(
   { ssn: "562-48-5384" },
   { $set: { hourly_pay: '$100' } }
  );
    
  // We also support updateMany(), findOneAndUpdate()
  // See https://github.com/dappkit/aviondb/blob/master/API.md

  // Returns the updated document
  console.log(updatedEmployee); 
  // Prints the updated JSON document

    
  await collection.close(); // Collection will be closed.
  await aviondb.drop(); // Drops the database 
  await aviondb.close(); // Closes all collections and binding database.
  await ipfs.stop();
};
 
runExample();

Using AvionDB with Browser

<!--Using AvionDB in Browser-->

<!--IPFS CDN Link-->
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/ipfs/dist/index.min.js"></script>
<!--AvionDB CDN Link-->
<script src="https://unpkg.com/aviondb/dist/aviondb.min.js"></script>

<script type="text/javascript">
const runExample = async () => {
  const ipfs = await window.Ipfs.create();
    
  // Creates a db named "DatabaseName"
  const aviondb = await AvionDB.init("DatabaseName", ipfs); 
  
  // Creates a Collection named "employees"
  const collection = await aviondb.initCollection("employees");
 
  // Returns the List of collection names
  await aviondb.listCollections() 
  // prints ['employees'] 
 
  // Adding an employee document
  await collection.insertOne({
    hourly_pay: "$15",
    name: "Elon",
    ssn: "562-48-5384",
    weekly_hours: 100,
  });
 
  // We also support multi-insert using collection.insert()
  // See https://github.com/dappkit/aviondb/blob/master/API.md
    
    
  // Search by a single field Or many!
  var employee = await collection.findOne({
    ssn: "562-48-5384", 
  });
 
  // We also support find(), findById()
  // See https://github.com/dappkit/aviondb/blob/master/API.md
    
  // Returns the matching document
  console.log(employee); 
  // Prints the above added JSON document
    
    
  // Update a document
  var updatedEmployee = await collection.update(
   { ssn: "562-48-5384" },
   { $set: { hourly_pay: '$100' } }
  );
    
  // We also support updateMany(), findOneAndUpdate()
  // See https://github.com/dappkit/aviondb/blob/master/API.md

  // Returns the updated document
  console.log(updatedEmployee); 
  // Prints the updated JSON document

    
  await collection.close(); // Collection will be closed.
  await aviondb.drop(); // Drops the database 
  await aviondb.close(); // Closes all collections and binding database.
  await ipfs.stop();
};
    
  runExample()
</script>

Here is a simple Todo List webapp.

What MongoDB features does AvionDB support?

You can find all the supported MongoDB-like features in our API docs.

RoadMap

You can find our Roadmap here. The features in the Roadmap are taken from 2 separate issues(#7, #8) which individually maintain a list of feature proposals related to OrbitDB-specific improvements & AvionDB-specific improvements respectively.

The Roadmap is an open discussion, feel free to add your suggestions, comments.

Want to build an Dapp using AvionDB but still have Questions?

If you didn't find the answer to your question(s), feel free to reach us out on Discord.

Contributing

Take a look at our organization-wide Contributing Guide.

As far as code goes, we would be happy to accept PRs! If you want to work on something, it'd be good to talk beforehand to make sure nobody else is working on it. You can reach us on Discord, or in the issues section.

If you want to code but don't know where to start, check out the issues labelled "help wanted", "discussion".