Node.js quick start

Use Fauna’s JavaScript driver to query e-commerce demo data in a Node.js app. The app requires Node.js v18 or later and npm.

 

  1. Create a database with demo data

    Log in to the Fauna Dashboard, and create a database with the following configuration:

    • Region group: Choose your preferred region group, which determines where your data resides.

    • Use demo data: Enabled.

    • Enable backups: Disabled.

    Leave the other options as is.

    Create demo database

  2. Create an authentication secret

    Fauna supports several types of authentication secrets. Create a key, which is a type of secret, with the built-in server-readonly role:

    1. In the Dashboard’s Explorer page, select your demo database.

    2. In the database’s Keys tab, click Create Key.

    3. Choose a Role of server (read-only).

    4. Click Save.

    5. Copy the Key Secret.

    Create a key

  3. Set the FAUNA_SECRET environment variable

    Set the FAUNA_SECRET environment variable to your key’s secret. Fauna’s client drivers can access the secret from this variable.

    export FAUNA_SECRET=<KEY_SECRET>

  4. Install the JavaScript driver

    Create a new directory for your app and install the JavaScript driver:

    mkdir app
cd app
npm install fauna

  5. Create a basic app

    In the app directory, create an app.mjs file and add the following code:

    import { Client, fql, FaunaError } from "fauna";
// Use `require` for CommonJS:
// const { Client, fql, FaunaError } = require('fauna');

// Initialize the client to connect to Fauna
// using the `FAUNA_SECRET` environment variable.
const client = new Client();

try {
  // Compose a query using an FQL template string.
  // The query calls the `Product` collection's
  // `sortedByPriceLowToHigh()` index. It projects the `name`,
  // `description`, and `price` fields covered by the index.
  const query = fql`
    Product.sortedByPriceLowToHigh() {
      name,
      description,
      price
    }`;

  // Run the query.
  const pages = client.paginate(query);

  // Iterate through the results.
  const products = [];
  for await (const product of pages.flatten()) {
    products.push(product);
  }

  console.log(products);

} catch (error) {
  if (error instanceof FaunaError) {
    console.log(error);
  }
} finally {
  client.close();
}

  6. Run the app

    Run the script from the app directory. The script prints a list of e-commerce products from the demo data in the terminal.

    node app.mjs
\