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Update readme for v3

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Link to the new docs, not wikis
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Joe Nelson
2015-11-23 22:50:43 -08:00
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@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ PostgREST serves a fully RESTful API from any existing PostgreSQL
database. It provides a cleaner, more standards-compliant, faster
API than you are likely to write from scratch.
### Demo [postgrest.herokuapp.com](https://postgrest.herokuapp.com) | Watch [Video](http://begriffs.com/posts/2014-12-30-intro-to-postgrest.html) | [GUI Demo](http://marmelab.com/ng-admin-postgrest)
### Demo [postgrest.herokuapp.com](https://postgrest.herokuapp.com) | Read [Docs](http://postgrest.com/) | Watch [Video](http://begriffs.com/posts/2014-12-30-intro-to-postgrest.html)
Try making requests to the live demo server with an HTTP client
such as [postman](http://www.getpostman.com/). The structure of the
@@ -19,36 +20,39 @@ demo database is defined by
You can use it as inspiration for test-driven server migrations in
your own projects.
Also try other tools in the PostgREST
[ecosystem](http://postgrest.com/install/ecosystem/) like the
[ng-admin demo](http://marmelab.com/ng-admin-postgrest).
### Usage
Download the binary ([latest release](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/releases/latest)) and invoke like so:
1. Download the binary ([latest release](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/releases/latest))
for your platform.
2. Invoke like so:
```bash
postgrest postgres://postgres:foobar@localhost:5432/my_db \
--port 3000 \
--schema public \
--anonymous postgres \
--pool 200
```
```bash
postgrest postgres://postgres:foobar@localhost:5432/my_db \
--port 3000 \
--schema public \
--anonymous postgres \
--pool 200
```
For more information on valid connection strings see the
[Postgres docs](http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.4/static/libpq-connect.html#LIBPQ-CONNSTRING).
In production include the `--secure` option which redirects all
requests to HTTPS. Note that PostgREST does not handle the SSL
internally and must be put behind another server that does (such
as nginx or the Heroku load balancer).
[PostgreSQL docs](http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.4/static/libpq-connect.html#LIBPQ-CONNSTRING).
### Performance
TLDR; subsecond response times for up to 2000 requests/sec on Heroku free tier. ([see the load test](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/wiki/Performance-and-Scaling))
TLDR; subsecond response times for up to 2000 requests/sec on Heroku
free tier. ([see the load
test](http://postgrest.com/admin/performance/#benchmarks))
If you're used to servers written in interpreted languages (or named
after precious gems), prepare to be pleasantly surprised by PostgREST
performance.
Three factors contribute to the speed. First the server is written
in [Haskell](https://new-www.haskell.org/) using the
in [Haskell](https://www.haskell.org/) using the
[Warp](http://www.yesodweb.com/blog/2011/03/preliminary-warp-cross-language-benchmarks)
HTTP server (aka a compiled language with lightweight threads).
Next it delegates as much calculation as possible to the database
@@ -66,61 +70,64 @@ by
* Reusing prepared statements
* Keeping a pool of db connections
* Using the Postgres binary protocol
* Using the PostgreSQL binary protocol
* Being stateless to allow horizontal scaling
Ultimately the server (when load balanced) is constrained by database
performance. This may make it inappropriate for very large traffic
load. To learn more about scaling with Heroku and Amazon RDS see
the [performance guide](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/wiki/Performance-and-Scaling).
the [performance guide](http://postgrest.com/admin/performance/).
Alternatively [CitusDB](https://www.citusdata.com/products/what-is-citusdb)
supports Postgres clustering for higher performance.
Other optimizations are possible, and some are outlined in the
[Future Features](#future-features).
### Security
PostgREST handles authentication (HTTP Basic over SSL or [JSON Web
Tokens](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/wiki/Security-and-Permissions#json-web-tokens))
PostgREST handles authentication (via [JSON Web
Tokens](http://postgrest.com/admin/security/#json-web-tokens))
and delegates authorization to the role information defined in the
database. This ensures there is a single declarative source of truth
for security. When dealing with the database the server assumes
the identity of the currently authenticated user, and for the
duration of the connection cannot do anything the user themselves
couldn't.
couldn't. Other forms of authentication can be built on top
of the JWT primitive. See the docs for more information.
Postgres 9.5 will soon support true [row-level
security](http://michael.otacoo.com/postgresql-2/postgres-9-5-feature-highlight-row-level-security/).
In the meantime what isn't yet implemented can be simulated with
triggers and security-barrier views. Because the possible queries
to the database are limited to certain templates using
PostgreSQL 9.5 supports true [row-level
security](http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.5/static/ddl-rowsecurity.html).
In previous versions it can be simulated with triggers and
security-barrier views. Because the possible queries to the database
are limited to certain templates using
[leakproof](http://blog.2ndquadrant.com/how-do-postgresql-security_barrier-views-work/)
functions, the trigger workaround does not compromise row-level
security.
For example security patterns see the [security
guide](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/wiki/Security-and-Permissions).
guide](http://postgrest.com/admin/security/).
### Versioning
A robust long-lived API needs the freedom to exist in multiple
versions. Therefore it is a best practice that you version the database
schema exposed to PostgREST (e.g. `public1` or `api2`). This way you
future proof your API by allowing it to be backwards compatible when
you want to publish breaking API changes (e.g. a later version could
be `public2` or `api3`).
For routing to different versions of a PostgREST API use a request
proxy (such as [nginx](http://nginx.org)).
versions. PostgREST does versioning through database schemas. This
allows you to expose tables and views without making the app brittle.
Underlying tables can be superseded and hidden behind public facing
views. You run an instance of PostgREST per schema and route requests
among them with a reverse proxy such as [nginx](http://nginx.org).
Learn more [here](http://postgrest.com/admin/versioning/).
### Self-documention
Rather than writing and maintaining separate docs yourself let the
API explain its own affordances using HTTP. All PostgREST endpoints
respond to the OPTIONS verb and explain what they support as well
as the data format of their JSON payload.
as the data format of their JSON payload. RAML support is an upcoming
feature.
The number of rows returned by an endpoint is reported by - and
limited with - range headers. More about
The project uses HTTP itself to commicate other metadata. For
instance the number of rows returned by an endpoint is reported by -
and limited with - range headers. More about
[that](http://begriffs.com/posts/2014-03-06-beyond-http-header-links.html).
There are more opportunities for self-documentation listed in [Future
@@ -136,9 +143,9 @@ data (including your API server).
The PostgREST exposes HTTP interface with safeguards to prevent
surprises, such as enforcing idempotent PUT requests, and
See examples of [Postgres
See examples of [PostgreSQL
constraints](http://www.tutorialspoint.com/postgresql/postgresql_constraints.htm)
and the [guide to routing](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/wiki/Routing).
and the [guide to routing](http://postgrest.com/api/reading/).
### Future Features
@@ -151,30 +158,14 @@ and the [guide to routing](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/wiki/Routing).
* Describe more relationships with Link headers
* Depending on accept headers, render OPTIONS as [RAML](http://raml.org/) or a
relational diagram
* Add two-legged auth with OAuth 1.0a(?)
* ... the other [issues](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/issues)
### Guides
* [Routing](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/wiki/Routing)
* [Performance](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/wiki/Performance-and-Scaling)
* [Security](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/wiki/Security-and-Permissions)
* [Tutorial](http://blog.jonharrington.org/postgrest-introduction/) (external)
* [Heroku](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/wiki/Heroku)
### Thanks
* [Ruslan Talpa](https://github.com/ruslantalpa) for rewriting the
route parsing and query generation code to support resource embedding
* [Adam Baker](https://github.com/adambaker) for code
contributions and many fundamental design discussions
* [Diogo Biazus](https://github.com/diogob) for many improvements
and deep postgresql knowledge
* [Nikita Volkov](https://github.com/nikita-volkov) for writing the
wonderful [Hasql](https://github.com/nikita-volkov/hasql) library
and helping me use it
* [Mikey Casalaina](https://github.com/casalaina) for the cool logo
* [Jonathan Harrington](https://github.com/prio) for writing a [nice
tutorial](http://blog.jonharrington.org/postgrest-introduction/)
* [Federico Rampazzo](https://github.com/framp) for suggesting and
implementing [JWT](http://jwt.io/) support
I'm grateful to the generous project
[contributors](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/graphs/contributors)
who have improved PostgREST immensely with their code and good
judgement. See more details in the
[changelog](https://github.com/begriffs/postgrest/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md).
The cool logo came from [Mikey Casalaina](https://github.com/casalaina).