Terminal.skills
Skills/nhost
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nhost

Expert guidance for Nhost, the open-source backend platform built on PostgreSQL, Hasura GraphQL, and serverless functions. Helps developers set up authentication, database, file storage, and real-time subscriptions with auto-generated GraphQL APIs and a developer-friendly SDK.

#baas#graphql#hasura#postgres#auth
terminal-skillsv1.0.0
Works with:claude-codeopenai-codexgemini-clicursor
Source

Usage

$
✓ Installed nhost v1.0.0

Getting Started

  1. Install the skill using the command above
  2. Open your AI coding agent (Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, or Cursor)
  3. Reference the skill in your prompt
  4. The AI will use the skill's capabilities automatically

Example Prompts

  • "Review the open pull requests and summarize what needs attention"
  • "Generate a changelog from the last 20 commits on the main branch"

Documentation

Overview

Nhost, the open-source backend platform built on PostgreSQL, Hasura GraphQL, and serverless functions. Helps developers set up authentication, database, file storage, and real-time subscriptions with auto-generated GraphQL APIs and a developer-friendly SDK.

Instructions

Project Setup

bash
# Install Nhost CLI
npm install -g nhost

# Create a new project
nhost init my-app
cd my-app

# Start local development (Docker-based)
nhost up
# Dashboard: http://localhost:1337
# GraphQL: http://localhost:1337/v1/graphql
# Auth: http://localhost:1337/v1/auth

Authentication

typescript
// src/lib/nhost.ts — Nhost client configuration
import { NhostClient } from "@nhost/nhost-js";

export const nhost = new NhostClient({
  subdomain: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_NHOST_SUBDOMAIN!,
  region: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_NHOST_REGION!,
});

// Sign up with email
async function signUp(email: string, password: string) {
  const { session, error } = await nhost.auth.signUp({
    email,
    password,
    options: {
      displayName: "New User",
      metadata: { plan: "free" },
    },
  });
  if (error) throw new Error(error.message);
  return session;
}

// Sign in with email
async function signIn(email: string, password: string) {
  const { session, error } = await nhost.auth.signIn({ email, password });
  if (error) throw new Error(error.message);
  return session;
}

// OAuth (Google, GitHub, etc.)
async function signInWithGoogle() {
  const { providerUrl } = await nhost.auth.signIn({
    provider: "google",
  });
  window.location.href = providerUrl!;
}

// Magic link (passwordless)
async function sendMagicLink(email: string) {
  await nhost.auth.signIn({ email });
}

// Auth state
nhost.auth.onAuthStateChanged((event, session) => {
  console.log(`Auth event: ${event}`, session?.user?.email);
});

GraphQL API (Auto-Generated from PostgreSQL)

typescript
// src/lib/graphql.ts — Query the auto-generated GraphQL API
import { gql } from "graphql-tag";

// Nhost auto-generates GraphQL from your PostgreSQL tables
// Create a table "posts" in the dashboard → instant GraphQL CRUD

// Query posts
const GET_POSTS = gql`
  query GetPosts($limit: Int!, $offset: Int!) {
    posts(
      limit: $limit
      offset: $offset
      order_by: { created_at: desc }
      where: { published: { _eq: true } }
    ) {
      id
      title
      content
      created_at
      author {
        displayName
        avatarUrl
      }
    }
    posts_aggregate(where: { published: { _eq: true } }) {
      aggregate {
        count
      }
    }
  }
`;

// Insert a post
const CREATE_POST = gql`
  mutation CreatePost($title: String!, $content: String!) {
    insert_posts_one(object: {
      title: $title
      content: $content
      published: false
    }) {
      id
      title
    }
  }
`;

// Real-time subscription
const SUBSCRIBE_POSTS = gql`
  subscription OnNewPosts {
    posts(
      order_by: { created_at: desc }
      limit: 10
      where: { published: { _eq: true } }
    ) {
      id
      title
      created_at
      author {
        displayName
      }
    }
  }
`;

// Execute queries
async function getPosts(page = 1, pageSize = 20) {
  const { data, error } = await nhost.graphql.request(GET_POSTS, {
    limit: pageSize,
    offset: (page - 1) * pageSize,
  });
  if (error) throw error;
  return data;
}

File Storage

typescript
// Upload and manage files via Nhost Storage
async function uploadAvatar(file: File, userId: string): Promise<string> {
  const { fileMetadata, error } = await nhost.storage.upload({
    file,
    bucketId: "avatars",
    name: `${userId}/avatar.${file.name.split('.').pop()}`,
  });
  if (error) throw new Error(error.message);
  return nhost.storage.getPublicUrl({ fileId: fileMetadata!.id });
}

async function uploadDocument(file: File) {
  const { fileMetadata, error } = await nhost.storage.upload({
    file,
    bucketId: "documents",
  });
  if (error) throw new Error(error.message);

  // Get a presigned URL (for private files)
  const { presignedUrl } = await nhost.storage.getPresignedUrl({
    fileId: fileMetadata!.id,
  });
  return presignedUrl;
}

Serverless Functions

typescript
// nhost/functions/send-welcome-email.ts — Serverless function
import { Request, Response } from "express";

export default async function handler(req: Request, res: Response) {
  if (req.method !== "POST") {
    return res.status(405).json({ error: "Method not allowed" });
  }

  const { email, name } = req.body;

  await sendEmail({
    to: email,
    subject: `Welcome, ${name}!`,
    html: `<h1>Welcome to our platform, ${name}!</h1>`,
  });

  res.json({ success: true });
}

// Called at: https://your-app.nhost.run/v1/functions/send-welcome-email

Hasura Permissions (Row-Level Security)

yaml
# Configure in Hasura Console or via metadata
# nhost/metadata/databases/default/tables/public_posts.yaml
table:
  name: posts
  schema: public
select_permissions:
  - role: user
    permission:
      columns: [id, title, content, created_at, published, author_id]
      filter:
        _or:
          - published: { _eq: true }
          - author_id: { _eq: X-Hasura-User-Id }
insert_permissions:
  - role: user
    permission:
      columns: [title, content, published]
      set:
        author_id: X-Hasura-User-Id
update_permissions:
  - role: user
    permission:
      columns: [title, content, published]
      filter:
        author_id: { _eq: X-Hasura-User-Id }

Installation

bash
# Client SDK
npm install @nhost/nhost-js

# React integration
npm install @nhost/react @nhost/react-apollo

# CLI
npm install -g nhost

Examples

Example 1: Setting up Nhost with a custom configuration

User request:

I just installed Nhost. Help me configure it for my TypeScript + React workflow with my preferred keybindings.

The agent creates the configuration file with TypeScript-aware settings, configures relevant plugins/extensions for React development, sets up keyboard shortcuts matching the user's preferences, and verifies the setup works correctly.

Example 2: Extending Nhost with custom functionality

User request:

I want to add a custom authentication to Nhost. How do I build one?

The agent scaffolds the extension/plugin project, implements the core functionality following Nhost's API patterns, adds configuration options, and provides testing instructions to verify it works end-to-end.

Guidelines

  1. PostgreSQL = your database — Nhost uses real PostgreSQL; use migrations, write raw SQL when needed, use Hasura for the GraphQL layer
  2. Permissions via Hasura — Define row-level security in Hasura; every table needs permissions before it's accessible via GraphQL
  3. Real-time with subscriptions — Use GraphQL subscriptions for live data; Nhost/Hasura handles WebSocket connections automatically
  4. Local development firstnhost up runs everything locally with Docker; match production exactly in development
  5. Migrations for schema changes — Use Hasura migrations (auto-generated) to version database changes; apply in CI/CD
  6. Storage buckets for organization — Create separate buckets for avatars, documents, public assets; set permissions per bucket
  7. Serverless for custom logic — Use Nhost Functions for webhooks, email sending, and business logic that doesn't fit in Hasura
  8. Self-host for control — Nhost is open-source; self-host with Docker Compose for full infrastructure control

Information

Version
1.0.0
Author
terminal-skills
Category
Development
License
Apache-2.0