FAQ

FAQ

General

What is Dynamic API Platform?

An open-source platform for creating REST APIs through a web interface. Define endpoints, schemas, and access rules — the platform serves them at runtime without writing backend code.

Who is it for?

  • Prototyping APIs quickly
  • Internal tools and admin backends
  • Teams needing a lightweight BaaS alternative
  • Learning full-stack TypeScript architecture

Is it production-ready?

Version 1.0 is functional for small-to-medium deployments. For production:

  • Change all default secrets
  • Use HTTPS
  • Don't expose MongoDB publicly
  • Review Security Policy

Endpoints

Can I use the same path for GET and POST?

Yes. Data is shared via resourcePath. Classic REST pattern works out of the box.

Can I delete system endpoints?

No. Endpoints like /api/auth/login are marked isSystem: true and protected.

What HTTP methods are supported?

GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE.

Can I add custom business logic?

Not in v1.0. The engine handles CRUD with schema validation only. For custom logic, extend the backend service layer.

Yes. Add a schema field with type reference, then select the target endpoint in the editor. The value stored is a record ID from that endpoint's collection. On create/update the platform validates the link. On GET use ?populate=true or ?populate=fieldName to embed linked data.

Example: categoryId (reference → GET /api/categories) on /api/products.

See Dynamic API Engine — References.

Authentication

How do tokens work?

  • Access token — short-lived JWT in Authorization: Bearer header
  • Refresh token — long-lived, used to get new access tokens via /api/auth/refresh

Can I disable self-registration?

Yes. Settings → Authentication → Disable registration.

What happens after too many failed logins?

IP is temporarily locked out (configurable attempts and duration in Settings).

Why was I stuck on "Failed to load dashboard" after idle time?

Fixed in recent builds: expired sessions now redirect to /login. If you still see the error, hard-refresh the page (Ctrl+F5) or clear localStorage tokens and log in again.

Data

Where is endpoint data stored?

MongoDB endpointdatas collection, linked by endpointId and resourcePath. Admins with manage_users can inspect raw documents in Database → Endpoint Data.

Can I browse MongoDB from the admin panel?

Yes. Administration → Database (/database) shows whitelisted collections as raw JSON. Requires manage_users. See Database Explorer.

Can I restrict an endpoint to specific domains or IP addresses?

Yes. Use Network Access on endpoint groups or the Network Access tab on an endpoint. Allow callers by domain (Origin / Referer) and/or IPv4 address/CIDR pool. See Network Access.

What happens if I change the schema?

Existing records are not automatically migrated. New validation applies on write.

Deployment

Which deployment should I use?

See Deployment Variants: Docker single (default), Docker replica set (HA DB), or Kubernetes (scaled backend).

Why is frontend on port 8080?

Default Docker mapping 8080:80. Change in docker-compose.yml if port 8080 is occupied.

Why does login return "Endpoint not found" through port 8080?

Usually a misconfigured nginx proxy_pass that forwards POST /api/ instead of the full path. Rebuild the frontend image from the latest frontend/nginx.conf or use proxy_pass http://backend:3001; without a URI suffix when using variables.

Can I use external MongoDB?

Yes. Set MONGODB_URI to your MongoDB Atlas or managed instance URL. For HA, use a replica set connection string with ?replicaSet=.

How do I run tests?

cd backend && npm test

See Testing.

Does it work on ARM (Apple Silicon)?

Yes. All Docker images support multi-arch.

UI

How does endpoint grouping work?

Create groups in Endpoint Groups, assign endpoints to groups. The Endpoints page shows collapsible sections per group.

Is there a visual map of all endpoints?

Yes. API → API Schema (/api-schema) shows a read-only ER-style diagram: endpoint groups, resource tables, field columns, and reference links with arrows. See API Schema.

Is there a light theme?

Yes. Use the sun/moon button in the top header (or the link on the login page) to switch between light (slate + cyan, CRM-style) and dark themes. Preference is saved in localStorage.

Open source

What license?

Apache License 2.0 — free for commercial and personal use.

How to contribute?

See CONTRIBUTING.md.