How to Use IndexedDB — A NoSQL DB on the Browser

How to Use IndexedDB — A NoSQL DB on the Browser

Deep dive into IndexedDB API and its usage in practice

Have you heard of the NoSQL database on the browser?

IndexedDB is a large-scale, NoSQL storage system. It lets you store just about anything in the user’s browser. In addition to the usual search, get, and put actions, IndexedDB also supports transactions.

Source: developers.google.com

You can find an example of an IndexedDB below.

Source

In this article, we’ll focus on the following.

  • Why do we need IndexedDB?
  • How do we use an IndexedDB in our applications?
  • Features of IndexedDB
  • Limitations of IndexedDB
  • Is IndexedDB right for your applications?

Why do we need IndexedDB?

Indexed DB is considered more powerful than localStorage!

Do you know the reason behind it? Let’s find out.

  • Can store much bigger volumes of data than localStorage

There is no particular limit like in localStorage (between 2.5MB and 10MB). The maximum limit is based on the browser and the disk space. For example, Chrome and Chromium-based browsers allow up to 80% disk space. If you have 100GB, Indexed DB can use up to 80GB of space, and 60GB by a single origin. Firefox allows up to 2GB per origin while Safari allows up to 1GB per origin.

  • Can store any kind of value based on { key: value } pairs

Higher flexibility to store different data types. This means not only strings but also binary data (ArrayBuffer objects, Blob objects, etc.). It uses an object store to hold data internally

  • Provides lookup interfaces

This is not available in other browser storage options such as localStorage and sessionStorage .

  • Useful for web applications that don’t require a persistent internet connection

IndexedDB can be very useful for applications that work both online and offline. For example, this can be used for client-side storage in Progressive Web Apps (PWAs).

  • Application state can be stored

By storing the application state for recurring users, the performance of your application can be increased drastically. Later on, the application can sync-up with the backend server and update the application via lazy loading.

Let’s have a look at the structure of the IndexedDB which can store multiple databases.

Structure of IndexedDB

Tip: Share components between projects using Bit (Github).

Bit makes it simple to share, document, and reuse independent components between projects. Use it to maximize code reuse, keep a consistent design, speed-up delivery, and build apps that scale.

Bit supports Node, TypeScript, React, Vue, Angular, and more.

Example: exploring reusable React components shared on Bit.dev

How do we use Indexed DB in our applications?

In the following section, we’ll look at how to bootstrap an application with IndexedDB.

1. Open the database connection using “window.indexedDB”

const openingRequest = indexedDB.open('UserDB', 1);

In here, UserDB is the database name and 1 is the version of the DB. This would return an object which is an instance of the IDBOpenDBRequest interface.

2. Create object store

Once the database connection is open, the onupgradeneeded event will be fired, which can be used to create object stores.

// Create the UserDetails object store and indexes
request.onupgradeneeded = (event) => {
let db = event.target.result;

// Create the UserDetails object store
// with auto-increment id
let store = db.createObjectStore('UserDetails', {
autoIncrement: true
});

// Create an index on the NIC property
let index = store.createIndex('nic', 'nic', {
unique: true
});
};

3. Insert data into the object store

Once a connection is opened to the database, the data can be managed inside the onsuccess event handler. Inserting data happens in 4 steps.

function insertUser(db, user) {
// Create a new transaction
const txn = db.transaction('User', 'readwrite');

// Get the UserDetails object store
const store = txn.objectStore('UserDetails');
    // Insert a new record
let query = store.put(user);

// Handle the success case
query.onsuccess = function (event) {
console.log(event);
};

// Handle the error case
query.onerror = function (event) {
console.log(event.target.errorCode);
}

// Close the database once the transaction completes
txn.oncomplete = function () {
db.close();
};
}

Once the insertion function is created, the onsuccess event handler of the request can be used to insert more records.

request.onsuccess = (event) => {
const db = event.target.result;
   insertUser(db, {
email: 'john.doe@outlook.com',
firstName: 'John',
lastName: 'Doe',
});
   insertUser(db, {
email: 'ann.doe@gmail.com',
firstName: 'Ann',
lastName: 'Doe'
});
};

There are many operations that can be performed on the IndexedDB. Some of them are as follows.

  • Read/search data from object stores by key
  • Read/search data from object stores by index
  • Update data of a record
  • Delete a record
  • Migrate from a previous version of a database, etc.

If you need insights about how to achieve the above, let me know in the comments section below. You can refer here for more information.

Features of Indexed DB

Indexed DB provides many special features that no other browser storage can achieve. Some of the features are briefly explained below.

  • Has an asynchronous API

This enables performing costly operations without blocking the UI thread and provides a better experience to users

  • Supports transactions for reliability

If one step fails, the transaction will be canceled and the database will be rolled back to the previous state.

  • Supports versioning

You can version your database when you are creating it and upgrade the version when needed. Migrating from old versions to new versions is also possible in IndexedDB.

  • Private to domain

A database is private to a domain, therefore any other site cannot access another website’s IndexedDB stores. This is also called the Same-origin Policy.

Limitations of IndexedDB

So far, IndexedDB seems promising for client-side storage. However, there are few limitations worth noticing.

  • Even though it has modern browser support, browsers such as IE does not have complete support for this.
Source
  • Firefox disables IndexedDB completely, in private browsing mode — This can cause your application to malfunction when accessed via an incognito window.

Is IndexedDB right for your application?

Based on the many features provided by IndexedDB, the answer to this million-dollar question could be Yes! However, before jumping to a conclusion, ask yourself the following questions.

  • Does your application require offline access?
  • Do you need to store a large amount of data on the client-side?
  • Do you need to quickly locate/search data in a large set of data?
  • Does your application access the client-side storage using the supported browsers by IndexedDB?
  • Do you need to store various types of data including JavaScript objects?
  • Does writing/reading from client-side storage need to be non-blocking?

If the answer to all of the above questions is Yes, IndexedDB is the best option for you. But if such functionality is not required, you might as well choose a storage method such as localStorage because it provides widespread browser adoption and features an easy-to-use API.

Summary

When we consider all the client-side storage mechanisms, IndexedDB is a clear winner. Let’s look at a summarized comparison of different client-side storage methods.

Hope you got a clear understanding of IndexedDB and its benefits. Let us know your thoughts too.

Learn More


How to Use IndexedDB — A NoSQL DB on the Browser was originally published in Bits and Pieces on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.


This content originally appeared on Bits and Pieces - Medium and was authored by Viduni Wickramarachchi

How to Use IndexedDB — A NoSQL DB on the Browser

Deep dive into IndexedDB API and its usage in practice

Have you heard of the NoSQL database on the browser?

IndexedDB is a large-scale, NoSQL storage system. It lets you store just about anything in the user’s browser. In addition to the usual search, get, and put actions, IndexedDB also supports transactions.
Source: developers.google.com

You can find an example of an IndexedDB below.

Source

In this article, we’ll focus on the following.

  • Why do we need IndexedDB?
  • How do we use an IndexedDB in our applications?
  • Features of IndexedDB
  • Limitations of IndexedDB
  • Is IndexedDB right for your applications?

Why do we need IndexedDB?

Indexed DB is considered more powerful than localStorage!

Do you know the reason behind it? Let’s find out.

  • Can store much bigger volumes of data than localStorage

There is no particular limit like in localStorage (between 2.5MB and 10MB). The maximum limit is based on the browser and the disk space. For example, Chrome and Chromium-based browsers allow up to 80% disk space. If you have 100GB, Indexed DB can use up to 80GB of space, and 60GB by a single origin. Firefox allows up to 2GB per origin while Safari allows up to 1GB per origin.

  • Can store any kind of value based on { key: value } pairs

Higher flexibility to store different data types. This means not only strings but also binary data (ArrayBuffer objects, Blob objects, etc.). It uses an object store to hold data internally

  • Provides lookup interfaces

This is not available in other browser storage options such as localStorage and sessionStorage .

  • Useful for web applications that don’t require a persistent internet connection

IndexedDB can be very useful for applications that work both online and offline. For example, this can be used for client-side storage in Progressive Web Apps (PWAs).

  • Application state can be stored

By storing the application state for recurring users, the performance of your application can be increased drastically. Later on, the application can sync-up with the backend server and update the application via lazy loading.

Let’s have a look at the structure of the IndexedDB which can store multiple databases.

Structure of IndexedDB

Tip: Share components between projects using Bit (Github).

Bit makes it simple to share, document, and reuse independent components between projects. Use it to maximize code reuse, keep a consistent design, speed-up delivery, and build apps that scale.

Bit supports Node, TypeScript, React, Vue, Angular, and more.

Example: exploring reusable React components shared on Bit.dev

How do we use Indexed DB in our applications?

In the following section, we’ll look at how to bootstrap an application with IndexedDB.

1. Open the database connection using “window.indexedDB"

const openingRequest = indexedDB.open('UserDB', 1);

In here, UserDB is the database name and 1 is the version of the DB. This would return an object which is an instance of the IDBOpenDBRequest interface.

2. Create object store

Once the database connection is open, the onupgradeneeded event will be fired, which can be used to create object stores.

// Create the UserDetails object store and indexes
request.onupgradeneeded = (event) => {
let db = event.target.result;

// Create the UserDetails object store
// with auto-increment id
let store = db.createObjectStore('UserDetails', {
autoIncrement: true
});

// Create an index on the NIC property
let index = store.createIndex('nic', 'nic', {
unique: true
});
};

3. Insert data into the object store

Once a connection is opened to the database, the data can be managed inside the onsuccess event handler. Inserting data happens in 4 steps.

function insertUser(db, user) {
// Create a new transaction
const txn = db.transaction('User', 'readwrite');

// Get the UserDetails object store
const store = txn.objectStore('UserDetails');
    // Insert a new record
let query = store.put(user);

// Handle the success case
query.onsuccess = function (event) {
console.log(event);
};

// Handle the error case
query.onerror = function (event) {
console.log(event.target.errorCode);
}

// Close the database once the transaction completes
txn.oncomplete = function () {
db.close();
};
}

Once the insertion function is created, the onsuccess event handler of the request can be used to insert more records.

request.onsuccess = (event) => {
const db = event.target.result;
   insertUser(db, {
email: 'john.doe@outlook.com',
firstName: 'John',
lastName: 'Doe',
});
   insertUser(db, {
email: 'ann.doe@gmail.com',
firstName: 'Ann',
lastName: 'Doe'
});
};

There are many operations that can be performed on the IndexedDB. Some of them are as follows.

  • Read/search data from object stores by key
  • Read/search data from object stores by index
  • Update data of a record
  • Delete a record
  • Migrate from a previous version of a database, etc.

If you need insights about how to achieve the above, let me know in the comments section below. You can refer here for more information.

Features of Indexed DB

Indexed DB provides many special features that no other browser storage can achieve. Some of the features are briefly explained below.

  • Has an asynchronous API

This enables performing costly operations without blocking the UI thread and provides a better experience to users

  • Supports transactions for reliability

If one step fails, the transaction will be canceled and the database will be rolled back to the previous state.

  • Supports versioning

You can version your database when you are creating it and upgrade the version when needed. Migrating from old versions to new versions is also possible in IndexedDB.

  • Private to domain

A database is private to a domain, therefore any other site cannot access another website’s IndexedDB stores. This is also called the Same-origin Policy.

Limitations of IndexedDB

So far, IndexedDB seems promising for client-side storage. However, there are few limitations worth noticing.

  • Even though it has modern browser support, browsers such as IE does not have complete support for this.
Source
  • Firefox disables IndexedDB completely, in private browsing mode — This can cause your application to malfunction when accessed via an incognito window.

Is IndexedDB right for your application?

Based on the many features provided by IndexedDB, the answer to this million-dollar question could be Yes! However, before jumping to a conclusion, ask yourself the following questions.

  • Does your application require offline access?
  • Do you need to store a large amount of data on the client-side?
  • Do you need to quickly locate/search data in a large set of data?
  • Does your application access the client-side storage using the supported browsers by IndexedDB?
  • Do you need to store various types of data including JavaScript objects?
  • Does writing/reading from client-side storage need to be non-blocking?

If the answer to all of the above questions is Yes, IndexedDB is the best option for you. But if such functionality is not required, you might as well choose a storage method such as localStorage because it provides widespread browser adoption and features an easy-to-use API.

Summary

When we consider all the client-side storage mechanisms, IndexedDB is a clear winner. Let’s look at a summarized comparison of different client-side storage methods.

Hope you got a clear understanding of IndexedDB and its benefits. Let us know your thoughts too.

Learn More


How to Use IndexedDB — A NoSQL DB on the Browser was originally published in Bits and Pieces on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.


This content originally appeared on Bits and Pieces - Medium and was authored by Viduni Wickramarachchi


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