|
| 1 | +--- |
| 2 | +title: Database Path Identifiers Reference |
| 3 | +nextjs: |
| 4 | + metadata: |
| 5 | + title: Database Path Identifiers - GRAPH_SPEC and DB_SPEC Reference |
| 6 | + description: Reference guide for GRAPH_SPEC, DB_SPEC, and path identifiers used in TerminusDB CLI, REST API, and client libraries to address databases, branches, commits, and graphs |
| 7 | + openGraph: |
| 8 | + images: https://assets.terminusdb.com/docs/technical-documentation-terminuscms-og.png |
| 9 | + alternates: |
| 10 | + canonical: https://terminusdb.org/docs/graph_spec-db_spec-database-path-identifiers/ |
| 11 | +media: [] |
| 12 | +--- |
| 13 | + |
| 14 | +Understanding how to address specific databases, branches, commits, and graphs is fundamental to working with TerminusDB. Whether you're using the CLI, REST API, or client libraries, you'll encounter **DB_SPEC** and **GRAPH_SPEC** identifiers. This reference guide explains these identifiers in plain language with practical examples. |
| 15 | + |
| 16 | +## What is a DB_SPEC? |
| 17 | + |
| 18 | +A **DB_SPEC** (Database Specification) is a path-based identifier that precisely locates a database, branch, or commit within TerminusDB. Think of it as an address that tells TerminusDB exactly which version of which database you want to access. |
| 19 | + |
| 20 | +### Basic DB_SPEC Structure |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | +The general format follows this pattern: |
| 23 | + |
| 24 | +``` |
| 25 | +<organization>/<database>/<repository>/<ref_type>/<ref_name> |
| 26 | +``` |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | +### DB_SPEC Components Explained |
| 29 | + |
| 30 | +1. **Organization** - Your team or organization (e.g., `admin`, `my_team`) |
| 31 | +2. **Database** - The name of your data product or database |
| 32 | +3. **Repository** - Usually `local` (or a remote name if configured) |
| 33 | +4. **Reference Type** - Either `branch` or `commit` |
| 34 | +5. **Reference Name** - The branch name (e.g., `main`) or commit ID |
| 35 | + |
| 36 | +### Common DB_SPEC Patterns |
| 37 | + |
| 38 | +Here are the most frequently used DB_SPEC formats, and special ones: |
| 39 | + |
| 40 | +#### Simple Database Reference (Default Branch) |
| 41 | +``` |
| 42 | +<organization>/<database> |
| 43 | +``` |
| 44 | +**Example:** `admin/my_database` |
| 45 | + |
| 46 | +This is shorthand for `admin/my_database/local/branch/main` - it automatically points to the main branch of the local repository. |
| 47 | + |
| 48 | +#### Specific Branch |
| 49 | +``` |
| 50 | +<organization>/<database>/local/branch/<branch_name> |
| 51 | +``` |
| 52 | +**Examples:** |
| 53 | +- `admin/employees/local/branch/main` |
| 54 | +- `my_team/products/local/branch/development` |
| 55 | +- `admin/customers/local/branch/feature-updates` |
| 56 | + |
| 57 | +#### Specific Commit |
| 58 | +``` |
| 59 | +<organization>/<database>/local/commit/<commit_id> |
| 60 | +``` |
| 61 | +**Example:** `admin/employees/local/commit/9w8hk3y6rb8tjdy961ed3i536ntkqd8` |
| 62 | + |
| 63 | +Use this for time-travel queries or to reference a specific point in history. |
| 64 | + |
| 65 | +#### Repository Metadata |
| 66 | +``` |
| 67 | +<organization>/<database>/_meta |
| 68 | +``` |
| 69 | +**Example:** `admin/employees/_meta` |
| 70 | + |
| 71 | +Access the repository graph containing information about the local repository and all known remotes. |
| 72 | + |
| 73 | +#### Commit Graph |
| 74 | +``` |
| 75 | +<organization>/<database>/<repository>/_commits |
| 76 | +``` |
| 77 | +**Example:** `admin/employees/local/_commits` |
| 78 | + |
| 79 | +Access the commit graph containing branch histories, commit objects, authorship, and timestamps. |
| 80 | + |
| 81 | +#### Remote Repository |
| 82 | +``` |
| 83 | +<organization>/<database>/<remote_name>/branch/<branch_name> |
| 84 | +``` |
| 85 | +**Example:** `admin/employees/origin/branch/main` |
| 86 | + |
| 87 | +Reference a branch on a configured remote repository. |
| 88 | + |
| 89 | +#### System Database |
| 90 | +``` |
| 91 | +_system |
| 92 | +``` |
| 93 | +Access the system metadata containing user information, organization data, and database records (requires system administrator permissions). |
| 94 | + |
| 95 | +## What is a GRAPH_SPEC? |
| 96 | + |
| 97 | +A **GRAPH_SPEC** (Graph Specification) extends a DB_SPEC to point to a specific graph within a database. TerminusDB stores data in multiple graphs - primarily **instance** data and **schema** definitions. |
| 98 | + |
| 99 | +### GRAPH_SPEC Structure |
| 100 | + |
| 101 | +``` |
| 102 | +<DB_SPEC>/<graph_type> |
| 103 | +``` |
| 104 | + |
| 105 | +Where `<graph_type>` is one of: |
| 106 | +- `instance` - Your actual data documents |
| 107 | +- `schema` - Your data model and type definitions |
| 108 | + |
| 109 | +### GRAPH_SPEC Examples |
| 110 | + |
| 111 | +#### Access Schema Graph |
| 112 | +``` |
| 113 | +admin/employees/local/branch/main/schema |
| 114 | +``` |
| 115 | +Read or modify the schema (data model) for the employees database. |
| 116 | + |
| 117 | +#### Access Instance Graph |
| 118 | +``` |
| 119 | +admin/employees/local/branch/main/instance |
| 120 | +``` |
| 121 | +Query or update the actual data documents in the employees database. |
| 122 | + |
| 123 | +#### Schema on Specific Commit |
| 124 | +``` |
| 125 | +admin/products/local/commit/abc123def456/schema |
| 126 | +``` |
| 127 | +View the schema as it existed at a specific commit. |
| 128 | + |
| 129 | +## Practical Usage Examples |
| 130 | + |
| 131 | +### CLI Usage |
| 132 | + |
| 133 | +#### Query a Database |
| 134 | +```bash |
| 135 | +terminusdb query admin/my_database "select([X], t(X, rdf:type, Y))" |
| 136 | +``` |
| 137 | + |
| 138 | +#### Optimize a Specific Branch |
| 139 | +```bash |
| 140 | +terminusdb optimize admin/employees/local/branch/main |
| 141 | +``` |
| 142 | + |
| 143 | +#### Dump Triples from Schema |
| 144 | +```bash |
| 145 | +terminusdb triples dump admin/people/local/branch/main/schema |
| 146 | +``` |
| 147 | + |
| 148 | +#### Load Triples into Instance Graph |
| 149 | +```bash |
| 150 | +terminusdb triples load admin/people/local/branch/development/instance data.ttl |
| 151 | +``` |
| 152 | + |
| 153 | +### REST API Usage |
| 154 | + |
| 155 | +In REST API endpoints, the DB_SPEC appears directly in the URL path structure: |
| 156 | + |
| 157 | +#### Insert Document |
| 158 | +```bash |
| 159 | +POST http://localhost:6363/api/document/admin/PeopleReferenceData/local/branch/main |
| 160 | +``` |
| 161 | + |
| 162 | +The path structure breaks down as: |
| 163 | +- `admin` - organization |
| 164 | +- `PeopleReferenceData` - database |
| 165 | +- `local` - repository |
| 166 | +- `branch/main` - branch reference |
| 167 | + |
| 168 | +#### Query Schema Graph |
| 169 | +```bash |
| 170 | +GET http://localhost:6363/api/document/admin/employees/local/branch/main?graph_type=schema |
| 171 | +``` |
| 172 | + |
| 173 | +### Client Library Usage |
| 174 | + |
| 175 | +#### JavaScript Client |
| 176 | +```javascript |
| 177 | +const client = new TerminusClient.Client('http://localhost:6363', { |
| 178 | + organization: 'admin', |
| 179 | + db: 'employees', |
| 180 | + branch: 'main' // Optional, defaults to 'main' |
| 181 | +}); |
| 182 | + |
| 183 | +// The client constructs DB_SPEC internally as: admin/employees/local/branch/main |
| 184 | +``` |
| 185 | + |
| 186 | +#### Python Client |
| 187 | +```python |
| 188 | +client = Client("http://localhost:6363") |
| 189 | +client.connect(team="admin", db="employees", branch="main") |
| 190 | + |
| 191 | +# The client uses: admin/employees/local/branch/main |
| 192 | +``` |
| 193 | + |
| 194 | +## Special Cases and Edge Scenarios |
| 195 | + |
| 196 | +### Default Values |
| 197 | + |
| 198 | +When components are omitted, TerminusDB applies these defaults: |
| 199 | + |
| 200 | +- **No repository specified:** Defaults to `local` |
| 201 | +- **No branch specified:** Defaults to `branch/main` |
| 202 | +- **No graph_type specified:** Typically defaults to `instance` (context-dependent) |
| 203 | + |
| 204 | +### Examples with Defaults |
| 205 | + |
| 206 | +``` |
| 207 | +admin/mydb |
| 208 | +↓ Expands to ↓ |
| 209 | +admin/mydb/local/branch/main |
| 210 | +``` |
| 211 | + |
| 212 | +### Working with Remotes |
| 213 | + |
| 214 | +After adding a remote: |
| 215 | + |
| 216 | +```bash |
| 217 | +terminusdb remote add admin/mydb origin https://cloud.terminusdb.com/myorg/mydb |
| 218 | +``` |
| 219 | + |
| 220 | +You can reference the remote: |
| 221 | + |
| 222 | +```bash |
| 223 | +terminusdb pull admin/mydb/origin/branch/main |
| 224 | +``` |
| 225 | + |
| 226 | +## Common Patterns and Use Cases |
| 227 | + |
| 228 | +### Time Travel Queries |
| 229 | + |
| 230 | +Access historical data by referencing a specific commit: |
| 231 | + |
| 232 | +```bash |
| 233 | +terminusdb query admin/sales/local/commit/abc123 "select([X], t(X, rdf:type, Y))" |
| 234 | +``` |
| 235 | + |
| 236 | +### Multi-Branch Development |
| 237 | + |
| 238 | +Work with feature branches: |
| 239 | + |
| 240 | +```bash |
| 241 | +# Create feature branch |
| 242 | +terminusdb branch create admin/products/local/branch/feature-new-fields |
| 243 | + |
| 244 | +# Query feature branch |
| 245 | +terminusdb query admin/products/local/branch/feature-new-fields "select([X], t(X, rdf:type, Y))" |
| 246 | + |
| 247 | +# Push to remote |
| 248 | +terminusdb push admin/products/local/branch/feature-new-fields |
| 249 | +``` |
| 250 | + |
| 251 | +### Schema Evolution |
| 252 | + |
| 253 | +View schema changes across commits: |
| 254 | + |
| 255 | +```bash |
| 256 | +# Current schema |
| 257 | +terminusdb triples dump admin/inventory/local/branch/main/schema |
| 258 | + |
| 259 | +# Schema at previous commit |
| 260 | +terminusdb triples dump admin/inventory/local/commit/previous123/schema |
| 261 | +``` |
| 262 | + |
| 263 | +## Use _system Carefully |
| 264 | +The `_system` database contains critical metadata: |
| 265 | +```bash |
| 266 | +# ⚠️ Be extremely careful with write operations |
| 267 | +terminusdb query _system "..." |
| 268 | +``` |
| 269 | + |
| 270 | +## Quick Reference Table |
| 271 | + |
| 272 | +| Format | Example | Use Case | |
| 273 | +|--------|---------|----------| |
| 274 | +| `_system` | `_system` | Access system metadata | |
| 275 | +| `<org>/<db>` | `admin/employees` | Quick access to main branch | |
| 276 | +| `<org>/<db>/local/branch/<branch>` | `admin/emp/local/branch/dev` | Specific branch | |
| 277 | +| `<org>/<db>/local/commit/<hash>` | `admin/emp/local/commit/abc123` | Specific commit (time travel) | |
| 278 | +| `<org>/<db>/_meta` | `admin/employees/_meta` | Repository metadata | |
| 279 | +| `<org>/<db>/local/_commits` | `admin/emp/local/_commits` | Commit history graph | |
| 280 | +| `<DB_SPEC>/schema` | `admin/emp/local/branch/main/schema` | Schema graph | |
| 281 | +| `<DB_SPEC>/instance` | `admin/emp/local/branch/main/instance` | Instance data graph | |
| 282 | + |
| 283 | +## Related Documentation |
| 284 | + |
| 285 | +- [CLI Commands Reference](/docs/terminusdb-cli-commands/) - Complete CLI command documentation |
| 286 | +- [CLI Query Interface](/docs/terminusdb-db-cli-querying/) - WOQL syntax for CLI |
| 287 | +- [HTTP Documents API](/docs/http-documents-api/) - REST API examples with path identifiers |
| 288 | +- [JavaScript Client](/docs/javascript/) - Client library documentation |
| 289 | +- [Python Client](/docs/python/) - Python client documentation |
| 290 | + |
| 291 | +## Getting Help |
| 292 | + |
| 293 | +If you're struggling to construct the right DB_SPEC or GRAPH_SPEC: |
| 294 | + |
| 295 | +1. **List your databases:** `terminusdb db list` |
| 296 | +2. **Check branches:** `terminusdb db list <org>/<db> --branches` |
| 297 | +3. **View commit history:** `terminusdb log <org>/<db>` |
| 298 | +4. **Test with simple queries:** Start with `_system` to verify syntax |
| 299 | + |
| 300 | +For community support, visit the [TerminusDB Discord](https://discord.gg/terminusdb) or [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/terminusdb/terminusdb/discussions). |
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