# instantdb

A skill that steers the agent through building apps on InstantDB: schema, permissions, queries, file storage. Useful when you want a backend without running a server.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 1400 installs · ★ 9
- Author: instantdb
- License: not stated · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/instantdb/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/instantdb/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-06-08
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/instantdb

## What it does

The skill turns the agent into a senior frontend engineer who knows InstantDB. It helps you ship a working app in React, vanilla JS or Expo, with Instant's client-side database as the backend: queries, transactions, auth, permissions, storage, realtime and offline support.

Inside are rules for the CLI and the SDKs. The agent checks which package manager the project uses, then installs the right one: `@instantdb/react`, `@instantdb/core`, `@instantdb/react-native` and others. Schema and permissions live in `instant.schema.ts` and `instant.perms.ts`, and changes go out with `npx instant-cli push schema --yes` and `npx instant-cli push perms --yes`. For a fresh app there is `npx instant-cli init-without-files --title <APP_NAME>`, which prints an app id and admin token.

Then come the strict parts, and they are why this skill is worth keeping around. Any field you filter or order by must be indexed in the schema, or the query errors out. Pagination keys work on top-level namespaces only, never on nested relations. In permissions `data.ref` always returns a list, so comparing it to a single value fails. You will need an InstantDB account and a login through `npx instant-cli login` before any of this runs.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add instantdb/skills --skill instantdb -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/instantdb/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/instantdb/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add instantdb/skills --skill instantdb -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/instantdb/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add instantdb/skills --skill instantdb -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/instantdb/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install instantdb/skills instantdb
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/instantdb/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add instantdb/skills --skill instantdb -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/instantdb/skills --path skills/instantdb
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/instantdb/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add instantdb/skills --skill instantdb -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/instantdb/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/instantdb/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- stand up a backend for a React app without your own server
- define a schema and push it to the cloud in one command
- set permissions on fields and relations
- upload images through Instant Storage and link them to records
- write a query with filter, order and pagination that does not error

## Example prompts
- Build a notes app in React with InstantDB, put the schema in `instant.schema.ts`
- Add an index on `dueDate` to the schema and a query that orders by it
- Set permissions so only the owner can view the email field

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md