Database Backends

Platzky supports multiple database backends for storing your application data. You can choose the backend that best fits your deployment environment and requirements.

Configuring the Database

The database backend is configured in your config.yml file using the DB key:

DB:
  TYPE: backend_type
  # backend-specific configuration

Available Backends

JSON File

A simple file-based backend that stores data in a JSON file on the local filesystem.

Use case: Development, testing, or small single-server deployments.

Configuration:

DB:
  TYPE: json_file
  PATH: data.json

Options:

  • TYPE: Must be json_file

  • PATH: Path to the JSON file (relative or absolute)

Advantages:

  • Simple setup, no external dependencies

  • Easy to inspect and backup (just a JSON file)

  • Good for development and testing

Limitations:

  • Not suitable for high-traffic applications

  • No concurrent write support

  • Single point of failure

Google Cloud Storage

Stores data as a JSON file in Google Cloud Storage bucket.

Use case: Google App Engine or other Google Cloud deployments where you want simple storage without running a database server.

Configuration:

DB:
  TYPE: google_hosted_json_file
  BUCKET_NAME: my-bucket
  SOURCE_BLOB_NAME: data.json

Options:

  • TYPE: Must be google_hosted_json_file

  • BUCKET_NAME: Name of the GCS bucket

  • SOURCE_BLOB_NAME: Name of the JSON file in the bucket

Prerequisites:

  • Application must have Google Cloud credentials configured

  • Service account must have read/write permissions on the bucket

Advantages:

  • Automatic backups and versioning (when enabled on bucket)

  • No database server to manage

  • Integrates well with Google Cloud Platform

Limitations:

  • Higher latency than local storage

  • Costs associated with GCS operations

  • Not suitable for high-frequency writes

MongoDB

A production-ready NoSQL database backend.

Use case: Production deployments requiring scalability, concurrent access, and advanced database features.

Configuration:

DB:
  TYPE: mongodb
  CONNECTION_STRING: mongodb://localhost:27017/
  DATABASE_NAME: platzky

Options:

  • TYPE: Must be mongodb

  • CONNECTION_STRING: MongoDB connection string

  • DATABASE_NAME: Name of the database to use

Connection String Examples:

Local MongoDB:

CONNECTION_STRING: mongodb://localhost:27017/

MongoDB Atlas:

CONNECTION_STRING: mongodb+srv://user:pass@cluster.mongodb.net/?retryWrites=true&w=majority

With authentication:

CONNECTION_STRING: mongodb://username:password@localhost:27017/

Advantages:

  • Production-ready with high availability options

  • Supports concurrent reads and writes

  • Automatic indexing and query optimization

  • Rich query capabilities

  • Horizontal scaling with sharding

Prerequisites:

  • MongoDB server (local, Docker, or managed service like Atlas)

  • pymongo package (included with Platzky)

Choosing a Backend

Development

For local development, use the JSON file backend:

DB:
  TYPE: json_file
  PATH: data-dev.json

This requires no additional setup and is easy to reset.

Google App Engine

For Google App Engine, you have two options:

  1. Google Cloud Storage (simpler, good for low-traffic apps):

    DB:
  TYPE: google_hosted_json_file
  BUCKET_NAME: my-app-data
  SOURCE_BLOB_NAME: data.json

  2. MongoDB Atlas (better for production):

    DB:
  TYPE: mongodb
  CONNECTION_STRING: mongodb+srv://user:pass@cluster.mongodb.net/
  DATABASE_NAME: myapp

Kubernetes

For Kubernetes deployments, use MongoDB:

DB:
  TYPE: mongodb
  CONNECTION_STRING: mongodb://mongodb-service:27017/
  DATABASE_NAME: platzky

Deploy MongoDB in your cluster or use a managed service.

Other Cloud Platforms

For AWS, Azure, or other platforms:

  • Use MongoDB (self-hosted or managed like Atlas)

  • Or use the JSON file backend with persistent volumes (for small applications)

Database Migrations

Currently, Platzky does not include automatic migration tools when switching between database backends. If you need to migrate:

  1. Export data from your current backend

  2. Update configuration to new backend

  3. Import data to new backend

This is an area of active development.

Health Checks

All database backends implement health checks that are automatically included in the /health/readiness endpoint. This allows your orchestration platform (Kubernetes, App Engine, etc.) to verify database connectivity before routing traffic.

Further Reading