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docs: add database schema design document for ATB-7
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docs/plans/2026-02-06-database-schema-design.md
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docs/plans/2026-02-06-database-schema-design.md
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# PostgreSQL Database Schema Implementation Plan
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> **For Claude:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use superpowers:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task.
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**Goal:** Add a PostgreSQL database schema to the AppView with Drizzle ORM, defining 6 tables for indexed AT Proto forum state.
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**Architecture:** Drizzle ORM provides schema-as-code in TypeScript. We define tables in `src/db/schema.ts`, configure a connection pool in `src/db/index.ts`, and use `drizzle-kit` to generate SQL migration files. The schema indexes AT Proto records from the firehose — it's a read-optimized mirror, not the source of truth.
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**Tech Stack:** Drizzle ORM, drizzle-kit, postgres (pg driver), PostgreSQL
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---
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### Task 1: Install Drizzle dependencies
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**Files:**
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- Modify: `packages/appview/package.json`
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**Step 1: Add runtime dependencies**
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Run from repo root:
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```bash
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pnpm --filter @atbb/appview add drizzle-orm postgres
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```
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This adds:
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- `drizzle-orm` — the ORM / query builder
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- `postgres` — the PostgreSQL driver (postgres.js, not `pg`)
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**Step 2: Add dev dependencies**
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```bash
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pnpm --filter @atbb/appview add -D drizzle-kit
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```
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This adds:
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- `drizzle-kit` — CLI for migration generation and management
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**Step 3: Verify build still passes**
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```bash
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pnpm build
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```
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Expected: all 3 packages build successfully.
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**Step 4: Commit**
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```bash
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git add packages/appview/package.json pnpm-lock.yaml
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git commit -m "feat(appview): add drizzle-orm and postgres dependencies"
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```
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---
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### Task 2: Define the database schema
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**Files:**
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- Create: `packages/appview/src/db/schema.ts`
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**Step 1: Create the schema file**
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Create `packages/appview/src/db/schema.ts` with the full schema:
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```typescript
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import {
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pgTable,
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bigserial,
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text,
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timestamp,
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integer,
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boolean,
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bigint,
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uniqueIndex,
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index,
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} from "drizzle-orm/pg-core";
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// ── forums ──────────────────────────────────────────────
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// Singleton forum metadata record, owned by Forum DID.
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// Key: literal:self (rkey is always "self").
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export const forums = pgTable(
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"forums",
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{
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id: bigserial("id", { mode: "bigint" }).primaryKey(),
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did: text("did").notNull(),
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rkey: text("rkey").notNull(),
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cid: text("cid").notNull(),
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name: text("name").notNull(),
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description: text("description"),
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indexedAt: timestamp("indexed_at", { withTimezone: true }).notNull(),
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},
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(table) => [uniqueIndex("forums_did_rkey_idx").on(table.did, table.rkey)]
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);
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// ── categories ──────────────────────────────────────────
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// Subforum / category definitions, owned by Forum DID.
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export const categories = pgTable(
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"categories",
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{
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id: bigserial("id", { mode: "bigint" }).primaryKey(),
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did: text("did").notNull(),
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rkey: text("rkey").notNull(),
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cid: text("cid").notNull(),
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name: text("name").notNull(),
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description: text("description"),
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slug: text("slug"),
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sortOrder: integer("sort_order"),
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forumId: bigint("forum_id", { mode: "bigint" }).references(() => forums.id),
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createdAt: timestamp("created_at", { withTimezone: true }).notNull(),
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indexedAt: timestamp("indexed_at", { withTimezone: true }).notNull(),
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},
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(table) => [
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uniqueIndex("categories_did_rkey_idx").on(table.did, table.rkey),
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]
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);
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// ── users ───────────────────────────────────────────────
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// Known AT Proto identities. Populated when any record
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// from a DID is indexed. DID is the primary key.
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export const users = pgTable("users", {
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did: text("did").primaryKey(),
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handle: text("handle"),
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indexedAt: timestamp("indexed_at", { withTimezone: true }).notNull(),
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});
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// ── memberships ─────────────────────────────────────────
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// User membership in a forum. Owned by user DID.
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// `did` is both the record owner and the member.
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export const memberships = pgTable(
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"memberships",
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{
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id: bigserial("id", { mode: "bigint" }).primaryKey(),
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did: text("did")
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.notNull()
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.references(() => users.did),
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rkey: text("rkey").notNull(),
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cid: text("cid").notNull(),
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forumId: bigint("forum_id", { mode: "bigint" }).references(
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() => forums.id
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),
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forumUri: text("forum_uri").notNull(),
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role: text("role"),
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roleUri: text("role_uri"),
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joinedAt: timestamp("joined_at", { withTimezone: true }),
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createdAt: timestamp("created_at", { withTimezone: true }).notNull(),
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indexedAt: timestamp("indexed_at", { withTimezone: true }).notNull(),
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},
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(table) => [
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uniqueIndex("memberships_did_rkey_idx").on(table.did, table.rkey),
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index("memberships_did_idx").on(table.did),
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]
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);
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// ── posts ───────────────────────────────────────────────
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// Unified post model. NULL root/parent = thread starter (topic).
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// Non-null root/parent = reply. Mirrors app.bsky.feed.post pattern.
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// Owned by user DID.
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export const posts = pgTable(
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"posts",
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{
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id: bigserial("id", { mode: "bigint" }).primaryKey(),
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did: text("did")
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.notNull()
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.references(() => users.did),
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rkey: text("rkey").notNull(),
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cid: text("cid").notNull(),
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text: text("text").notNull(),
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forumUri: text("forum_uri"),
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rootPostId: bigint("root_post_id", { mode: "bigint" }).references(
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(): any => posts.id
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),
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parentPostId: bigint("parent_post_id", { mode: "bigint" }).references(
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(): any => posts.id
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),
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rootUri: text("root_uri"),
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parentUri: text("parent_uri"),
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createdAt: timestamp("created_at", { withTimezone: true }).notNull(),
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indexedAt: timestamp("indexed_at", { withTimezone: true }).notNull(),
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deleted: boolean("deleted").notNull().default(false),
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},
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(table) => [
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uniqueIndex("posts_did_rkey_idx").on(table.did, table.rkey),
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index("posts_forum_uri_idx").on(table.forumUri),
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index("posts_root_post_id_idx").on(table.rootPostId),
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]
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);
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// ── mod_actions ─────────────────────────────────────────
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// Moderation actions, owned by Forum DID. Written by AppView
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// on behalf of authorized moderators after role verification.
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export const modActions = pgTable(
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"mod_actions",
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{
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id: bigserial("id", { mode: "bigint" }).primaryKey(),
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did: text("did").notNull(),
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rkey: text("rkey").notNull(),
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cid: text("cid").notNull(),
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action: text("action").notNull(),
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subjectDid: text("subject_did"),
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subjectPostUri: text("subject_post_uri"),
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forumId: bigint("forum_id", { mode: "bigint" }).references(
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() => forums.id
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),
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reason: text("reason"),
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createdBy: text("created_by").notNull(),
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expiresAt: timestamp("expires_at", { withTimezone: true }),
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createdAt: timestamp("created_at", { withTimezone: true }).notNull(),
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indexedAt: timestamp("indexed_at", { withTimezone: true }).notNull(),
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},
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(table) => [
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uniqueIndex("mod_actions_did_rkey_idx").on(table.did, table.rkey),
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]
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);
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```
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**Step 2: Verify build passes**
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```bash
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pnpm build
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```
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Expected: all packages build successfully (schema file is valid TypeScript).
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**Step 3: Commit**
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```bash
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git add packages/appview/src/db/schema.ts
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git commit -m "feat(appview): define database schema for all 6 tables"
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```
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---
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### Task 3: Create the database connection module
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**Files:**
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- Create: `packages/appview/src/db/index.ts`
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- Modify: `packages/appview/src/lib/config.ts`
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**Step 1: Add DATABASE_URL to config**
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Modify `packages/appview/src/lib/config.ts` to add `databaseUrl`:
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```typescript
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export interface AppConfig {
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port: number;
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forumDid: string;
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pdsUrl: string;
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databaseUrl: string;
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}
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export function loadConfig(): AppConfig {
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return {
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port: parseInt(process.env.PORT ?? "3000", 10),
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forumDid: process.env.FORUM_DID ?? "",
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pdsUrl: process.env.PDS_URL ?? "https://bsky.social",
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databaseUrl: process.env.DATABASE_URL ?? "",
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};
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}
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```
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**Step 2: Create the database connection module**
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Create `packages/appview/src/db/index.ts`:
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```typescript
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import { drizzle } from "drizzle-orm/postgres-js";
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import postgres from "postgres";
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import * as schema from "./schema.js";
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export function createDb(databaseUrl: string) {
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const client = postgres(databaseUrl);
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return drizzle(client, { schema });
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}
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export type Database = ReturnType<typeof createDb>;
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export * from "./schema.js";
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```
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**Step 3: Verify build passes**
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```bash
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pnpm build
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```
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Expected: all packages build successfully.
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**Step 4: Commit**
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```bash
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git add packages/appview/src/db/index.ts packages/appview/src/lib/config.ts
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git commit -m "feat(appview): add database connection module and DATABASE_URL config"
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```
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---
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### Task 4: Configure drizzle-kit and generate migrations
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**Files:**
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- Create: `packages/appview/drizzle.config.ts`
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**Step 1: Create drizzle-kit config**
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Create `packages/appview/drizzle.config.ts`:
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```typescript
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import { defineConfig } from "drizzle-kit";
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export default defineConfig({
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schema: "./src/db/schema.ts",
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out: "./drizzle",
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dialect: "postgresql",
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});
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```
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**Step 2: Add migration scripts to package.json**
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Add to `packages/appview/package.json` scripts:
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```json
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{
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"db:generate": "drizzle-kit generate",
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"db:migrate": "drizzle-kit migrate"
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}
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```
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**Step 3: Generate the initial migration**
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Run from the appview package directory:
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```bash
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pnpm --filter @atbb/appview db:generate
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```
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Expected: a migration SQL file appears in `packages/appview/drizzle/` with CREATE TABLE statements for all 6 tables.
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**Step 4: Inspect the generated SQL**
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Read the generated `.sql` file in `packages/appview/drizzle/` and verify it contains:
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- 6 CREATE TABLE statements (forums, categories, users, memberships, posts, mod_actions)
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- All UNIQUE indexes on (did, rkey)
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- All additional indexes (posts.forum_uri, posts.root_post_id, memberships.did)
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- All foreign key constraints
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**Step 5: Commit**
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```bash
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git add packages/appview/drizzle.config.ts packages/appview/drizzle/ packages/appview/package.json
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git commit -m "feat(appview): add drizzle-kit config and generate initial migration"
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```
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---
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### Task 5: Update environment configuration
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**Files:**
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- Modify: `.env.example`
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**Step 1: Add DATABASE_URL to .env.example**
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Add to `.env.example`:
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```bash
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# Database
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DATABASE_URL=postgres://atbb:atbb@localhost:5432/atbb
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```
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**Step 2: Commit**
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```bash
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git add .env.example
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git commit -m "feat: add DATABASE_URL to .env.example"
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```
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---
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### Task 6: Verify migrations run on fresh Postgres
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**Step 1: Start a temporary Postgres instance**
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Using Docker:
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```bash
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docker run --rm --name atbb-pg-test -e POSTGRES_USER=atbb -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=atbb -e POSTGRES_DB=atbb -p 5432:5432 -d postgres:17
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```
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Wait for it to be ready:
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```bash
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until docker exec atbb-pg-test pg_isready -U atbb; do sleep 1; done
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```
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**Step 2: Run migrations**
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```bash
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DATABASE_URL=postgres://atbb:atbb@localhost:5432/atbb pnpm --filter @atbb/appview db:migrate
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```
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Expected: migrations complete successfully, all 6 tables created.
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**Step 3: Verify tables exist**
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```bash
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docker exec atbb-pg-test psql -U atbb -d atbb -c '\dt'
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```
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Expected: lists forums, categories, users, memberships, posts, mod_actions tables (plus drizzle's internal migration tracking table).
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**Step 4: Verify indexes exist**
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```bash
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docker exec atbb-pg-test psql -U atbb -d atbb -c '\di'
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```
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Expected: lists all primary key indexes, unique indexes on (did, rkey) for each record table, plus posts_forum_uri_idx, posts_root_post_id_idx, memberships_did_idx.
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**Step 5: Clean up**
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```bash
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docker stop atbb-pg-test
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```
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**Step 6: No commit needed** — this was verification only.
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---
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### Task 7: Final build verification and docs update
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**Step 1: Full build from repo root**
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```bash
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pnpm build
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```
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Expected: all packages build successfully.
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**Step 2: Commit the design doc (if not already committed)**
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```bash
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git add docs/plans/2026-02-06-database-schema-design.md
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git commit -m "docs: add database schema design document for ATB-7"
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```
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---
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## Summary of files created/modified
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| Action | File |
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|--------|------|
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| Modify | `packages/appview/package.json` (deps + scripts) |
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| Create | `packages/appview/src/db/schema.ts` |
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| Create | `packages/appview/src/db/index.ts` |
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| Modify | `packages/appview/src/lib/config.ts` |
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| Create | `packages/appview/drizzle.config.ts` |
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| Create | `packages/appview/drizzle/*.sql` (generated) |
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| Modify | `.env.example` |
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| Create | `docs/plans/2026-02-06-database-schema-design.md` |