Plugin Compositions
Routier's plugin system is fully composable. Plugins implement IDbPlugin and can wrap or be wrapped by other plugins. This page maps common combinations to their use cases and guides.
Quick Navigation
- How Composition Works
- HttpSwrDbPlugin Combinations
- OptimisticUpdatesDbPlugin Combinations
- Storage-Only Combinations
- Quick Reference
How Composition Works
Every plugin implements IDbPlugin (query, bulkPersist, destroy). Composition means passing one plugin as the "store" to another:
YourApp → PluginA(PluginB(PluginC))Plugins are interchangeable at each layer. Choose the combination that fits your architecture.
HttpSwrDbPlugin Combinations
HttpSwrDbPlugin does stale-while-revalidate over HTTP: cache-first reads, background revalidate when stale, POST writes to your API. It accepts any IDbPlugin as its store.
These combinations give users a local-first experience: the app works offline using the local cache and syncs when back online. See Local-First Apps for the full picture.
| Store | Use Case | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| DexiePlugin | IndexedDB-backed cache, simple setup | Syncing |
| MemoryPlugin | In-memory cache, no persistence | Syncing |
| PouchDB | PouchDB as local cache | Syncing |
| BrowserStoragePlugin | localStorage-backed cache | Syncing |
| OptimisticUpdatesDbPlugin(Dexie) | IndexedDB + in-memory reads, maximum speed | HttpSwrDbPlugin with Optimistic Replication |
| OptimisticUpdatesDbPlugin(any) | Any backend + in-memory reads | HttpSwrDbPlugin with Optimistic Replication |
OptimisticUpdatesDbPlugin Combinations
OptimisticUpdatesDbPlugin uses an in-memory store for reads and a source plugin for writes. Reads are instant; writes persist to the source and replicate back to memory.
| Source | Use Case | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| DexiePlugin | IndexedDB persistence, fast reads | Optimistic Replication |
| MemoryPlugin | Pure in-memory (rare) | Optimistic Replication |
| PouchDB | PouchDB as write backend | Optimistic Replication |
| Any IDbPlugin | Custom or third-party backend | Optimistic Replication |
OptimisticUpdatesDbPlugin can be used with or without HttpSwrDbPlugin. Use it alone when you have a local-only or custom sync flow.
Storage-Only Combinations
Use a single storage plugin when you don't need HTTP sync or an extra memory layer:
| Plugin | Use Case | Link |
|---|---|---|
| DexiePlugin | IndexedDB in the browser | Dexie Plugin |
| MemoryPlugin | In-memory, tests, prototypes | Memory Plugin |
| PouchDB | PouchDB with CouchDB sync | PouchDB Plugin |
| BrowserStoragePlugin | localStorage or sessionStorage | Browser Storage Plugin |
| FileSystemPlugin | File-based (Node.js) | File System Plugin |
| SqliteDbPlugin | SQLite in Node or a browser | SQLite Plugin |
| PostgresDbPlugin | PostgreSQL | Server Databases |
| MysqlDbPlugin | MySQL | Server Databases |
| MongoDbPlugin | MongoDB | Server Databases |
Quick Reference
| I want... | Composition | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| HTTP sync with IndexedDB cache | HttpSwrDbPlugin(DexiePlugin) | Syncing |
| HTTP sync with in-memory cache | HttpSwrDbPlugin(MemoryPlugin) | Syncing |
| HTTP sync + fastest possible reads | HttpSwrDbPlugin(OptimisticUpdatesDbPlugin(DexiePlugin)) | HttpSwrDbPlugin with Optimistic |
| Local-only, instant reads from memory | OptimisticUpdatesDbPlugin(DexiePlugin) | Optimistic Replication |
| Local-only, IndexedDB | DexiePlugin | Dexie Plugin |
| Local-only, in-memory | MemoryPlugin | Memory Plugin |
Related
- Local-First Apps — Why and how Routier builds offline-first experiences
- Syncing — Remote sync patterns
- Optimistic Replication — In-memory reads with persistent writes
- HttpSwrDbPlugin with Optimistic Replication — HTTP + optimistic (max speed)
- Built-in Plugins — Plugin reference