Column Types

SpacetimeDB: Column Types ↗

Tables are declared with Stdb.table(name, options). Bind each table to a variable so its row value type, column metadata, index metadata, and generated accessor types can flow through the module.

import * as Schema from "effect/Schema"
import * as Stdb from "effect-spacetimedb"

const UserId = Schema.String.pipe(Schema.brand("UserId"))
const ShortString = Stdb.string(Schema.String.pipe(Schema.minLength(1)))

export const user = Stdb.table("user", {
  public: true,
  columns: {
    id: Stdb.string(UserId).primaryKey(),
    name: ShortString,
  },
})

export const membership = Stdb.table("membership", {
  public: false,
  columns: {
    tenant_id: ShortString,
    email: ShortString,
  },
  indexes: (c) => [Stdb.index("membership_email_tenant_idx", [c.email, c.tenant_id])],
  constraints: (c) => [Stdb.unique("membership_tenant_email_unique", [c.tenant_id, c.email])],
})

effect-spacetimedb wraps Effect schemas in Stdb.* value types, then uses those value types consistently for table columns, reducer/procedure params, view returns, and declared errors.

Value-Type Pattern

Use a plain Effect schema as the domain source of truth, then wrap it at SpaceTimeDB declaration boundaries:

const UserId = Schema.String.pipe(Schema.brand("UserId"))

Stdb.string(UserId) // table columns, params, returns, and declared error fields

Keep reusable Stdb.* aliases for generic non-branded values, such as a length-limited string used in many columns. For custom codecs, use Stdb.custom(schema, { type }) so the SpaceTimeDB lowering is explicit.

For the full helper catalog, including integer widths, native timestamp/UUID values, and transport codecs, see Value Types.

Column Names And Row Types

Use .name("db_name") on a value type when the database column name should differ from the TypeScript field name.

import * as Stdb from "effect-spacetimedb"

const user = Stdb.table("user", {
  columns: {
    userId: Stdb.string().name("user_id").primaryKey(),
    displayName: Stdb.string().name("display_name"),
  },
})

type UserRow = Stdb.TableRow<typeof user>

const UserRow = Stdb.rowType(user)
const SameUserRow = user.row

Stdb.rowType(table) and table.row are the reusable value type for a full row; Stdb.TableRow<typeof table> is the authored TypeScript row type.

Optionality

Stdb.option(T) means the value is present but may be undefined. Stdb.optional(T) and .optional() mean the field or table column may be omitted. Both lower to SATS option<T> where structs are materialized, but they produce different TypeScript property shapes.

See Value-Type Design and Option vs Optional for the Effect-native typing details.