Resources in code. JSON:API over HTTP.

JSON REST API is a mini-ORM and JSON:API library for Node.js 24+. Define resource schemas and relationships, call resource methods from application code, and expose those resources through Express or Fastify when you need HTTP endpoints.

Get started · Browse the numbered guide · Migrate to v2

Call resources directly

After registering your resources, application code can create and query plain records without an HTTP round trip:

const author = await api.resources.authors.post({
  data: { name: 'George', surname: 'Orwell' }
})

const books = await api.resources.books.query({
  queryParams: {
    filters: { author: author.id },
    sort: ['title'],
    page: { number: 1, size: 20 }
  }
})

This fragment assumes an authors resource and a books resource with a declared author filter and sortable title. The quickstart provides a complete runnable setup, including the database, schemas and HTTP server.

Choose the contract you need

Area	What the library provides	Read next
Records and relationships	CRUD, linkage, includes, sparse fields and polymorphic relationships	Resources and relationships
Queries	Declared filters, sorting, numbered and cursor pagination	Pagination and sorting
Visibility	Permission hooks and mandatory row policies	Row policies
Transactions	Explicit ownership, callback transactions and structured failure outcomes	Managed transactions
HTTP	Express and Fastify connectors with JSON:API request and response handling	Quickstart, Fastify
Extensions	Resource methods, sequential hooks and focused plugins	Writing plugins
Storage	Ordinary resource tables or canonical storage through Knex	Backend capabilities and limits

Programmatic calls default to plain records. Supply plain writes in data or JSON:API input in document. Use format: 'jsonapi' for JSON:API output; the HTTP connectors select that representation explicitly. Database behavior, file cleanup and notification delivery have specific limits documented in their chapters.

Install and learn

npm install json-rest-api knex better-sqlite3 express

These are the v2 documentation. Existing applications should follow the migration guide before upgrading. For a source checkout before publication, install its packed tarball instead of the registry version.

The API reference describes method arguments and defaults. Architecture explains the implementation, and contributing covers development and verification.