Build with AI
PowerSync SDK on NuGet
This SDK is distributed via NuGet
Source Code
Refer to the
powersync-dotnet repo on GitHubAPI Reference
Full API reference for the SDK
Example Projects
Gallery of example projects/demo apps built with .NET PowerSync
Changelog
Changelog for the SDK
This SDK is currently in a beta release. It is production-ready for tested use cases. APIs are stable, and we communicate breaking changes clearly.
Supported Frameworks and Targets
The PowerSync .NET SDK supports:- .NET Versions: 6, 8, and 9
- .NET Standard: 2.0 (for compatibility with older libraries and frameworks)
- .NET Framework: Version 4.8, which requires additional configuration (see the package README)
- MAUI: Cross-platform support for Android, iOS, Mac Catalyst, and Windows (targeting
net8.0andnet9.0mobile frameworks) - WPF: Windows desktop applications
- Console/CLI: Windows (x64, ARM), macOS (x64, ARM), and Linux (x64, ARM)
- Blazor (web) platforms are not yet supported.
SDK Features
- Real-time streaming of database changes: Changes made by one user are instantly streamed to all other users with access to that data. This keeps clients automatically in sync without manual polling or refresh logic.
- Direct access to a local SQLite database: Data is stored locally, so apps can read and write instantly without network calls. This enables offline support and faster user interactions.
- Asynchronous background execution: The SDK performs database operations in the background to avoid blocking the application’s main thread. This means that apps stay responsive, even during heavy data activity.
- Query subscriptions for live updates: The SDK supports query subscriptions that automatically push real-time updates to client applications as data changes, keeping your UI reactive and up to date.
- Automatic schema management: PowerSync syncs schemaless data and applies a client-defined schema using SQLite views. This architecture means that PowerSync SDKs handle schema changes without explicit migrations on the client side.
Quickstart
- Common
- MAUI
For desktop/server/binary use-cases and WPF, add the
PowerSync.Common NuGet package to your project:To install a specific version, use
--version instead: dotnet add package PowerSync.Common --version <version>1. Define the Client-Side Schema
The client-side schema defines the tables and columns of the SQLite database that the PowerSync client SDK manages and that your app reads from and writes to. It is usually derived from your backend database schema and your Sync Streams, and it can also include local-only tables. You apply the schema when you instantiate the database in the next step. Schema migrations are not required. The SDK syncs schemaless data and applies the schema to that data with SQLite views. The exception is raw tables, which you create and migrate yourself. You can use this example as a reference when defining your schema. The available column types aretext, integer, and real. These should match the values produced by your Sync Streams. If a value does not match, it is cast automatically. For details on how source database types map to SQLite types, see Types.
Schema Definition Syntax
There are two supported syntaxes for defining the schema: Attribute-based (recommended): Annotate a C# class with[Table], [Column], and [Index] attributes. The same class can then be used directly as the result type in queries, so you define your data structure once:
Unlike the other syntaxes where PowerSync automatically creates an
id column, the attribute-based syntax requires you to explicitly declare it. The SDK identifies the id property by looking for either a property named id, or any property with a [Column("id")] attribute (case-insensitive). Having none or more than one is an error.Alternative: object initializer syntax
Alternative: object initializer syntax
If you prefer to keep your schema definition separate from your data classes, you can use the object initializer syntax instead:
2. Instantiate the PowerSync Database
Next, instantiate the PowerSync database. PowerSync streams changes from your backend source database into the client-side SQLite database, based on your Sync Streams. Your app reads from and writes to this local database whether the user is online or offline. Example: The initialization syntax differs slightly between the Common and MAUI SDKs:- Common
- MAUI
3. Integrate with Your Backend
The backend connector connects the PowerSync client SDK to your application backend. The SDK uses it to:- Get an auth token to connect to the PowerSync instance.
- Upload client-side writes to your backend API. The SDK places every write to the SQLite database in an upload queue and uploads the queue to your backend when the user is connected. Your backend then applies the changes to the source database.
- IPowerSyncBackendConnector.FetchCredentials - The SDK calls this method to get authentication credentials. It caches the credentials and calls the method again only when needed, for example on the first connection or when the token is near expiry. See When
fetchCredentials()is Called for details and Authentication Setup for how to generate credentials. - IPowerSyncBackendConnector.UploadData - The SDK calls this method whenever it has client-side writes to upload to your backend API. Implement how those writes are processed and uploaded. See When
uploadData()is Called for triggers, throttling, and retry behavior, and Writing Client Changes for the app backend implementation.
Connect to start syncing data with your backend:
4. Subscribe to Sync Streams
Streams defined withauto_subscribe: true start syncing as soon as the client connects. For all other streams, your app must subscribe before their data downloads. The basic pattern is: subscribe to a stream, wait for its data to sync, then unsubscribe when the data is no longer needed.
Using PowerSync: CRUD Functions
Once the PowerSync database is connected and your streams have synced, the data is in the local SQLite database. The most commonly used CRUD functions to interact with your SQLite data are:PowerSyncDatabase.Get- get (SELECT) a single row from a table.PowerSyncDatabase.GetAll- get (SELECT) a set of rows from a table.PowerSyncDatabase.Watch- execute a read query every time a dependent table changes.PowerSyncDatabase.Execute- execute a write (INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE) query.
Fetching a Single Item
TheGet method executes a read-only (SELECT) query and returns a single result. It throws an exception if no result is found. Use GetOptional to return a single optional result (returns null if no result is found).
Querying Items (PowerSync.GetAll)
TheGetAll method returns a set of rows from a table.
Watching Queries (PowerSync.Watch)
TheWatch method executes a read query whenever a change to a dependent table is made. It returns an IAsyncEnumerable so you can use await foreach to consume results.
Mutations (PowerSync.Execute)
TheExecute method can be used for executing single SQLite write statements.
Configure Logging
By default, the SDK uses a no-op logger that outputs nothing. To enable logging, configure a logger with .NET’sILogger interface:
Additional Usage Examples
For more usage examples including accessing connection status, monitoring sync progress, and waiting for initial sync, see the Usage Examples page.Troubleshooting
See Troubleshooting for pointers to debug common issues.Supported Platforms
See Supported Platforms -> .NET SDK.Upgrading the SDK
To upgrade the PowerSync package, run the following command in your project folder:- Common
- MAUI