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PowerSync SDK on Maven Central
The PowerSync Kotlin SDK is distributed via Maven Central
Source Code
Refer to the
powersync-kotlin repo on GitHubAPI Reference
Full API reference for the SDK
Example Projects
Gallery of example projects/demo apps built with Kotlin and PowerSync.
Changelog
Changelog for the SDK
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.
Installation
Add the PowerSync SDK to your project by adding the following to yourbuild.gradle.kts file:
- With Version catalog
- Direct dependency
gradle/libs.versions.toml
build.gradle.kts
com.powersync:core for Apple targets (iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS), consistent with Android and JVM. Use the Gradle dependencies above only. When you upgrade from an older SDK, remove any Swift package dependency on powersync-sqlite-core-swift and any powersync-sqlite-core CocoaPod from your Xcode or CocoaPods setup.
Supported platforms
- PowerSync supports Android, JVM and Apple (iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS) targets through Kotlin Multiplatform.
- On the JVM, the following platforms are supported: Linux AArch64, Linux X64, macOS AArch64, macOS X64, Windows X64.
- Web (JS and WebAssembly) targets have experimental support. See Experimental Web Support.
Getting Started
Prerequisites: Before you start, connect your source database to the PowerSync Service and deploy Sync Streams. These are steps 1-4 in the Setup Guide.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. 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.
Example:
You do not need to declare an
id column. PowerSync creates it automatically.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: a. Create a platform-specificDatabaseDriverFactory to be used by the PowerSyncBuilder to create the SQLite database driver.
PowerSyncDatabase instance using the PowerSyncBuilder and the DatabaseDriverFactory. The schema you created in a previous step is provided as a parameter:
PowerSyncDatabase to sync data with your backend:
com.powersync:powersync-compose provides a simpler API:
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.
PowerSyncBackendConnector.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 WhenfetchCredentials()is Called for details and Authentication Setup for how to generate credentials.PowerSyncBackendConnector.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 WhenuploadData()is Called for triggers, throttling, and retry behavior, and Writing Client Changes for the app backend implementation.
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 executes a read-only (SELECT) query and returns a set of rows.
Watching Queries (PowerSync.watch)
Thewatch method executes a read query whenever a change to a dependent table is made.
Mutations (PowerSync.execute)
Theexecute method executes a write query (INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE) and returns the results (if any).
Configure Logging
You can supply your own logger. It must conform to the Kermit Logger:Warn and above in release builds and Verbose in debug builds:
Custom HTTP Clients and Headers
PowerSync uses streaming HTTP responses or WebSockets to connect to the PowerSync Service. The SDK uses ktor as a cross-platform HTTP client.com.powersync:core depends on an OkHttp-based
implementation on Android and JVM targets, and on the Darwin engine for native Apple targets.
Configure how the PowerSync SDK sets up client engines by passing an instance of SyncClientConfiguration.ExtendedConfig
in SyncOptions:
SyncClientConfiguration.ExistingClient:
Additional Usage Examples
For more usage examples including accessing connection status, monitoring sync progress, and waiting for initial sync, see the Usage Examples page.ORM / SQL Library Support
You can use the Kotlin SDK with the SQLDelight and Room libraries to define and run SQL queries. For details, see the SQL Library Support page.Experimental Web Support
Version 1.14.1 of the SDK adds initial support for web targets (JS and WebAssembly). UseWebConnectionFactory to open a PowerSync database on the web.
For a working example, see the web target of the Supabase To-Do List demo.
Troubleshooting
See Troubleshooting for pointers to debug common issues.Supported Platforms
See Supported Platforms -> Kotlin SDK.Upgrading the SDK
Update your project’s Gradle file (build.gradle.kts) with the latest version of the SDK.