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Core

Philosophy Getting Started Roadmap

Formats

Formats ▶
Overview JSON XML YAML TOML NDJSON CSV CBOR

Configuration

Configuration ▶
Overview Server Settings Database Settings Policy Settings Authorization Overview Static Config Auth Environment Auth Database Auth

API Reference

API Reference ▶
Schema API CRUD API Validation Pagination

Architecture

Architecture ▶
Overview High-Level Flow Multi-Format Engine Database Drivers Error System

Errors

Errors ▶
Error Index 400 Bad Request 401 Unauthorized 403 Forbidden 404 Not Found 405 Method Not Allowed 409 Conflict 415 Unsupported Media Type 422 Unprocessable Entity 429 Too Many Requests 500 Internal Server Error 501 Not Implemented 503 Service Unavailable

Philosophy

The principles that shape Conduit

Conduit’s mission: eliminate boilerplate and expose relational data as a clean, predictable, multi‑format HTTP API — without models, controllers, routing configuration, or serializers.

Why Conduit Exists

Building APIs over relational data has historically required a large amount of repetitive setup: models, controllers, serializers, routing rules, validation layers, pagination helpers, and error wrappers — all before exposing a single table.

Conduit removes this entire layer. Point it at a database, start the server, and your tables become fully‑typed REST endpoints instantly. No scaffolding. No code generation. No framework lock‑in.

Core Ideas

Conduit focuses on one job: exposing relational data as a predictable, multi‑format HTTP API. Everything else — business logic, workflows, decisions — belongs in your application.

Schema as Truth

The database schema drives routing, validation, column ordering, and serialization.

Zero Boilerplate

No models, controllers, routers, or serializers. Conduit generates CRUD endpoints automatically.

Predictable Behavior

Every table behaves consistently. Every format follows stable rules. Errors use a unified envelope.

Format Flexibility

JSON, XML, YAML, TOML, NDJSON, CSV, and CBOR are all first‑class citizens.

Database Agnostic

Works with SQLite, PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, SQL Server, and custom drivers.

Minimal Configuration

Conduit is configured through a simple file — no migrations or code generation.

Design Principles

Conduit’s internal architecture — decoder, router, service layer, encoder, and driver system — follows a set of guiding principles that ensure consistency and clarity.

  • Minimal Surface Area: Conduit exposes only CRUD, schema, and multi‑format I/O.
  • Deterministic Output: Column ordering and format rules are stable and predictable.
  • Runtime Adaptation: Schema changes are reflected immediately without regeneration.
  • Format‑Aware Serialization: XML trees, YAML mappings, TOML tables, NDJSON streams, CSV rows, and JSON objects follow format‑specific rules.
  • Safe Fallbacks: When a payload cannot be represented as a row, Conduit falls back to raw JSON.
  • Pluggable Authorization: Static config, environment tokens, and database‑backed auth.
  • Driver Independence: Behavior stays consistent across all supported databases.

What Conduit Focuses On

Conduit is built for teams who want a clean, predictable API surface without the overhead of a full backend framework. It shines in:

  • Internal tools and dashboards
  • Rapid prototyping and MVPs
  • Data pipelines and integrations
  • Legacy system interoperability
  • Multi‑format ingestion and export