Introduction to tRPC

What is tRPC?

tRPC (Type-safe Remote Procedure Call) is a library that enables you to create type-safe APIs using TypeScript. It allows you to build end-to-end type-safe APIs without the need for a separate schema definition, making it easier and faster to develop applications.

Key Concepts

• Type Safety: Ensures that the types used in requests and responses are consistent and checked at compile-time.
• Procedure Calls: API calls are structured as procedures, allowing for easy invocation and handling.
• Automatic Type Inference: Automatically infers types from your code, reducing the need for manual type definitions.

Installation

To get started with tRPC, you can install it using npm:

npm install @trpc/server @trpc/client

Make sure to also set up TypeScript in your project if you haven't already.

Creating a Basic Server

Follow these steps to create a simple tRPC server:

1. Create a new file named appRouter.ts:

import { createRouter } from '@trpc/server';

const appRouter = createRouter()
  .query('getUser', {
    resolve() {
      return { id: 1, name: 'John Doe' };
    },
  });

export type AppRouter = typeof appRouter;

2. Set up your server in server.ts:

import { createHTTPHandler } from '@trpc/server/adapters/standalone';
import { appRouter } from './appRouter';

const handler = createHTTPHandler({
  router: appRouter,
});

const server = require('http').createServer(handler);
server.listen(4000, () => {
  console.log('Server is listening on http://localhost:4000');
});

3. Run your server:

node server.js

Best Practices

• Use TypeScript to leverage type safety effectively.
• Organize your routers logically to keep your code maintainable.
• Document your API procedures for easy understanding by other developers.

FAQ