What is Minimal?
Minimal turns your existing database into a live REST API — automatically.
You point it at a database, and it instantly gives you GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE endpoints for every table. No code to write. No ORM. No migrations.
How it fits in
Minimal does not replace your existing infrastructure. It sits one slot away from your database, behind your current gateway or reverse proxy. Your auth, TLS, and rate limiting all stay exactly where they are.
Your App → Your Gateway → Minimal → Your Database
Everything Minimal needs to know about the request — who the user is, what org they belong to, what roles they have — is passed in as headers by your gateway.
There are two types of API
1. System APIs — one-time setup
Used once to register your organization and project. These require a X-Server-Key — a server-to-server credential that never leaves your backend.
| API | What it does |
|---|---|
POST /minimal/system/api/v1/org | Create an organization |
POST /minimal/system/api/v1/project | Register a project + database connection |
2. Auto REST APIs — everyday use
Once setup is done, these are the endpoints you actually use. No X-Server-Key needed — just the standard user headers.
| API | What it does |
|---|---|
GET /minimal/api/rest/auto/v1/{db_type}/{db}/{table} | List rows with filters and pagination |
POST /minimal/api//rest/auto/v1/{db_type}/{db}/{table} | Insert one or more rows |
PUT /minimal/api/rest/auto/v1/{db_type}/{db}/{table} | Update rows matching a filter |
DELETE /minimal/api/rest/auto/v1/{db_type}/{db}/{table} | Delete rows matching a filter |
Headers at a glance
You will see these headers throughout the docs. Here is what each one means:
| Header | Set by | Used in | What it represents |
|---|---|---|---|
X-Org-Id | Your gateway | Auto APIs | Which organization this request belongs to |
X-Project-Id | Your gateway | Auto APIs | Which project (database config) to use |
X-Space-Id | Your gateway | Auto APIs | Which workspace within the project |
X-User-Id | Your gateway | All APIs | The authenticated user making the request |
X-User-Roles | Your gateway | Auto APIs | What the user is allowed to do |
X-Server-Key | admin | System APIs | Proves the request is from a trusted internal service |
If you are just exploring the Auto REST API, focus on the first five headers.
X-Server-Key only appears during the one-time setup phase from config.yml.
What to read next
Follow this order the first time:
- Architecture — understand where Minimal sits in your stack
- Create Organization — register your org
- Create Project — connect your database
- GET — start querying your data