Operations Reference
This page lists all available Operations API operations, grouped by category. Each entry links to the feature section where the full documentation lives.
For endpoint and authentication setup, see the Operations API Overview.
Databases & Tables
Operations for managing databases, tables, and attributes.
Detailed documentation: Database Overview
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
describe_all | Returns definitions of all databases and tables, with record counts | any |
describe_database | Returns all table definitions for a specified database | any |
describe_table | Returns the definition of a specified table | any |
create_database | Creates a new database | super_user |
drop_database | Drops a database and all its tables/records | super_user |
create_table | Creates a new table with optional schema and expiration | super_user |
drop_table | Drops a table and all its records | super_user |
create_attribute | Adds a new attribute to a table | super_user |
drop_attribute | Removes an attribute and all its values from a table | super_user |
describe_all
Returns the definitions of all databases and tables within the database. Record counts above 5000 records are estimated; the response includes estimated_record_range when estimated. To force an exact count (requires full table scan), include "exact_count": true.
{ "operation": "describe_all" }
describe_database
Returns all table definitions within the specified database.
{ "operation": "describe_database", "database": "dev" }
describe_table
Returns the definition of a specific table.
{ "operation": "describe_table", "table": "dog", "database": "dev" }
create_database
Creates a new database.
{ "operation": "create_database", "database": "dev" }
drop_database
Drops a database and all its tables/records. Supports "replicated": true to propagate to all cluster nodes.
{ "operation": "drop_database", "database": "dev" }
create_table
Creates a new table. Optional fields: database (defaults to data), attributes (array defining schema), expiration (TTL in seconds).
{
"operation": "create_table",
"database": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"primary_key": "id"
}
drop_table
Drops a table and all associated records. Supports "replicated": true.
{ "operation": "drop_table", "database": "dev", "table": "dog" }
create_attribute
Creates a new attribute within a table. Harper auto-creates attributes on insert/update, but this can be used to pre-define them (e.g., for role-based permission setup).
{
"operation": "create_attribute",
"database": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"attribute": "is_adorable"
}
drop_attribute
Drops an attribute and all its values from the specified table.
{
"operation": "drop_attribute",
"database": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"attribute": "is_adorable"
}
NoSQL Operations
Operations for inserting, updating, deleting, and querying records using NoSQL.
Detailed documentation: REST Querying Reference
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
insert | Inserts one or more records | any |
update | Updates one or more records by primary key | any |
upsert | Inserts or updates records | any |
delete | Deletes records by primary key | any |
search_by_id | Retrieves records by primary key | any |
search_by_value | Retrieves records matching a value on any attribute | any |
search_by_conditions | Retrieves records matching complex conditions with sorting and pagination | any |
insert
Inserts one or more records. If a primary key is not provided, a GUID or auto-increment value is generated.
{
"operation": "insert",
"database": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"records": [{ "id": 1, "dog_name": "Penny" }]
}
update
Updates one or more records. Primary key must be supplied for each record.
{
"operation": "update",
"database": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"records": [{ "id": 1, "weight_lbs": 38 }]
}
upsert
Updates existing records and inserts new ones. Matches on primary key if provided.
{
"operation": "upsert",
"database": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"records": [{ "id": 1, "weight_lbs": 40 }]
}
delete
Deletes records by primary key values.
{
"operation": "delete",
"database": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"ids": [1, 2]
}
search_by_id
Returns records matching the given primary key values. Use "get_attributes": ["*"] to return all attributes.
{
"operation": "search_by_id",
"database": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"ids": [1, 2],
"get_attributes": ["dog_name", "breed_id"]
}
search_by_value
Returns records with a matching value on any attribute. Supports wildcards (e.g., "Ky*").
{
"operation": "search_by_value",
"database": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"attribute": "owner_name",
"value": "Ky*",
"get_attributes": ["id", "dog_name"]
}
search_by_conditions
Returns records matching one or more conditions. Supports operator (and/or), offset, limit, nested conditions groups, and sort with multi-level tie-breaking.
{
"operation": "search_by_conditions",
"database": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"operator": "and",
"limit": 10,
"get_attributes": ["*"],
"conditions": [{ "attribute": "age", "comparator": "between", "value": [5, 8] }]
}
Bulk Operations
Operations for bulk import/export of data.
Detailed documentation: Database Jobs
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
export_local | Exports query results to a local file in JSON or CSV | super_user |
csv_data_load | Ingests CSV data provided inline | any |
csv_file_load | Ingests CSV data from a server-local file path | any |
csv_url_load | Ingests CSV data from a URL | any |
export_to_s3 | Exports query results to AWS S3 | super_user |
import_from_s3 | Imports CSV or JSON data from AWS S3 | any |
delete_records_before | Deletes records older than a given timestamp (local node only) | super_user |
All bulk import/export operations are asynchronous and return a job ID. Use get_job to check status.
export_local
Exports query results to a local path on the server. Formats: json or csv.
{
"operation": "export_local",
"format": "json",
"path": "/data/",
"search_operation": { "operation": "sql", "sql": "SELECT * FROM dev.dog" }
}
csv_data_load
Ingests inline CSV data. Actions: insert (default), update, upsert.
{
"operation": "csv_data_load",
"database": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"action": "insert",
"data": "id,name\n1,Penny\n"
}
csv_file_load
Ingests CSV from a file path on the server running Harper.
{
"operation": "csv_file_load",
"database": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"file_path": "/home/user/imports/dogs.csv"
}
csv_url_load
Ingests CSV from a URL.
{
"operation": "csv_url_load",
"database": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"csv_url": "https://example.com/dogs.csv"
}
export_to_s3
Exports query results to an AWS S3 bucket as JSON or CSV.
{
"operation": "export_to_s3",
"format": "json",
"s3": {
"aws_access_key_id": "YOUR_KEY",
"aws_secret_access_key": "YOUR_SECRET",
"bucket": "my-bucket",
"key": "dogs.json",
"region": "us-east-1"
},
"search_operation": { "operation": "sql", "sql": "SELECT * FROM dev.dog" }
}
import_from_s3
Imports CSV or JSON from an AWS S3 bucket. File must include a valid .csv or .json extension.
{
"operation": "import_from_s3",
"database": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"s3": {
"aws_access_key_id": "YOUR_KEY",
"aws_secret_access_key": "YOUR_SECRET",
"bucket": "my-bucket",
"key": "dogs.csv",
"region": "us-east-1"
}
}
delete_records_before
Deletes records older than the specified timestamp from the local node only. Clustered nodes retain their data.
{
"operation": "delete_records_before",
"date": "2021-01-25T23:05:27.464",
"schema": "dev",
"table": "dog"
}
SQL Operations
Operations for executing SQL statements.
Harper SQL is intended for data investigation and use cases where performance is not a priority. For production workloads, use NoSQL or REST operations. SQL performance optimizations are on the roadmap.
Detailed documentation: SQL Reference
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
sql | Executes a SQL SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statement | any |
sql
Executes a standard SQL statement.
{ "operation": "sql", "sql": "SELECT * FROM dev.dog WHERE id = 1" }
Users & Roles
Operations for managing users and role-based access control (RBAC).
Detailed documentation: Users & Roles Operations
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
list_roles | Returns all roles | super_user |
add_role | Creates a new role with permissions | super_user |
alter_role | Modifies an existing role's permissions | super_user |
drop_role | Deletes a role (role must have no associated users) | super_user |
list_users | Returns all users | super_user |
user_info | Returns data for the authenticated user | any |
add_user | Creates a new user | super_user |
alter_user | Modifies an existing user's credentials or role | super_user |
drop_user | Deletes a user | super_user |
list_roles
Returns all roles defined in the instance.
{ "operation": "list_roles" }
add_role
Creates a new role with the specified permissions. The permission object maps database names to table-level access rules (read, insert, update, delete). Set super_user: true to grant full access.
{
"operation": "add_role",
"role": "developer",
"permission": {
"super_user": false,
"dev": {
"tables": {
"dog": { "read": true, "insert": true, "update": true, "delete": false }
}
}
}
}
alter_role
Modifies an existing role's name or permissions. Requires the role's id (returned by list_roles).
{
"operation": "alter_role",
"id": "f92162e2-cd17-450c-aae0-372a76859038",
"role": "senior_developer",
"permission": {
"super_user": false,
"dev": {
"tables": {
"dog": { "read": true, "insert": true, "update": true, "delete": true }
}
}
}
}
drop_role
Deletes a role. The role must have no associated users before it can be dropped.
{ "operation": "drop_role", "id": "f92162e2-cd17-450c-aae0-372a76859038" }
list_users
Returns all users.
{ "operation": "list_users" }
user_info
Returns data for the currently authenticated user.
{ "operation": "user_info" }
add_user
Creates a new user. username cannot be changed after creation. password is stored encrypted.
{
"operation": "add_user",
"role": "developer",
"username": "hdb_user",
"password": "password",
"active": true
}
alter_user
Modifies an existing user's password, role, or active status. All fields except username are optional.
{
"operation": "alter_user",
"username": "hdb_user",
"password": "new_password",
"role": "senior_developer",
"active": true
}
drop_user
Deletes a user by username.
{ "operation": "drop_user", "username": "hdb_user" }
See Users & Roles Operations for full documentation including permission object structure.
Token Authentication
Operations for JWT token creation and refresh.
Detailed documentation: JWT Authentication
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
create_authentication_tokens | Creates an operation token and refresh token for a user | none (unauthenticated) |
refresh_operation_token | Creates a new operation token from a refresh token | any |
exchange_oidc_token | Trades a CI workload identity token for an operation token | none (unauthenticated) |
add_oidc_trust | Creates or replaces an OIDC trust policy | super_user |
list_oidc_trust | Lists all OIDC trust policies, including disabled ones | super_user |
drop_oidc_trust | Deletes an OIDC trust policy | super_user |
create_authentication_tokens
Does not require prior authentication when called with username/password. Returns operation_token (short-lived JWT) and refresh_token (long-lived JWT).
{
"operation": "create_authentication_tokens",
"username": "my-user",
"password": "my-password"
}
With role as an inline role object, instead mints a single scoped token whose bearer is limited to the embedded permissions — requires an authenticated super_user caller; username is attribution only and must not name an existing user (defaults to scoped:<minter>); no refresh token is issued and the token cannot be revoked before expiry. See JWT Authentication / Scoped Tokens.
{
"operation": "create_authentication_tokens",
"username": "reporting-service",
"role": { "permission": { "operations": ["read_only"] } },
"expires_in": "7d"
}
refresh_operation_token
Creates a new operation token from an existing refresh token.
{
"operation": "refresh_operation_token",
"refresh_token": "EXISTING_REFRESH_TOKEN"
}
OIDC Trusted Publishing
Added in: v5.3.0A CI runner can authenticate to Harper with no stored credential. It presents an identity token minted by its own provider; if that token verifies against a stored trust policy, Harper returns a one-hour operation token for the user the policy names. This is the same exchange npm, PyPI, and AWS STS AssumeRoleWithWebIdentity use.
The alternative is a HARPER_CLI_REFRESH_TOKEN secret: a 30-day credential, one per user, that expires on a schedule nobody tracks. A trust policy replaces it with a rule you configure once, and revoke with drop_oidc_trust.
permissions:
id-token: write
contents: read
environment: production
steps:
- run: harper deploy by_ref=true
env:
HARPER_CLI_TARGET: ${{ vars.HARPER_CLI_TARGET }} # a var, not a secret
No secret at all — HARPER_CLI_TARGET is not sensitive. See CLI Authentication for the client half and where the exchange sits in credential precedence.
Policies live in the replicated system.hdb_oidc_trust table, so configuring one on any node applies cluster-wide.
add_oidc_trust
Creates or replaces a trust policy. super_user only — a policy lets an external system authenticate as a Harper user, so granting one is equivalent to handing out a credential.
{
"operation": "add_oidc_trust",
"id": "my-app-prod",
"issuer": "https://token.actions.githubusercontent.com",
"audience": "https://my-instance.harperdb.io:9925/",
"user": "ci-deploy",
"claims": {
"repository_id": "67890",
"workflow_ref": "HarperFast/my-app/.github/workflows/deploy.yml@refs/heads/main",
"environment": "production"
}
}
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
id | Required. Policy identifier, 1–128 characters of letters, numbers, _, -, and .. |
issuer | Required. The token issuer (iss) this policy trusts. |
audience | Required. The audience the token must be addressed to. Should identify this instance; enforced for GitHub Actions. |
claims | Required. The claim constraints a token must satisfy. At least one, and specific enough for the issuer's profile. |
user | Required. The Harper user a matching run authenticates as. Must already exist and be active. |
operations | Narrow the minted token to these operations, 1–100 unique names. Omit for the user's full role — see below. |
enabled | Defaults to true. A disabled policy is kept but never matched. |
description | Optional free text, up to 1024 characters. |
Setting a policy up from the CLI
Every Operations API operation is available as a CLI command of the same name, which is usually the easiest way to configure a policy: log in once from your machine, then run the operation against the cluster.
# 1. Authenticate to the cluster you are configuring (once, interactively)
harper login https://my-instance.harperdb.io:9925
# 2. Create the trust policy
harper add_oidc_trust \
id=my-app-prod \
issuer=https://token.actions.githubusercontent.com \
audience=https://my-instance.harperdb.io:9925/ \
user=ci-deploy \
claims='{"repository_id":"67890","workflow_ref":"HarperFast/my-app/.github/workflows/deploy.yml@refs/heads/main","environment":"production"}'
# 3. Confirm what the cluster now trusts
harper list_oidc_trust
claims is a JSON object, so quote it as a single shell argument — the CLI parses each value as JSON, which is what turns that string into the nested object the operation expects. operations works the same way if you scope the policy: operations='["deploy_component","get_deployment"]'.
harper login stores a token for that target, so step 2 needs no credentials of its own. If you would rather not store one, pass the target and credentials explicitly instead:
harper add_oidc_trust target=https://my-instance.harperdb.io:9925 auth_username=HDB_ADMIN auth_password="$ADMIN_PASSWORD" id=my-app-prod ...
Both routes need super_user, since that is what the trust-policy operations require.
This replaces the policy rather than merging into it. A partial update is how an over-broad policy gets created by accident, and the point of claims is that every constraint in it was written deliberately.
Narrowing what the token may do (operations)
The user the policy names is the privilege boundary: a matching run gets that user's role. operations narrows it further, so one CI user can back several policies that each do less than the role allows:
{
"operation": "add_oidc_trust",
"id": "my-app-prod",
"issuer": "https://token.actions.githubusercontent.com",
"audience": "https://my-instance.harperdb.io:9925/",
"user": "ci-deploy",
"operations": ["deploy_component", "get_deployment", "restart_service"],
"claims": { "repository_id": "67890", "environment": "production" }
}
It is narrowing only — never widening. An operation the role forbids stays forbidden, so the scope cannot be used to grant something the user does not already have. Omit operations and the token carries the user's full role.
Names are validated when the policy is written, against the same registry add_role and alter_role use, so a typo is rejected there rather than failing later inside CI with nothing to point at. One consequence: an operation a component registered at runtime with server.registerOperation is not recognized, because that registry is process-local, so a policy naming one is rejected. It fails closed — a rejected policy, never a widened one — and the same gap applies to add_role and alter_role.
The scope covers the Operations API and SQL, not the application data path. It is enforced at the verifyPerms / verifyPermsAST gate, so a scoped token still carries the role's full table-level CRUD when it reaches an application's REST or GraphQL resources, which authorize through checkPermission instead.
So operations bounds what a CI credential can administer, not what data it can read or write. If that matters, point the policy's user at a role that is itself least-privilege for the data the token can reach, rather than relying on the scope alone.
A scoped token also cannot trade itself for a browser session: create_authentication_tokens with purpose: "login" is refused, because a session carries no operation scope and would silently restore the user's full role.
user is resolved at write time. A policy naming a user that does not exist, or one that is inactive, is rejected — otherwise it would fail only at exchange time, inside CI, with nothing to point at. If the named user is a super_user, the policy is still created but the response carries a warning: any run matching it gains full administrative access.
Claim constraints are exact string matches. A value may be a string, or an array of strings meaning any-of:
{ "claims": { "repository": "HarperFast/my-app", "ref": ["refs/heads/main", "refs/heads/release"] } }
A constrained claim that is absent from the token fails rather than passes, so a policy cannot be weakened by an issuer that stops emitting a claim.
The audience should identify this instance. For GitHub Actions, Harper rejects the provider's shared default — anything shaped like https://github.com/<owner> — because that value is shared by every repository under the owner, so accepting it would make a token minted by any of them valid here.
That check is a guard against the one known-dangerous value, not a proof of correctness: Harper does not compare the audience against its own identity, so an arbitrary or mistyped value is accepted at write time and instead fails to match at exchange time, when the CLI derives the audience from its target URL. Use the instance URL your CI targets. For an issuer with no registered profile the audience is not checked for specificity at all, and the required sub pin is what binds the policy to one principal.
Policy specificity for GitHub Actions
For https://token.actions.githubusercontent.com, a policy must satisfy all three of these, each closing a distinct way a policy can be accidentally broad:
| Requirement | Satisfied by one of | Left open otherwise |
|---|---|---|
| Pin the repository | repository_id, repository | Any repository |
| Pin the workflow | workflow_ref, workflow_path, job_workflow_ref, job_workflow_path | Any workflow in that repository |
| Gate the ref | workflow_ref, ref, environment | Any branch that can be pushed to the repository |
The ref gate is the one worth understanding, and it is stricter than npm's model. Pinning repository and workflow without also pinning a ref is not safe: anyone who can push a branch can add the trusted workflow to that branch and mint a token. npm accepts that shape and relies on environment protection instead.
Consequences worth planning around:
repository_idis preferred overrepositorybecause it is immutable — it survives a repository rename, and is immune to org-name recycling.- A tag-triggered release cannot pin
workflow_ref, since the tag is unknown when the policy is written. Pinworkflow_pathinstead — Harper derives it fromworkflow_refby removing the ref — and gate onenvironment. ref_type: tagis deliberately not accepted as a ref gate. Anyone with push access can create a tag.subis not accepted as a pin. It varies by trigger, and its format changed for repositories created after 2026-07-15 (immutable subjects embed owner and repository ids), so a policy pinning it would have to handle two shapes indefinitely.job_workflow_refpins the workflow but does not gate the ref. In a reusable workflow, it names the reusable workflow that ran, not the caller that invoked it, and its@refsuffix is that workflow's own branch — constant however it is called. Accepting it as a ref gate would admit any branch of any repository that references the reusable workflow. Pin the workflow with it if you like, then gate the ref withworkflow_ref,ref, orenvironment.pull_request_targetruns are denied unless the policy explicitly constrainsevent_name. Such a run executes the base repository's workflow, with its secrets, while a fork controls the checked-out code. A plainpull_requestrun from a fork cannot mint at all, since it gets noid-token: write.
Other issuers
An issuer with no registered profile gets a strict generic profile: the policy must pin sub. That is the one claim every OIDC issuer defines as identifying a single principal, and it makes workload identity work with no provider-specific code — a Kubernetes service-account token (system:serviceaccount:<namespace>:<name>), a GCP service account, and a SPIFFE SVID all carry a stable canonical subject.
GitHub Actions needs its own profile precisely because its sub is the one claim you should not pin.
exchange_oidc_token
Trades an identity token for a Harper operation token. Unauthenticated by design — this operation is the authentication, the way create_authentication_tokens is against a password. The CLI calls it for you; you would call it directly only from a client that mints its own requests.
{
"operation": "exchange_oidc_token",
"token": "eyJhbGciOi..."
}
Response:
{
"operation_token": "eyJhbGciOi...",
"expires_in": 3600,
"username": "ci-deploy",
"policy": "my-app-prod"
}
The operation token is valid for one hour — long enough to cover a slow deploy, short enough to bound the exposure if it leaks. That is a reduced window, not safety: within the hour it is a live credential carrying the policy's identity, so treat it like any other secret and keep it out of logs and step outputs. No refresh token is issued; a subsequent run performs a new exchange.
Every rejection of a well-formed token returns the same message. The endpoint is unauthenticated, so a caller told which check failed could enumerate a policy one claim at a time. A malformed request — a missing token, or one over 8192 characters — is rejected by schema validation before any of that, with its own message; that reveals nothing about a policy. The specific reason is written to the oidc-trust logger, which is where to look when a workflow that should match does not.
An identity token can be exchanged once. Harper records a SHA-256 fingerprint of each spent token in system.hdb_oidc_token_use, expiring with the token itself, so the table stays proportional to in-flight tokens and never holds a credential. The record is written before the operation token is minted: if minting then fails, the identity token is burned, costing a CI re-run, where the reverse order would leave a spendable token behind.
That replay check is replicated, but replication is asynchronous, so two simultaneous replays against different nodes can both succeed. This is not a privilege escalation — whoever holds the token could obtain one operation token regardless — and what it does stop is the realistic case: a token that leaks after a legitimate run and is reused inside its window.
Exchanges are recorded in the authentication audit stream alongside Basic, Bearer, and mTLS events, for failures as well as successes — a run repeatedly failing to authenticate is what an audit trail is for. Enable it with logging.auditAuthEvents.logSuccessful and logging.auditAuthEvents.logFailed.
list_oidc_trust
Lists every policy, including disabled ones, sorted by id. super_user only — the policy set names exactly which repository and workflow are worth compromising.
{ "operation": "list_oidc_trust" }
Returns { "policies": [ ... ] }. Each entry carries id, issuer, audience, claims, user, operations (null when unscoped), enabled, description, updated_by, and timestamps.
drop_oidc_trust
Stops every workflow that matched the policy from exchanging again. super_user only. Fails with 404 if no policy has that id.
{ "operation": "drop_oidc_trust", "id": "my-app-prod" }
This does not revoke operation tokens already issued. The minted token is a stateless JWT valid until its one-hour expiry, so a token obtained moments before the policy was dropped keeps authorizing for the rest of that hour.
Dropping the policy is therefore containment against future runs. If you are responding to a suspected compromise rather than doing routine cleanup, also deactivate or re-role the user the policy named (alter_user), which is what stops a token that is already in someone's hands.
Components
Operations for deploying and managing Harper components (applications, plugins).
Detailed documentation: Components Overview
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
add_component | Creates a new component project from a template | super_user |
deploy_component | Deploys a component via payload (tar) or package reference (NPM/GitHub) | super_user |
package_component | Packages a component project into a base64-encoded tar | super_user |
drop_component | Deletes a component or a file within a component | super_user |
get_components | Lists all component files and config | super_user |
get_component_file | Returns the contents of a file within a component | super_user |
set_component_file | Creates or updates a file within a component | super_user |
list_deployments | Lists deployment records with optional filters | super_user |
get_deployment | Fetches a single deployment record by ID; supports SSE streaming | super_user |
get_deployment_payload | Returns the tarball stored for a deployment | super_user |
delete_deployment_payload | Removes the stored tarball to free space | super_user |
add_ssh_key | Adds an SSH key for deploying from private repositories | super_user |
update_ssh_key | Updates an existing SSH key | super_user |
delete_ssh_key | Deletes an SSH key | super_user |
list_ssh_keys | Lists all configured SSH key names | super_user |
set_ssh_known_hosts | Overwrites the SSH known_hosts file | super_user |
get_ssh_known_hosts | Returns the contents of the SSH known_hosts file | super_user |
install_node_modules | (Deprecated) Run npm install on component projects | super_user |
deploy_component
Deploys a component. The package option accepts any valid NPM reference including GitHub repos (HarperDB/app#semver:v1.0.0), tarballs, or NPM packages. The payload option accepts a base64-encoded tar string from package_component. Supports "replicated": true and "restart": true or "restart": "rolling".
Additional parameters:
urlPath— the HTTP URL path the component is mounted at (e.g."/api/v2"). Must not contain..or.path segments. Persisted on the component's root-config entry; see HTTP middleware routing.hostAdded in: v5.2.0 — the virtual hostname the component is served on (e.g."api.example.com"). Must be a bare hostname or IPv6 literal — no scheme, port, path, or brackets. Persisted alongsideurlPath.install_allow_scripts— set totrueto allow npm pre/post install scripts (disabled by default)credentials— credentials for installing a component from a private npm registry or private git repository (see below)
urlPath and host both require package and are rejected on a payload-only deploy. To mount a payload-deployed component, add host/urlPath to its entry in the root harper-config.yaml instead.
Deploy credentials (credentials)
When a component is installed from a private source, credentials supplies the authentication. It is an array of entries; each entry is one of two kinds, identified by its key:
- npm registry auth — an entry with a
registrykey, applied to a private npm registry. - git host auth — an entry with a
hostkey, applied to a private git repository fetched by reference (e.g.package: "github:my-org/my-app#semver:v1.2.3").
An entry provides its credential exactly one of two ways — a literal token, or a secret reference:
| Field | Kind | Description |
|---|---|---|
registry | npm | The registry URL or host the credential applies to. Required for an npm entry. |
scope | npm | Optional npm @scope (e.g. "@my-org") the entry applies to; omit to set the default registry. |
host | git | The bare git host the credential applies to (e.g. "github.com"). Required for a git entry. |
username | git | Optional git HTTPS username. Defaults to x-access-token (GitHub); GitLab uses oauth2, Bitbucket x-token-auth. |
token | both | A literal auth token, or |
secret | both | The name of an hdb_secret row to resolve the token from. |
A provided token is not treated as ephemeral: Harper ingests it into the encrypted secrets store and references it everywhere, so package-reference deploys keep working through rollback, reboot, and new peers joining — without re-supplying the token. The token is encrypted at rest, stripped from the operation before replication and from the operations log, and only ever crosses the cluster as ciphertext. A git-host token is additionally served to git from memory (via a credential helper) — it is never written to a file or into a URL. Using a secret reference names an existing store row directly. Ingesting a token requires custody on the deploying node; on OSS core without custody, a literal token falls back to a transient, this-node-only credential (not persisted or replicated).
Ingested tokens are stored under a derived name granted to the component — deploy.<component>.<registry> for a registry entry, deploy.<component>.git.<host> for a git entry — so re-deploying with a rotated token idempotently updates the same row.
Private npm registry:
{
"operation": "deploy_component",
"project": "my-app",
"package": "npm:@my-org/my-app@1.2.3",
"credentials": [{ "registry": "https://registry.my-org.com", "scope": "@my-org", "token": "npm_..." }]
}
Private git repository (token resolved from an existing secret):
{
"operation": "deploy_component",
"project": "my-app",
"package": "github:my-org/my-app#semver:v1.2.3",
"credentials": [{ "host": "github.com", "secret": "deploy.my-app.git.github_com" }]
}
credentials replaces the earlier registryAuth field (renamed while the feature was in alpha, before it grew to carry git-host credentials). registryAuth is now rejected with an error directing you to credentials.
The response includes a deployment_id that can be used to query the deployment record:
{
"operation": "deploy_component",
"project": "my-app",
"package": "my-org/my-app#semver:v1.2.3",
"replicated": true,
"restart": "rolling"
}
Response:
{
"deployment_id": "a3f8c2d1...",
"message": "Component deployed successfully"
}
Deployment Operations
Harper records every deploy_component call in the system.hdb_deployment table, capturing the full lifecycle of a deployment including phase transitions (prepare → load → replicate → restart → success/failed), per-node outcomes, and a bounded event log of install output.
list_deployments
Returns a list of deployment records, newest first. All filter parameters are optional.
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
project | string | Filter to a specific component project |
status | string | Filter by status: pending, success, failed |
since | number | Start of time range (Unix timestamp ms) |
until | number | End of time range (Unix timestamp ms) |
limit | number | Maximum number of results (default: 100) |
offset | number | Pagination offset |
{
"operation": "list_deployments",
"project": "my-app",
"status": "success",
"limit": 20
}
Response includes a deployments array and a total count. The payload_blob field is stripped from list responses for size; use get_deployment_payload to retrieve the tarball.
get_deployment
Returns a single deployment record by deployment_id. When called on an in-progress deployment via a request that accepts text/event-stream, the response streams live phase events and install output as Server-Sent Events, replaying the buffered event log then tailing until the deployment reaches a terminal status.
{
"operation": "get_deployment",
"deployment_id": "a3f8c2d1..."
}
The deployment record includes:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
deployment_id | Unique identifier (content hash) |
project | Component project name |
package_identifier | Package reference or payload for tar uploads |
status | pending, success, failed, or rolled_back |
phase | Current lifecycle phase: prepare, load, replicate, restart |
event_log | Bounded log of install output and phase transitions (up to 200 entries) |
peer_results | Per-node outcome map for replicated deployments |
payload_hash | SHA-256 hash of the deployment tarball |
payload_size | Byte size of the deployment tarball |
started_at | Timestamp when deployment began |
completed_at | Timestamp when deployment finished |
user | User who initiated the deployment |
rollback_of | deployment_id of the deployment this rolls back, if applicable |
error | Error message for failed deployments |
get_deployment_payload
Returns the raw tarball for a deployment. Useful for inspecting or re-deploying a specific version.
{
"operation": "get_deployment_payload",
"deployment_id": "a3f8c2d1..."
}
The response is the raw tarball bytes (Content-Type: application/octet-stream, with a Content-Disposition download filename) - not JSON and not base64-encoded, so payloads of any size stream without inflation. Returns 404 if the deployment does not exist or its payload has already been reclaimed (by payload retention or delete_deployment_payload).
Unlike most other super_user operations, this check is enforced directly in the handler and cannot be satisfied by granting the operation through a role's operations allowlist - only an actual super_user role can call it.
delete_deployment_payload
Removes the tarball blob from a deployment record. The deployment record itself is retained; only the binary payload is deleted. Use this to reclaim storage after confirming a deployment is stable. The deletion replicates, so one call frees the payload's storage on every node in the cluster.
{
"operation": "delete_deployment_payload",
"deployment_id": "a3f8c2d1..."
}
Response:
{
"message": "Deleted payload for deployment 'a3f8c2d1...'",
"deployment_id": "a3f8c2d1...",
"freed_bytes": 52428800
}
The deployment must be in a terminal status (success, failed, or rolled_back); deleting the payload of an in-progress deployment fails with 409, since its payload may still be replicating to peers. Deleting an already-reclaimed payload succeeds with freed_bytes: 0 (the operation is idempotent). A payload_dropped entry recording the deleting user is appended to the deployment's event_log.
add_ssh_key
Adds an SSH key (must be ed25519) for authenticating deployments from private repositories. Supply the private key with key, or omit it and pass generate: true to have Harper mint the keypair itself.
list_ssh_keys and the logs never return key material.
The stored private key is encrypted at rest and crosses the cluster as ciphertext when secret custody is configured. Custody is present by default — the file tier generates a cluster keypair on first boot — so this is the normal case.
On a node with no secret custody registered, add_ssh_key stores and replicates the private key in plaintext. It logs a WARN saying so and the operation still succeeds, because SSH keys predate custody and must keep working on a node that has none.
That means encryption at rest is a property of your configuration, not a guarantee of the operation. If you are relying on it — and generate: true in particular reads as though the key can never be exposed — verify secretCustody is configured on every node in the cluster, and check the logs for that warning after adding a key. See Secrets.
Adding an existing key:
{
"operation": "add_ssh_key",
"name": "my-key",
"key": "-----BEGIN OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----\n...\n-----END OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----\n",
"host": "my-key.github.com",
"hostname": "github.com"
}
Server-side key generation (generate)
Added in: v5.2.4
With generate: true, Harper mints an ed25519 keypair on the node handling the request and returns only the public half. The private key is created inside the cluster and never travels from a client, so it can't be captured in a shell history, CI log, or request body on the way in:
{
"operation": "add_ssh_key",
"name": "my-key",
"generate": true,
"host": "my-key.github.com",
"hostname": "github.com"
}
Response:
{
"message": "Added ssh key: my-key",
"public_key": "ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3Nza... harper:my-key"
}
Register that public_key with your git host (e.g. as a GitHub deploy key) to authorize the deploy. The generated key is commented harper:<name> so it's identifiable in the host's key list.
key and generate are mutually exclusive — sending both is rejected. Generation happens in-process, so it requires no ssh-keygen binary on the host and the minted private key is never written to a temporary file on its way into storage.
public_key is returned only on the generating call — that response is the one time the public half is handed back. Harper stores the private key (sealed, subject to the custody caveat above) and the host config; it does not retain the public key for later retrieval, and update_ssh_key requires a key you supply (it can't mint one). So capture public_key from this response — if you lose it, delete_ssh_key then add_ssh_key with generate: true again to mint a fresh pair, and re-register the new public key with your git host.
Secrets
Operations for managing the encrypted secrets store (system.hdb_secret). All secret operations are super_user only. Values are never returned or logged by any of these operations.
Detailed documentation: Secrets
Prefer a UI? Harper Studio provides a graphical interface for creating, granting, and rotating secrets — it drives these operations for you, so you don't have to hand-craft the request bodies below.
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
set_secret | Creates or updates a secret and chooses its delivery tier | super_user |
grant_secret | Adds a component to a scoped secret's grants (idempotent) | super_user |
revoke_secret | Removes a component from a scoped secret's grants (idempotent) | super_user |
list_secrets | Lists secret metadata — never envelopes or values | super_user |
delete_secret | Deletes a secret row | super_user |
get_secrets_public_key | Returns the cluster public key for client-side encryption | super_user |
set_secret
Creates or updates a secret. Supply exactly one of value (plaintext, encrypted on ingest — requires custody on this node) or envelope (an enc:v1: ciphertext produced client-side against get_secrets_public_key). The delivery tier is processEnv: true or grants — the two are mutually exclusive. On update, tier and metadata default to the stored row, so a value rotation preserves the tier without re-specifying it.
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
name | string | Secret name (word characters, dots, dashes). Required. |
value | string | Plaintext value; encrypted immediately, then discarded. Requires custody. |
envelope | string | enc:v1: ciphertext (alternative to value). |
processEnv | boolean | true delivers the secret via process.env (global tier). |
grants | string[] | Components allowed to read the secret via the secrets accessor (scoped tier). |
metadata | object | Optional free-form label object (not a payload store). |
{
"operation": "set_secret",
"name": "STRIPE_KEY",
"value": "sk_live_...",
"grants": ["payments-service"]
}
Response:
{ "name": "STRIPE_KEY", "kid": "<hex fingerprint>", "created": true }
grant_secret / revoke_secret
Add or remove a component from a scoped secret's grants list. Both are idempotent. A processEnv (global) secret cannot be granted — convert it with set_secret processEnv: false first.
{ "operation": "grant_secret", "name": "STRIPE_KEY", "component": "payments-service" }
Response includes the updated grants array and a changed flag (false when the call was a no-op).
list_secrets
Returns metadata for every secret — never envelopes or values. Each entry includes name, kid, grants, processEnv, metadata, unverified, updated_by, timestamps, and kid_matches_custody (so a stale row on a cloned/rekeyed node is immediately visible). The response also carries the node's custody_fingerprint (null when no custody is held).
{ "operation": "list_secrets" }
Response:
{
"secrets": [
{
"name": "STRIPE_KEY",
"kid": "a1b2c3d4...",
"grants": ["payments-service"],
"processEnv": false,
"metadata": {},
"unverified": false,
"updated_by": "admin",
"__createdtime__": 1700000000000,
"__updatedtime__": 1700000000000,
"kid_matches_custody": true
}
],
"custody_fingerprint": "a1b2c3d4..."
}
delete_secret
Removes a secret row by name. Not cryptographic erasure — audit/transaction logs and backups retain the encrypted envelope.
{ "operation": "delete_secret", "name": "STRIPE_KEY" }
get_secrets_public_key
Returns the cluster secrets public key for client-side envelope encryption. Requires custody on the node.
{ "operation": "get_secrets_public_key" }
Response:
{ "public_key": "-----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----\n...", "fingerprint": "<hex sha256>" }
Replication & Clustering
Operations for configuring and managing Harper cluster replication.
Detailed documentation: Replication & Clustering
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
add_node | Adds a Harper instance to the cluster | super_user |
update_node | Modifies an existing node's subscriptions | super_user |
remove_node | Removes a node from the cluster | super_user |
cluster_status | Returns current cluster connection status | super_user |
configure_cluster | Bulk-creates/resets cluster subscriptions across multiple nodes | super_user |
cluster_set_routes | Adds routes to the replication routes config (PATCH/upsert) | super_user |
cluster_get_routes | Returns the current replication routes config | super_user |
cluster_delete_routes | Removes routes from the replication routes config | super_user |
add_node
Adds a remote Harper node to the cluster. If subscriptions are not provided, a fully replicating cluster is created. Optional fields: verify_tls, authorization, retain_authorization, revoked_certificates, shard.
{
"operation": "add_node",
"hostname": "server-two",
"verify_tls": false,
"authorization": { "username": "admin", "password": "password" }
}
cluster_status
Returns connection state for all cluster nodes, including per-database socket status and replication timing statistics (lastCommitConfirmed, lastReceivedRemoteTime, lastReceivedLocalTime).
{ "operation": "cluster_status" }
configure_cluster
Resets and replaces the entire clustering configuration. Each entry follows the add_node schema.
{
"operation": "configure_cluster",
"connections": [
{
"hostname": "server-two",
"subscriptions": [{ "database": "dev", "table": "dog", "subscribe": true, "publish": true }]
}
]
}
Configuration
Operations for reading and updating Harper configuration.
Detailed documentation: Configuration Overview
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
set_configuration | Modifies Harper configuration file parameters (requires restart) | super_user |
get_configuration | Returns the current Harper configuration | super_user |
set_configuration
Updates configuration parameters in harper-config.yaml. A restart (restart or restart_service) is required for changes to take effect.
Supports "replicated": true Added in: v5.2.0 to apply the same change to all cluster nodes in one call; per-node outcomes are returned in the response's replicated array. Only send cluster-appropriate parameters when replicating — node-local parameters (ports, node.hostname, file paths, TLS material, replication.hostname/url/routes) would overwrite every peer's local values. To apply the change cluster-wide, follow with restart_service using "replicated": true (which restarts nodes one at a time). See Configuration Operations for details.
{
"operation": "set_configuration",
"logging_level": "trace",
"replicated": true
}
get_configuration
Returns the full current configuration object.
{ "operation": "get_configuration" }
Web Application Firewall
Added in: v5.2.0Operations for managing Web Application Firewall rules and cluster-wide enforcement controls.
Detailed documentation: WAF Operations and Rule Schema
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
add_waf_rule | Creates a validated WAF rule | super_user |
alter_waf_rule | Patches and revalidates an existing WAF rule | super_user |
drop_waf_rule | Deletes a WAF rule | super_user |
list_waf_rules | Returns all WAF rules | super_user |
set_waf_mode | Sets the replicated mode and/or scoring threshold | super_user |
System
Operations for restarting Harper and managing system state.
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
restart | Restarts the Harper instance | super_user |
restart_service | Restarts a specific Harper service | super_user |
system_information | Returns detailed host system metrics | super_user |
set_status | Sets an application-specific status value (in-memory) | super_user |
get_status | Returns a previously set status value | super_user |
clear_status | Removes a status entry | super_user |
restart
Restarts all Harper processes. May take up to 60 seconds.
{ "operation": "restart" }
restart_service
Restarts a specific service. service must be one of: http, http_workers, custom_functions, harperdb (all currently restart the HTTP workers). Supports "replicated": true for a rolling cluster restart.
{ "operation": "restart_service", "service": "http_workers" }
system_information
Returns system metrics including CPU, memory, disk, network, and Harper process info. Optionally filter by attributes array (e.g., ["cpu", "memory", "replication"]).
{ "operation": "system_information" }
set_status / get_status / clear_status
Manage in-memory application status values. Status types: primary, maintenance, availability (availability only accepts 'Available' or 'Unavailable'). Status is not persisted across restarts.
{ "operation": "set_status", "id": "primary", "status": "active" }
Backup & Restore
Operations for backing up and restoring databases. Managed backups Added in: v5.2.0 require the RocksDB storage engine; get_backup works with both RocksDB and LMDB.
Detailed documentation: Backup Operations
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
create_backup | Creates a managed, incremental directory backup of a database (job) | super_user |
list_backups | Lists the managed backups for a database | super_user |
verify_backup | Verifies a managed backup's integrity (job) | super_user |
delete_backup | Deletes a single managed backup | super_user |
purge_backups | Deletes all but the newest keep_count managed backups | super_user |
restore_backup | Restores a database from a managed backup (job) | super_user |
get_backup | Streams a full snapshot of a database in the response for download | super_user |
create_backup
Creates an incremental directory backup of the database under the configured backup root. Runs as a background job that reports the new backup_id.
{ "operation": "create_backup", "database": "dev" }
list_backups
Returns the managed backups for a database, each with its backup_id, timestamp, size, and file_count.
{ "operation": "list_backups", "database": "dev" }
verify_backup
Verifies a managed backup's integrity, including checksums when verify_checksum is true (slower). Runs as a background job.
{ "operation": "verify_backup", "database": "dev", "backup_id": 1, "verify_checksum": true }
delete_backup
Deletes a single managed backup.
{ "operation": "delete_backup", "database": "dev", "backup_id": 1 }
purge_backups
Deletes all but the newest keep_count managed backups.
{ "operation": "purge_backups", "database": "dev", "keep_count": 3 }
restore_backup
Restores a database in place from a managed backup, as a background job. backup_id defaults to the latest backup. Restoring the system database, or a database a loaded component keeps open, requires the server to be stopped — see when can a database be restored?
{ "operation": "restore_backup", "database": "dev", "backup_id": 1 }
get_backup
Streams a full snapshot of the specified database in the HTTP response for download. For RocksDB Changed in: v5.2.0, a tar archive of the current state (including file-backed blobs unless exclude_blobs is set), gzipped by default; for LMDB, the .mdb file.
{ "operation": "get_backup", "database": "dev" }
Jobs
Operations for querying background job status.
Detailed documentation: Database Jobs
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
get_job | Returns status and results for a specific job ID | any |
search_jobs_by_start_date | Returns jobs within a specified time window | super_user |
get_job
Returns job status (COMPLETE, IN_PROGRESS, ERROR), timing, and result message for the specified job ID. Bulk import/export operations return a job ID on initiation.
{ "operation": "get_job", "id": "4a982782-929a-4507-8794-26dae1132def" }
search_jobs_by_start_date
Returns all jobs started within the specified datetime range.
{
"operation": "search_jobs_by_start_date",
"from_date": "2021-01-25T22:05:27.464+0000",
"to_date": "2021-01-25T23:05:27.464+0000"
}
Logs
Operations for reading Harper logs.
Detailed documentation: Logging Operations
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
read_log | Returns entries from the primary hdb.log | super_user |
read_transaction_log | Returns transaction history for a table | super_user |
delete_transaction_logs_before | Deletes transaction log entries older than a timestamp | super_user |
read_audit_log | Returns verbose transaction history for a table, including original record values (requires transaction logging enabled) | super_user |
delete_audit_logs_before | Deletes transaction log entries older than a timestamp (deprecated alias of delete_transaction_logs_before) | super_user |
read_log
Returns entries from hdb.log. Filter by level (notify, error, warn, info, debug, trace), date range (from, until), and text filter.
{
"operation": "read_log",
"start": 0,
"limit": 100,
"level": "error"
}
read_transaction_log
Returns transaction history for a specific table. Optionally filter by from/to (millisecond epoch) and limit.
{
"operation": "read_transaction_log",
"schema": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"limit": 10
}
read_audit_log
Returns verbose transaction history including original record state. Requires transaction logging (logging.auditLog: true) in configuration. Filter by search_type: hash_value, timestamp, or username.
{
"operation": "read_audit_log",
"schema": "dev",
"table": "dog",
"search_type": "username",
"search_values": ["admin"]
}
Certificate Management
Operations for managing TLS certificates in the hdb_certificate system table.
Detailed documentation: Certificate Management
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
add_certificate | Adds or updates a certificate | super_user |
remove_certificate | Removes a certificate and its private key file | super_user |
list_certificates | Lists all certificates | super_user |
add_certificate
Adds a certificate to hdb_certificate. If a private_key is provided, it is written to <rootPath>/keys/ (not stored in the table). If no private key is provided, the operation searches for a matching one on disk.
{
"operation": "add_certificate",
"name": "my-cert",
"certificate": "-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----...",
"is_authority": false,
"private_key": "-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----..."
}
Analytics
Operations for querying analytics metrics.
Detailed documentation: Analytics Operations
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
get_analytics | Retrieves analytics data for a specified metric | any |
list_metrics | Lists available analytics metrics | any |
describe_metric | Returns the schema of a specific metric | any |
get_analytics
Retrieves analytics data. Supports start_time/end_time (Unix ms), get_attributes, and conditions (same format as search_by_conditions).
{
"operation": "get_analytics",
"metric": "resource-usage",
"start_time": 1769198332754,
"end_time": 1769198532754
}
list_metrics
Returns available metric names. Filter by metric_types: custom, builtin (default: builtin).
{ "operation": "list_metrics" }
Registration & Licensing
Operations for license management.
| Operation | Description | Role Required |
|---|---|---|
registration_info | Returns registration and version information | any |
install_usage_license | Installs a Harper usage license block | super_user |
get_usage_licenses | Returns all usage licenses with consumption counts | super_user |
get_fingerprint | (Deprecated) Returns the machine fingerprint | super_user |
set_license | (Deprecated) Sets a license key | super_user |
registration_info
Returns the instance registration status, version, RAM allocation, and license expiration.
{ "operation": "registration_info" }
install_usage_license
Installs a usage license block. A license is a JWT-like structure (header.payload.signature) signed by Harper. Multiple blocks may be installed; earliest blocks are consumed first.
{
"operation": "install_usage_license",
"license": "abc...0123.abc...0123.abc...0123"
}
get_usage_licenses
Returns all usage licenses (including expired/exhausted) with current consumption counts. Optionally filter by region.
{ "operation": "get_usage_licenses" }
Deprecated Operations
The following operations are deprecated and should not be used in new code.
Custom Functions (Deprecated)
Custom Functions were the precursor to the Component architecture introduced in v4.2.0. These operations are preserved for backward compatibility.
Deprecated in: v4.2.0 (moved to legacy in v4.7+)
For modern equivalents, see Components Overview.
| Operation | Description |
|---|---|
custom_functions_status | Returns Custom Functions server status |
get_custom_functions | Lists all Custom Function projects |
get_custom_function | Returns a Custom Function file's content |
set_custom_function | Creates or updates a Custom Function file |
drop_custom_function | Deletes a Custom Function file |
add_custom_function_project | Creates a new Custom Function project |
drop_custom_function_project | Deletes a Custom Function project |
package_custom_function_project | Packages a Custom Function project as base64 tar |
deploy_custom_function_project | Deploys a packaged Custom Function project |
Other Deprecated Operations
| Operation | Replaced By |
|---|---|
install_node_modules | Handled automatically by deploy_component and restart |
get_fingerprint | Use registration_info |
set_license | Use install_usage_license |
search_by_hash | Use search_by_id |
search_attribute | Use attribute field in search_by_value / search_by_conditions |
search_value | Use value field in search_by_value / search_by_conditions |
search_type | Use comparator field in search_by_conditions |