bknd-create-user

name	bknd-create-user
description	Use when creating a new user account in Bknd programmatically. Covers auth.createUser() in seed functions, registration via SDK/REST API, creating users via data API, admin panel user creation, and role assignment.

Create User

Create new user accounts in Bknd via seed functions, SDK, REST API, or admin panel.

Prerequisites

• Bknd project running (local or deployed)
• Auth module enabled (auth.enabled: true)
• Password strategy configured (enabled by default)
• For role assignment: roles defined in auth config

When to Use UI Mode

• Creating admin/test users during development
• Manual user management by non-technical admins
• One-off user creation

UI steps: Admin Panel > Auth > Users > Click "+" > Fill email/password > Select role > Save

When to Use Code Mode

• Seeding initial admin users on first deploy
• Programmatic user creation in server code
• User registration flows in your frontend
• Automated user provisioning

Code Approach

Method 1: Seed Function (Recommended for Initial Users)

Create users on first app startup via seed function:

import { serve } from "bknd/adapter/bun";
import { em, entity, text } from "bknd";

const schema = em({
  posts: entity("posts", { title: text().required() }),
});

serve({
  connection: { url: "file:data.db" },
  config: {
    data: schema.toJSON(),
    auth: {
      enabled: true,
      jwt: { secret: process.env.JWT_SECRET || "dev-secret" },
      roles: {
        admin: { implicit_allow: true },
        user: { implicit_allow: false },
      },
    },
  },
  options: {
    seed: async (ctx) => {
      // Create admin user on first run
      await ctx.app.module.auth.createUser({
        email: "[e-mail]",
        password: "securepassword123",
        role: "admin",
      });
      console.log("Admin user created");
    },
  },
});

Seed function notes:

• Runs only on first startup when database is empty
• Has full access to ctx.app.module.auth
• Ideal for creating initial admin accounts

Method 2: Server-Side createUser()

Create users programmatically in server code (plugins, flows, custom endpoints):

import { getApi } from "bknd";

// In a plugin, flow, or custom endpoint handler
async function createAdminUser(app) {
  const user = await app.module.auth.createUser({
    email: "[e-mail]",
    password: "securepassword123",
    role: "admin",
  });

  console.log("Created user:", user.id, user.email);
  return user;
}

// With additional fields (if users entity has custom fields)
async function createUserWithProfile(app) {
  const user = await app.module.auth.createUser({
    email: "[e-mail]",
    password: "password123",
    role: "user",
    name: "John Doe",        // Custom field
    avatar: "https://...",   // Custom field
  });
  return user;
}

createUser() signature:

type CreateUserPayload = {
  email: string;      // Required: user email
  password: string;   // Required: plain text (will be hashed)
  role?: string;      // Optional: must exist in auth.roles
  [key: string]: any; // Additional fields for users entity
};

// Returns the created user record
async createUser(payload: CreateUserPayload): Promise<User>

Method 3: SDK Registration (Client-Side)

For user self-registration via your frontend:

import { Api } from "bknd";

const api = new Api({
  host: "http://localhost:7654",
  storage: localStorage,  // For token persistence
});

// Register new user
const { ok, data, error } = await api.auth.register("password", {
  email: "[e-mail]",
  password: "securepassword123",
});

if (ok) {
  console.log("Registered:", data.user);
  console.log("Token:", data.token);
  // User is now logged in, token stored in localStorage
} else {
  console.error("Registration failed:", error);
}

Registration notes:

• Requires auth.allow_register: true (default)
• Assigns auth.default_role_register role automatically
• Returns JWT token (user is logged in after registration)
• Only accepts email/password; additional fields need separate update

Method 4: REST API Registration

# Register via REST API
curl -X POST http://localhost:7654/api/auth/password/register \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email": "[e-mail]", "password": "securepassword123"}'

Response:

{
  "user": {
    "id": 1,
    "email": "[e-mail]",
    "role": "user"
  },
  "token": "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIs..."
}

Method 5: Data API (Admin Creating Users)

Admins can create users directly via data API (requires auth + admin role):

// As authenticated admin
const { ok, data } = await api.data.createOne("users", {
  email: "[e-mail]",
  strategy: "password",
  strategy_value: "HASHED_PASSWORD",  // Must be pre-hashed!
  role: "user",
});

Warning: Data API requires pre-hashed password. Use createUser() or registration instead for proper password handling.

React Integration

Registration Form

import { useApp } from "bknd/react";
import { useState } from "react";

function RegisterForm() {
  const { api } = useApp();
  const [email, setEmail] = useState("");
  const [password, setPassword] = useState("");
  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);

  async function handleSubmit(e: React.FormEvent) {
    e.preventDefault();
    setLoading(true);
    setError(null);

    const { ok, data, error: apiError } = await api.auth.register("password", {
      email,
      password,
    });

    setLoading(false);

    if (ok) {
      console.log("Registered:", data.user);
      // Redirect to dashboard or show success
    } else {
      setError(apiError?.message || "Registration failed");
    }
  }

  return (
    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
      <input
        type="email"
        value={email}
        onChange={(e) => setEmail(e.target.value)}
        placeholder="Email"
        required
      />
      <input
        type="password"
        value={password}
        onChange={(e) => setPassword(e.target.value)}
        placeholder="Password"
        minLength={8}
        required
      />
      <button type="submit" disabled={loading}>
        {loading ? "Creating account..." : "Register"}
      </button>
      {error && <p className="error">{error}</p>}
    </form>
  );
}

Using useAuth Hook

import { useAuth } from "@bknd/react";

function AuthStatus() {
  const { user, isLoading, register, logout } = useAuth();

  if (isLoading) return <div>Loading...</div>;

  if (!user) {
    return (
      <button onClick={() => register("password", {
        email: "[e-mail]",
        password: "password123"
      })}>
        Create Account
      </button>
    );
  }

  return (
    <div>
      <p>Welcome, {user.email}</p>
      <button onClick={logout}>Logout</button>
    </div>
  );
}

Configuration Options

Enable/Disable Registration

{
  auth: {
    enabled: true,
    allow_register: true,  // Set to false to disable self-registration
    default_role_register: "user",  // Role assigned on registration
  },
}

Password Requirements

{
  auth: {
    strategies: {
      password: {
        type: "password",
        enabled: true,
        config: {
          hashing: "bcrypt",   // "plain" | "sha256" | "bcrypt"
          rounds: 4,           // bcrypt rounds (1-10)
          minLength: 8,        // Minimum password length
        },
      },
    },
  },
}

Define Roles for Assignment

{
  auth: {
    roles: {
      admin: {
        implicit_allow: true,  // Can do everything
      },
      editor: {
        implicit_allow: false,
        permissions: [
          { permission: "data.posts.read", effect: "allow" },
          { permission: "data.posts.create", effect: "allow" },
          { permission: "data.posts.update", effect: "allow" },
        ],
      },
      user: {
        implicit_allow: false,
        permissions: [
          { permission: "data.posts.read", effect: "allow" },
        ],
      },
    },
    default_role_register: "user",  // New registrations get this role
  },
}

Extending Users Entity

Add custom fields to users:

import { em, entity, text, date } from "bknd";

const schema = em({
  users: entity("users", {
    email: text().required().unique(),
    name: text(),
    avatar: text(),
    bio: text(),
    created_at: date({ default_value: "now" }),
  }),
});

// In config
{
  config: {
    data: schema.toJSON(),
    auth: { enabled: true, /* ... */ },
  },
}

Note: strategy and strategy_value fields are managed by auth system - don't modify directly.

Common Pitfalls

Registration Disabled

Problem: Registration not allowed error

Fix: Enable registration:

{ auth: { allow_register: true } }

Role Not Found

Problem: Role "admin" not found error

Fix: Define role in config before assigning:

{
  auth: {
    roles: {
      admin: { implicit_allow: true },
    },
  },
}

User Already Exists

Problem: User already exists or UNIQUE constraint failed

Fix: Check before creating or handle error:

// SDK registration handles this automatically
const { ok, error } = await api.auth.register("password", { email, password });
if (!ok && error?.message?.includes("exists")) {
  console.log("Email already registered");
}

// Server-side: check first
const { data: exists } = await api.data.exists("users", {
  email: { $eq: email },
});
if (!exists.exists) {
  await app.module.auth.createUser({ email, password });
}

Weak JWT Secret

Problem: Cannot sign JWT without secret or security warnings

Fix: Set strong JWT secret:

{
  auth: {
    jwt: {
      secret: process.env.JWT_SECRET,  // Use env var, 256-bit minimum
    },
  },
}

Password Not Hashed (Data API)

Problem: User can't login after creating via data API

Cause: Data API doesn't hash passwords automatically

Fix: Use createUser() or registration instead:

// Wrong - password not hashed
await api.data.createOne("users", { email, password: "plain" });

// Correct - use auth module
await app.module.auth.createUser({ email, password: "plain" });

Additional Fields Not Saved

Problem: Custom fields not included after registration

Cause: Registration only accepts email/password

Fix: Update user after registration:

const { data } = await api.auth.register("password", { email, password });

// Update with additional fields
await api.data.updateOne("users", data.user.id, {
  name: "John Doe",
  avatar: "https://...",
});

Verification

After creating a user, verify:

// SDK - check current user after registration
const { data } = await api.auth.me();
console.log("Current user:", data?.user);

// Server-side - read back
const { data: user } = await api.data.readOneBy("users", {
  where: { email: { $eq: "[e-mail]" } },
});
console.log("Created user:", user);

Or via admin panel: Admin Panel > Auth > Users > Find new user in list.

DOs and DON'Ts

DO:

• Use createUser() or registration for proper password hashing
• Use seed function for initial admin users
• Set strong JWT secrets in production
• Define roles before assigning them
• Use bcrypt hashing in production

DON'T:

• Create users via data API (passwords won't be hashed correctly)
• Store plain text passwords
• Use weak JWT secrets in production
• Assign roles that don't exist
• Modify strategy or strategy_value fields directly

Related Skills

• bknd-setup-auth - Initialize authentication system
• bknd-login-flow - Implement login/logout functionality
• bknd-registration - Set up user registration flows
• bknd-create-role - Define roles for user assignment
• bknd-assign-permissions - Configure role permissions