@atcute/client#

lightweight and cute API client for AT Protocol.

npm install @atcute/client @atcute/bluesky

prerequisites#

the client requires a definition package to know what queries and procedures are available. install one alongside the client:

npm install @atcute/client @atcute/bluesky

then register the type definitions using one of these methods:

// tsconfig.json
{
	"compilerOptions": {
		"types": ["@atcute/bluesky"],
	},
}

// env.d.ts
/// <reference types="@atcute/bluesky" />

// or as an import in your entrypoint
import type {} from '@atcute/bluesky';

now the XRPC methods will have full type information for the registered schemas.

available packages:

you can register multiple packages to combine their types.

usage#

the client communicates with AT Protocol services using XRPC, a simple RPC framework over HTTP. queries are GET requests, procedures are POST requests.

making requests#

import { Client, simpleFetchHandler } from '@atcute/client';
import type {} from '@atcute/bluesky';

// create a client pointing to the Bluesky public API
const rpc = new Client({ handler: simpleFetchHandler({ service: 'https://public.api.bsky.app' }) });

use get() for queries and post() for procedures. both return a response object with ok, status, headers, and data fields:

// queries use get()
const response = await rpc.get('app.bsky.actor.getProfile', {
	params: { actor: 'bsky.app' },
});

if (response.ok) {
	console.log(response.data.displayName);
	// -> "Bluesky"
}

// procedures use post()
const response = await rpc.post('com.atproto.repo.createRecord', {
	input: {
		repo: 'did:plc:1234...',
		collection: 'app.bsky.feed.post',
		record: {
			$type: 'app.bsky.feed.post',
			text: 'hello world!',
			createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
		},
	},
});

handling errors#

responses always include an ok field indicating success. for failed requests, data contains an error object with error (the error name) and optionally message (description):

const response = await rpc.get('app.bsky.actor.getProfile', {
	params: { actor: 'nonexistent.invalid' },
});

if (!response.ok) {
	console.log(response.data.error);
	// -> "InvalidRequest"
	console.log(response.data.message);
	// -> "Unable to resolve handle"
}

the error names are defined in the lexicon schema. you can switch on them for typed error handling:

if (!response.ok) {
	switch (response.data.error) {
		case 'InvalidRequest':
			// handle or account doesn't exist
			break;
		case 'AccountTakedown':
			// account was taken down
			break;
		case 'AccountDeactivated':
			// account deactivated by user
			break;
	}
}

optimistic requests#

if you prefer throwing on errors instead of checking response.ok, use the ok() helper:

import { Client, ok, simpleFetchHandler } from '@atcute/client';

const rpc = new Client({ handler: simpleFetchHandler({ service: 'https://public.api.bsky.app' }) });

// throws ClientResponseError if the request fails
const profile = await ok(rpc.get('app.bsky.actor.getProfile', { params: { actor: 'bsky.app' } }));

console.log(profile.displayName);
// -> "Bluesky"

catch errors with ClientResponseError:

import { ClientResponseError } from '@atcute/client';

try {
	const profile = await ok(rpc.get('app.bsky.actor.getProfile', { params: { actor: 'invalid' } }));
} catch (err) {
	if (err instanceof ClientResponseError) {
		console.log(err.error); // error name from server
		console.log(err.description); // error message from server
		console.log(err.status); // HTTP status code
	}
}

authenticated requests#

use CredentialManager to handle authentication. it manages tokens, automatically refreshes expired access tokens, and can persist sessions:

import { Client, CredentialManager, ok } from '@atcute/client';

const manager = new CredentialManager({ service: 'https://bsky.social' });
const rpc = new Client({ handler: manager });

// sign in with handle/email and password (or app password)
await manager.login({ identifier: 'you.bsky.social', password: 'your-app-password' });

// requests are now authenticated
const session = await ok(rpc.get('com.atproto.server.getSession'));
console.log(session.did);
// -> "did:plc:..."

save manager.session to persist login across app restarts:

// after login, save the session
localStorage.setItem('session', JSON.stringify(manager.session));

// later, restore the session
const saved = localStorage.getItem('session');
if (saved) {
	await manager.resume(JSON.parse(saved));
}

use callbacks to keep persisted sessions in sync:

const manager = new CredentialManager({
	service: 'https://bsky.social',
	onSessionUpdate(session) {
		// called on login, resume, and token refresh
		localStorage.setItem('session', JSON.stringify(session));
	},
	onExpired(session) {
		// called when refresh token expires and can't be renewed
		localStorage.removeItem('session');
	},
});

response formats#

by default, responses are parsed as JSON. for endpoints that return binary data, specify the format with as:

// get response as a Blob
const { data: blob } = await ok(
	rpc.get('com.atproto.sync.getBlob', {
		params: { did: 'did:plc:...', cid: 'bafyrei...' },
		as: 'blob',
	}),
);

// get response as Uint8Array
const { data: bytes } = await ok(
	rpc.get('com.atproto.sync.getBlob', {
		params: { did: 'did:plc:...', cid: 'bafyrei...' },
		as: 'bytes',
	}),
);

// get response as ReadableStream
const { data: stream } = await ok(
	rpc.get('com.atproto.sync.getBlob', {
		params: { did: 'did:plc:...', cid: 'bafyrei...' },
		as: 'stream',
	}),
);

// discard response body
await ok(
	rpc.post('com.atproto.repo.deleteRecord', {
		input: { repo: 'did:plc:...', collection: '...', rkey: '...' },
		as: null,
	}),
);

runtime validation#

by default, responses are trusted without validation. for stricter guarantees, use call() with the schema from a definition package:

import { Client, ok, simpleFetchHandler } from '@atcute/client';
import { AppBskyActorGetProfile } from '@atcute/bluesky';

const rpc = new Client({ handler: simpleFetchHandler({ service: 'https://public.api.bsky.app' }) });

// validates params, input, and output against the schema
const response = await rpc.call(AppBskyActorGetProfile, {
	params: { actor: 'bsky.app' },
});

if (response.ok) {
	// response.data is validated
	console.log(response.data.displayName);
}

validation errors throw ClientValidationError:

import { ClientValidationError } from '@atcute/client';

try {
	await rpc.call(AppBskyActorGetProfile, { params: { actor: 'invalid!' } });
} catch (err) {
	if (err instanceof ClientValidationError) {
		console.log(err.target); // 'params', 'input', or 'output'
		console.log(err.message); // validation error details
	}
}

service proxying#

service proxying lets you make authenticated requests through your PDS to other services. the PDS forwards the request with authorization headers proving it's acting on your behalf.

// must be authenticated via CredentialManager
const manager = new CredentialManager({ service: 'https://bsky.social' });
await manager.login({ identifier: 'you.bsky.social', password: 'your-app-password' });

// create a client that proxies requests through your PDS to the chat service
const chatClient = new Client({
	handler: manager,
	proxy: {
		did: 'did:web:api.bsky.chat',
		serviceId: '#bsky_chat',
	},
});

// request goes to your PDS, which forwards it to api.bsky.chat with auth headers
const convos = await ok(chatClient.get('chat.bsky.convo.listConvos'));

common service IDs include:

• #atproto_pds - personal data server
• #atproto_labeler - labeler service
• #bsky_chat - Bluesky chat service

custom fetch handlers#

the simpleFetchHandler works for most cases. for advanced scenarios, provide your own handler:

import type { FetchHandler } from '@atcute/client';

const customHandler: FetchHandler = async (pathname, init) => {
	// pathname is like "/xrpc/app.bsky.actor.getProfile?actor=bsky.app"
	const url = new URL(pathname, 'https://public.api.bsky.app');

	// add custom headers, logging, retry logic, etc.
	console.log(`${init.method?.toUpperCase()} ${url}`);

	return fetch(url, init);
};

const rpc = new Client({ handler: customHandler });

or implement FetchHandlerObject for stateful handlers (like CredentialManager does):

import type { FetchHandlerObject } from '@atcute/client';

class MyHandler implements FetchHandlerObject {
	async handle(pathname: string, init: RequestInit): Promise<Response> {
		// your implementation
		return fetch(new URL(pathname, 'https://...'), init);
	}
}

const rpc = new Client({ handler: new MyHandler() });