# PocketBase Data Management Guide
## For SvelteKit Projects

### Overview
This guide explains how to properly manage PocketBase (PB) data in different environments of your SvelteKit project.

### Important: Never Commit pb_data
The `pb_data` folder contains sensitive information including:
- User accounts
- Authentication data
- File uploads
- Database content

🚫 **Always add `pb_data/` to your `.gitignore`**

### Environment Setup

#### 1. Development Environment
Each developer works with their own local PocketBase instance:

# .gitignore
pb_data/
.env.*
!.env.example

Local development workflow:
1. Clone the repository
2. Start PocketBase locally
3. Create your own admin account
4. Work with your own test data

#### 2. Testing Environment
- Shared testing instance
- Common test data
- Usually hosted (e.g., on staging server)
- Reset periodically

#### 3. Production Environment
- Separate production instance
- Real user data
- Regular backups
- Strict security measures

### Project Structure

├── src/
├── pb_migrations/     # ✅ Version controlled
│   ├── 1234_initial.js
│   └── 5678_add_users.js
├── pb_hooks/         # ✅ Version controlled
├── scripts/          # ✅ Version controlled
│   ├── seed-test.ts
│   └── init-dev.ts
├── pb_data/          # ❌ NOT version controlled
└── .gitignore

### Environment-Specific Data Handling

#### Development

# Local development
npm run dev
# Reset local database when needed
npm run init-dev

#### Testing

# Seed test environment with common test data
npm run seed-test

#### Production
- Never manually modify production data
- Use migrations for schema changes
- Implement automated backups
- Monitor database size

### Best Practices

1. **Version Control**
- ✅ DO commit: migrations, hooks, schemas
- ❌ DON'T commit: pb_data, .env files

2. **Data Management**
- Use migrations for schema changes
- Create seed scripts for test data
- Document setup procedures

3. **Security**
- Use different admin credentials per environment
- Implement proper backup strategies
- Monitor access logs

### Quick Setup Guide

1. **Initial Setup**

   git clone your-project
   cp .env.example .env
   # Edit .env with your settings
   npm install

2. **Start Development**

   ./pocketbase serve
   npm run dev

3. **Reset Development Database**

   npm run init-dev

### Common Issues and Solutions

1. **pb_data in Git**
- If accidentally committed:

   git rm -r --cached pb_data
   git commit -m "Remove pb_data from git"

2. **Different Data Per Environment**
- Use environment-specific .env files
- Create separate backup strategies
- Use different admin credentials

### Additional Resources

- [PocketBase Documentation](https://pocketbase.io/docs/)
- [SvelteKit Documentation](https://kit.svelte.dev/docs)
- Project-specific setup guide (create in your repo's README.md)

### Support

For issues:
1. Check project documentation
2. Review PocketBase logs
3. Contact project maintainers

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Remember: The key is to keep sensitive data out of version control while maintaining reproducible environments for development, testing, and production.