CRUD: Create (POST) Operation

Welcome to the world of no-code backend development with Xano! In this guide, we'll explore the fundamentals of creating new records using Xano's intuitive interface. Whether you're a no-code enthusiast, a citizen developer, a traditional developer, or a startup/small business owner, this tutorial will empower you to build and deploy backend services without writing a single line of code.

Understanding CRUD Operations

Before we dive into the create operation, let's briefly discuss CRUD, which stands for Create, Read, Update, and Delete. These four operations are the backbone of any programming language or API, and they represent the most basic actions you can perform on data.

With Xano, all of these essential CRUD operations are automatically generated for you, giving you a solid foundation to build upon. While you can certainly get more nuanced and complex with your business logic, Xano provides you with a head start by taking care of these fundamental operations right out of the box.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Records with Xano

Now, let's dive into the step-by-step process of creating a new record using Xano's intuitive interface.

1. Navigate to Your Workspace: Start by opening your Xano workspace, where you'll find all your data models and associated API endpoints.
2. Locate the Create API Endpoint: In the left-hand panel, you'll see a list of your data models. Expand the model you want to create a new record for, and you'll find the corresponding API endpoints, including the "Create" operation, typically labeled as "Add [Model] Record" or something similar.
3. Understand the API Endpoint Anatomy: Click on the "Create" API endpoint to reveal its anatomy. Here, you'll see the input fields that correspond to the fields in your data model. These inputs will be used to populate the new record you're creating.
4. Provide Input Values: On the right-hand side of the interface, you'll find a panel where you can enter values for the input fields. Fill in the required information for the new record you want to create.
5. Map Input Values: Xano automatically maps the input values you provide to the corresponding fields in your data model. For example, if you have a "Name" input field and a "Name" field in your data model, Xano will ensure that the value you enter is correctly mapped to the "Name" field when creating the new record.
6. Execute the Create Operation: Once you've provided all the necessary input values, simply click the "Run" button to execute the create operation. Xano will process your request and create a new record in your data model.
7. Verify the Created Record: After executing the create operation, you'll receive a response from Xano, which will include the newly created record. You can inspect the response to ensure that the record was created successfully and that all the fields were populated correctly.

That's it! You've successfully created a new record using Xano's no-code interface. As a bonus, Xano automatically generates a Unix timestamp for the record creation time, making it easy to track when each record was added to your data model.

Example: Creating a New Merchant Record

Let's put this knowledge into practice with a simple example. Imagine you have a data model called "Merchant" with two fields: "Name" and "Description."

1. Navigate to the "Merchant" data model in your Xano workspace.
2. Locate and click on the "Add Merchant Record" API endpoint.
3. In the input panel, enter a name like "Sylvester's" and a description like "Burgers."
4. Click the "Run" button to execute the create operation.
5. Xano will process your request and return the newly created merchant record, including its unique ID, the creation timestamp, and the values you provided for the "Name" and "Description" fields.

With Xano, creating new records is a breeze, empowering you to build and deploy backend services with ease, regardless of your technical expertise or coding experience.