2. The database and the Todo model

The CRUD UI in the next step is generated from a model, so we define the data first.

Initialize the database

vsceasy db init

✓ Database initialized (provider: storage).

  + src/helpers/db.ts
  ~ wired initDb(context) into src/extension/extension.ts

This drops the mini-ORM at src/helpers/db.ts and wires initDb(context) into your activate hook so the database is ready before any panel queries it. The default storage provider writes one JSON file per entity under the extension’s storage directory.

src/extension/extension.ts now reads:

src/extension/extension.ts

export const activate = bootstrap(registry, { onActivate: [initDb] });

Add the Todo model

We give the model five fields, each picked to show a different input later:

vsceasy model add --name todo \
  --fields 'id:string!,title:string,done:boolean,priority:"low"|"medium"|"high",dueDate?:Date'

✓ Model created (primaryKey: id).

  + src/models/Todo.ts

Reading the field spec

Spec piece	Meaning
id:string!	string field, ! marks it the primary key
title:string	required text
done:boolean	a boolean → renders as a checkbox
priority:"low"|"medium"|"high"	a literal union → renders as a dropdown
dueDate?:Date	the ? makes it optional; Date → renders as a date picker

What got generated

src/models/Todo.ts

import { defineEntity, db } from '../helpers/db';

export interface Todo {
  id: string;
  title: string;
  done: boolean;
  priority: "low"|"medium"|"high";
  dueDate?: Date;
}

export const Todos = defineEntity<Todo>('todos', {
  primaryKey: 'id',
});

/** Typed repo accessor. Lazy — assumes `initDb(context)` ran on activate. */
export const TodosRepo = () => db()(Todos);

Three things to notice:

• interface Todo is the single source of truth for the shape. The form and list UIs, the service, and the RPC contracts all derive from it.
• Todos is the entity definition (name + primary key).
• TodosRepo() is your typed data access — findMany, findById, insert, upsert, delete, all returning Todo. You’ll use it from services and jobs.

No UI yet — just typed, persisted data. The next command turns this model into a working interface.

Next: generate the CRUD UI →