---
description: "⛔ MANDATORY: Read this ENTIRE file before writing ANY SpacetimeDB C# code. Contains SDK patterns from official documentation."
globs: **/*.cs
alwaysApply: true
---
# SpacetimeDB C# SDK
## ⛔ COMMON MISTAKES — LLM HALLUCINATIONS
These are **actual errors** observed when LLMs generate SpacetimeDB C# code:
### 1. Wrong Package Name for Server Modules
```csharp
// ❌ WRONG — this package doesn't exist
// ✅ CORRECT — use Runtime for server modules
```
### 2. Missing `partial` Keyword
```csharp
// ❌ WRONG — missing partial
public struct MyTable { }
public class Module { }
// ✅ CORRECT — must be partial
public partial struct MyTable { }
public static partial class Module { }
```
### 3. Lifecycle Hook Names Starting with "On"
```csharp
// ❌ WRONG — will cause STDB0010 error
[SpacetimeDB.Reducer(ReducerKind.ClientConnected)]
public static void OnClientConnected(ReducerContext ctx) { }
// ✅ CORRECT — no "On" prefix
[SpacetimeDB.Reducer(ReducerKind.ClientConnected)]
public static void ClientConnected(ReducerContext ctx) { }
```
### 4. Wrong Timestamp Property Name
```csharp
// ❌ WRONG — property doesn't exist
var micros = timestamp.MicrosecondsSinceEpoch;
// ✅ CORRECT — full name
var micros = timestamp.MicrosecondsSinceUnixEpoch;
```
### 5. Wrong ScheduleAt Syntax
```csharp
// ❌ WRONG — ScheduleAt.Time is not a method
ScheduledAt = ScheduleAt.Time(timestamp)
// ✅ CORRECT — use constructor syntax
ScheduledAt = new ScheduleAt.Time(new Timestamp(microseconds))
// OR with TimeSpan
ScheduledAt = new ScheduleAt.Time(ctx.Timestamp + TimeSpan.FromSeconds(60))
```
### 6. Table Accessor Casing Is Exact
```csharp
// ✅ CORRECT — match the accessor exactly
[SpacetimeDB.Table(Accessor = "user", Public = true)]
public partial class User { ... }
ctx.Db.user.Insert(...);
// ❌ WRONG — incorrect casing
ctx.Db.User.Insert(...); // Accessor is "user", so property is ctx.Db.user
```
### 7. Client Callback Signature Errors
```csharp
// ❌ WRONG — guessing at signatures
.OnDisconnect((conn, ctx, err) => ...)
.OnConnectError((ctx, err) => ...)
// ✅ CORRECT — check actual delegate types
.OnDisconnect((conn, err) => ...) // DbConnection, Exception?
.OnConnectError(err => ...) // Exception
```
### 8. WithUri Takes String, Not Uri
```csharp
// ❌ WRONG — Uri object not accepted
.WithUri(new Uri("http://localhost:3000"))
// ✅ CORRECT — use string directly
.WithUri("http://localhost:3000")
```
### 9. Missing RuntimeIdentifier for WASM Build
```xml
net8.0
net8.0
wasi-wasm
```
### 10. Subscribing Before Connected
```csharp
// ❌ WRONG — subscription fails silently
_conn = builder.Build();
_conn.SubscriptionBuilder().SubscribeToAllTables(); // NOT CONNECTED YET!
// ✅ CORRECT — subscribe inside OnConnect callback
private void OnConnected(DbConnection conn, Identity identity, string token)
{
conn.SubscriptionBuilder()
.OnApplied(OnSubscriptionApplied)
.SubscribeToAllTables();
}
```
### 11. Nullable Struct Handling with Find()
```csharp
// ❌ WRONG — accessing properties directly on nullable
if (existing != null)
{
ctx.Db.User.Id.Update(new User { Id = existing.Id, ... });
}
// ✅ CORRECT — use .Value or pattern matching
if (ctx.Db.User.Id.Find(id) is User user)
{
ctx.Db.User.Id.Update(user with { Name = newName });
}
```
### 12. Sum Type Syntax Errors
```csharp
// ❌ WRONG — struct instead of record
public partial struct Shape : TaggedEnum<(Circle, Rectangle)> { }
// ❌ WRONG — missing variant names in tuple
public partial record Shape : TaggedEnum<(Circle, Rectangle)> { }
// ✅ CORRECT — record with named tuple elements
public partial record Shape : TaggedEnum<(Circle Circle, Rectangle Rectangle)> { }
```
### 13. Index Attribute Ambiguity
```csharp
// ❌ WRONG — ambiguous with System.Index
[Index.BTree(Accessor = "by_name", Columns = new[] { nameof(Name) })]
// ✅ CORRECT — always use full namespace
[SpacetimeDB.Index.BTree(Accessor = "by_name", Columns = new[] { nameof(Name) })]
```
---
## 1) Common Mistakes Table
### Server-side errors
| Wrong | Right | Error |
|-------|-------|-------|
| Missing `partial` keyword | `public partial struct Table` | Generated code won't compile |
| `ctx.Db.User` when `Accessor = "user"` | `ctx.Db.user` | Accessors are case-sensitive |
| `Optional` | `string?` | Type not found |
| `ctx.Db.Table.Get(id)` | `ctx.Db.Table.Id.Find(id)` | Method not found |
| Wrong .csproj name | `StdbModule.csproj` | Publish fails silently |
| .NET 9 SDK | .NET 8 SDK only | WASI compilation fails |
| Missing WASI workload | `dotnet workload install wasi-experimental` | Build fails |
| `[Procedure]` attribute | Reducers only | Procedures not supported in C# |
| Missing `Public = true` | Add to `[Table]` attribute | Clients can't subscribe |
| Using `Random` | Avoid non-deterministic code | Sandbox violation |
| async/await in reducers | Synchronous only | Not supported |
| `[Index.BTree(...)]` | `[SpacetimeDB.Index.BTree(...)]` | Ambiguous with System.Index |
| `Columns = ["A", "B"]` | `Columns = new[] { "A", "B" }` | Collection expressions invalid in attributes |
| `partial struct` or `partial class : TaggedEnum` | `partial record : TaggedEnum` | Sum types must be record |
| `TaggedEnum<(A, B)>` | `TaggedEnum<(A A, B B)>` | Tuple must include variant names |
---
## 2) Table Definition (CRITICAL)
**Tables MUST use `partial struct` or `partial class` for code generation.**
```csharp
using SpacetimeDB;
// ❌ WRONG — missing partial!
[SpacetimeDB.Table(Accessor = "Player")]
public struct Player { } // Will not generate properly!
// ✅ CORRECT — with partial keyword
[SpacetimeDB.Table(Accessor = "Player", Public = true)]
public partial struct Player
{
[SpacetimeDB.PrimaryKey]
[SpacetimeDB.AutoInc]
public ulong Id;
public Identity OwnerId;
public string Name;
public Timestamp CreatedAt;
}
// With single-column index
[SpacetimeDB.Table(Accessor = "Task", Public = true)]
public partial struct Task
{
[SpacetimeDB.PrimaryKey]
[SpacetimeDB.AutoInc]
public ulong Id;
[SpacetimeDB.Index.BTree]
public Identity OwnerId;
public string Title;
public bool Completed;
}
// Multi-column index (use fully-qualified attribute!)
[SpacetimeDB.Table(Accessor = "Score", Public = true)]
[SpacetimeDB.Index.BTree(Accessor = "by_player_game", Columns = new[] { "PlayerId", "GameId" })]
public partial struct Score
{
[SpacetimeDB.PrimaryKey]
[SpacetimeDB.AutoInc]
public ulong Id;
public Identity PlayerId;
public string GameId;
public int Points;
}
```
### Field attributes
```csharp
[SpacetimeDB.PrimaryKey] // Exactly one per table (required)
[SpacetimeDB.AutoInc] // Auto-increment (integer fields only)
[SpacetimeDB.Unique] // Unique constraint
[SpacetimeDB.Index.BTree] // Single-column B-tree index
[SpacetimeDB.Default(value)] // Default value for new columns
```
### Column types
```csharp
byte, sbyte, short, ushort // 8/16-bit integers
int, uint, long, ulong // 32/64-bit integers
float, double // Floats
bool // Boolean
string // Text
Identity // User identity
Timestamp // Timestamp
ScheduleAt // For scheduled tables
T? // Nullable (e.g., string?)
List // Arrays
```
### Insert with auto-increment
```csharp
// Insert returns the row with generated ID
var player = ctx.Db.Player.Insert(new Player
{
Id = 0, // Pass 0 to trigger auto-increment
OwnerId = ctx.Sender,
Name = name,
CreatedAt = ctx.Timestamp
});
ulong newId = player.Id; // Get actual generated ID
```
---
## 3) Module and Reducers
**The Module class MUST be `public static partial class`.**
```csharp
using SpacetimeDB;
public static partial class Module
{
[SpacetimeDB.Reducer]
public static void CreateTask(ReducerContext ctx, string title)
{
// Validate
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(title))
{
throw new Exception("Title cannot be empty"); // Rolls back transaction
}
// Insert
ctx.Db.Task.Insert(new Task
{
Id = 0,
OwnerId = ctx.Sender,
Title = title,
Completed = false
});
}
[SpacetimeDB.Reducer]
public static void CompleteTask(ReducerContext ctx, ulong taskId)
{
if (ctx.Db.Task.Id.Find(taskId) is not Task task)
{
throw new Exception("Task not found");
}
if (task.OwnerId != ctx.Sender)
{
throw new Exception("Not authorized");
}
ctx.Db.Task.Id.Update(task with { Completed = true });
}
[SpacetimeDB.Reducer]
public static void DeleteTask(ReducerContext ctx, ulong taskId)
{
ctx.Db.Task.Id.Delete(taskId);
}
}
```
### Update Pattern (CRITICAL)
```csharp
// ✅ CORRECT — use `with` expression or provide complete row
if (ctx.Db.Task.Id.Find(id) is Task task)
{
ctx.Db.Task.Id.Update(task with { Title = newTitle });
}
// ❌ WRONG — partial update nulls out other fields!
ctx.Db.Task.Id.Update(new Task { Id = id, Title = newTitle });
```
### Lifecycle reducers
```csharp
public static partial class Module
{
[SpacetimeDB.Reducer(ReducerKind.Init)]
public static void Init(ReducerContext ctx)
{
// Called once when module is first published
Log.Info("Module initialized");
}
[SpacetimeDB.Reducer(ReducerKind.ClientConnected)]
public static void ClientConnected(ReducerContext ctx)
{
// ctx.Sender is the connecting client
Log.Info($"Client connected: {ctx.Sender}");
}
[SpacetimeDB.Reducer(ReducerKind.ClientDisconnected)]
public static void ClientDisconnected(ReducerContext ctx)
{
// Clean up client state
Log.Info($"Client disconnected: {ctx.Sender}");
}
}
```
### ReducerContext API
```csharp
ctx.Sender // Identity of the caller
ctx.Timestamp // Current timestamp
ctx.Db // Database access
ctx.Identity // Module's own identity
ctx.ConnectionId // Connection ID (nullable)
```
---
## 4) Database Access
### Primary key operations
```csharp
// Find by primary key — returns nullable, use pattern matching
if (ctx.Db.Task.Id.Find(taskId) is Task task)
{
// Use task
}
// Update by primary key
ctx.Db.Task.Id.Update(updatedTask);
// Delete by primary key
ctx.Db.Task.Id.Delete(taskId);
```
### Index operations
```csharp
// Find by unique index — returns nullable
if (ctx.Db.Player.Username.Find("alice") is Player player)
{
// Found player
}
// Filter by B-tree index — returns iterator
foreach (var task in ctx.Db.Task.OwnerId.Filter(ctx.Sender))
{
// Process each task
}
```
### Iterate all rows
```csharp
// Full table scan
foreach (var task in ctx.Db.Task.Iter())
{
// Process each task
}
```
---
## 5) Custom Types
**Use `[SpacetimeDB.Type]` for custom structs/enums. Must be `partial`.**
```csharp
using SpacetimeDB;
[SpacetimeDB.Type]
public partial struct Position
{
public int X;
public int Y;
}
[SpacetimeDB.Type]
public partial struct PlayerStats
{
public int Health;
public int Mana;
public Position Location;
}
// Use in table
[SpacetimeDB.Table(Accessor = "Player", Public = true)]
public partial struct Player
{
[SpacetimeDB.PrimaryKey]
public Identity Id;
public string Name;
public PlayerStats Stats;
}
```
---
## 6) Sum Types / Tagged Enums (CRITICAL)
**Sum types MUST use `partial record` (not `partial class`) and inherit from `TaggedEnum`.**
```csharp
using SpacetimeDB;
// Step 1: Define variant types as partial structs with [Type]
[SpacetimeDB.Type]
public partial struct Circle { public int Radius; }
[SpacetimeDB.Type]
public partial struct Rectangle { public int Width; public int Height; }
// Step 2: Define sum type as partial RECORD (not struct or class!) inheriting TaggedEnum
// The tuple MUST include both the type AND a name for each variant
[SpacetimeDB.Type]
public partial record Shape : TaggedEnum<(Circle Circle, Rectangle Rectangle)> { }
// Step 3: Use in a table
[SpacetimeDB.Table(Accessor = "Drawing", Public = true)]
public partial struct Drawing
{
[SpacetimeDB.PrimaryKey]
public int Id;
public Shape ShapeA;
public Shape ShapeB;
}
```
### Creating sum type values
```csharp
// Create variant instances using the generated nested types
var circle = new Shape.Circle(new Circle { Radius = 10 });
var rect = new Shape.Rectangle(new Rectangle { Width = 4, Height = 6 });
// Insert into table
ctx.Db.Drawing.Insert(new Drawing { Id = 1, ShapeA = circle, ShapeB = rect });
```
---
## 7) Client SDK Setup
```csharp
// Connection pattern
_conn = DbConnection.Builder()
.WithUri("http://localhost:3000") // String, NOT Uri object!
.WithModuleName("my-module")
.WithToken(savedToken) // null for first connection
.OnConnect(OnConnected)
.OnDisconnect((conn, err) => { })
.OnConnectError(err => { })
.Build();
// Subscribe in OnConnected callback, NOT before!
private void OnConnected(DbConnection conn, Identity identity, string token)
{
conn.SubscriptionBuilder()
.OnApplied(OnSubscriptionApplied)
.SubscribeToAllTables();
}
```
### ⚠️ CRITICAL: FrameTick
**You MUST call `FrameTick()` regularly** — without it, no callbacks fire:
```csharp
while (running)
{
conn.FrameTick();
Thread.Sleep(16); // ~60 times per second
}
```
### Row Callbacks (Client-side)
```csharp
// Register callbacks BEFORE subscribing
_conn.Db.Task.OnInsert += (EventContext ctx, Task row) =>
{
// Row was inserted
};
_conn.Db.Task.OnUpdate += (EventContext ctx, Task oldRow, Task newRow) =>
{
// Row was updated
};
_conn.Db.Task.OnDelete += (EventContext ctx, Task row) =>
{
// Row was deleted
};
```
### Invoking Reducers (Client-side)
```csharp
// Reducers are called as methods on conn.Reducers
_conn.Reducers.CreateTask("My task");
// Register callback for reducer completion
_conn.Reducers.OnCreateTask += (ctx) =>
{
if (ctx.Event.Status is Status.Committed)
{
// Success
}
else if (ctx.Event.Status is Status.Failed failed)
{
// Failed: failed.Item contains error
}
};
```
---
## 8) Scheduled Tables
For C# scheduled tables, `ScheduledAt = ...` must point to a field of type `ScheduleAt` on the scheduled table.
```csharp
using SpacetimeDB;
[SpacetimeDB.Table(Accessor = "Reminder", Scheduled = nameof(SendReminder))]
public partial struct Reminder
{
[SpacetimeDB.PrimaryKey]
[SpacetimeDB.AutoInc]
public ulong Id;
public string Message;
public ScheduleAt ScheduledAt;
}
public static partial class Module
{
// Scheduled reducer receives the full row
[SpacetimeDB.Reducer]
public static void SendReminder(ReducerContext ctx, Reminder reminder)
{
Log.Info($"Reminder: {reminder.Message}");
// Row is automatically deleted after reducer completes
}
[SpacetimeDB.Reducer]
public static void CreateReminder(ReducerContext ctx, string message, ulong delaySecs)
{
var futureTime = ctx.Timestamp + TimeSpan.FromSeconds(delaySecs);
ctx.Db.Reminder.Insert(new Reminder
{
Id = 0,
Message = message,
ScheduledAt = new ScheduleAt.Time(futureTime)
});
}
[SpacetimeDB.Reducer]
public static void CancelReminder(ReducerContext ctx, ulong reminderId)
{
ctx.Db.Reminder.Id.Delete(reminderId);
}
}
```
---
## 9) Logging
```csharp
using SpacetimeDB;
Log.Debug("Debug message");
Log.Info("Information");
Log.Warn("Warning");
Log.Error("Error occurred");
Log.Panic("Critical failure"); // Terminates execution
```
---
## 10) Timestamps
### Server-side
```csharp
// Use ctx.Timestamp for current time
ctx.Db.Task.Insert(new Task
{
// ...
CreatedAt = ctx.Timestamp
});
// Never use DateTime.Now - it's non-deterministic!
```
### Client-side
```csharp
// Timestamp has MicrosecondsSinceUnixEpoch property
var dateTime = DateTimeOffset.FromUnixTimeMilliseconds(
row.CreatedAt.MicrosecondsSinceUnixEpoch / 1000
).LocalDateTime;
```
---
## 11) Project Setup
### Required .csproj (MUST be named `StdbModule.csproj`)
```xml
net8.0
wasi-wasm
Exe
enable
enable
```
### Prerequisites
```bash
# Install .NET 8 SDK (required, not .NET 9)
# Download from https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/8.0
# Install WASI workload
dotnet workload install wasi-experimental
```
---
## 12) Commands
```bash
# Start local server
spacetime start
# Publish module
spacetime publish --module-path
# Clear database and republish
spacetime publish --clear-database -y --module-path
# Generate bindings
spacetime generate --lang csharp --out-dir /SpacetimeDB --module-path
# View logs
spacetime logs
```
---
## 13) Hard Requirements
**C#-specific:**
1. **Tables and Module MUST be `partial`** — required for code generation
2. **Use PascalCase for table access** — `ctx.Db.TableName`, not `ctx.Db.tableName`
3. **Project file MUST be named `StdbModule.csproj`** — CLI requirement
4. **Requires .NET 8 SDK** — .NET 9 and newer not yet supported
5. **Install WASI workload** — `dotnet workload install wasi-experimental`
6. **C# does NOT support procedures** — use reducers only
7. **Reducers must be deterministic** — no filesystem, network, timers, or `Random`
8. **Add `Public = true`** — if clients need to subscribe to a table
9. **Use `T?` for nullable fields** — not `Optional`
10. **Pass `0` for auto-increment** — to trigger ID generation on insert
11. **MUST call `FrameTick()` regularly** — client callbacks won't fire otherwise
12. **DO NOT edit generated bindings** — regenerate with `spacetime generate`