Platform Overview

API Now! divides backend development into two distinct layers: the Control Plane (where you visually model your business rules) and the Serverless Runtime (where your databases are generated and run).

This separation ensures that you can adjust your database structure and API paths at any time without worrying about server provisioning, database migrations, or manual code deploys.

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High-Level Architecture

The diagram below illustrates how your designs flow from the Control Plane into a live running API:

flowchart LR
    A["1. Design Blueprint<br/>(Visual Forms & Smart Fields)"] -->|One-Click Deploy| B["2. Serverless Engine<br/>(Automatic Database & Routing)"]
    B -->|Instant Live Connection| C["3. Your Frontends<br/>(Bubble, Webflow, Glide, AI)"]

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The Control Plane

The Control Plane is your design studio. It stores the metadata blueprints (what your entities are, how they relate, and who can access them) but does not store your actual customer data.

It consists of three core visual tools:

Domain Modeler

The Domain Modeler is a form-based visual workspace where you map out your database structure.

• Entities: Define the business records you want to track (e.g., Customer, Order, Product).
• Properties & Constraints: Set up the details of those records (e.g., product names, required fields, unique values).
• Associations: Establish relationships between tables (e.g., a Customer has many Orders).
• Smart Field Tags: Apply semantics (like Email, Password, SoftDelete) to automate backend operations.

API Modeler

The API Modeler configures how external applications connect to your database.

• Action Exposure: Explicitly select which actions to permit on each entity (e.g., enable “Create” and “Read” but disable “Delete”).
• Routing & Paths: Customize endpoint names and map nested sub-resources (e.g., placing comments under posts).
• Security & Gateways: Configure API key authentication, rate limits, and access controls.

Data Catalog

The Data Catalog is a library of pre-configured data blueprints. Instead of designing standard database structures from scratch, you can browse, import, or publish pre-made models (like user profiles or product inventories) to accelerate your project setup.

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The Serverless Runtime

The Serverless Runtime is the engine room. When you deploy a model, the runtime reads your metadata blueprint and brings your backend to life instantly.

Automatic Database Provisioning

The runtime automatically connects to a dedicated PostgreSQL database, creates the required tables, runs schema updates, and establishes the correct indexes and constraints. You never have to write SQL or run manual database migrations.

The Semantic Engine

Instead of executing custom code, the runtime runs a Semantic Engine. When an API request comes in:

1. It validates that the input matches your constraints and Smart Field rules (e.g., rejecting an invalid email address).
2. It applies automated security transformations (e.g., encrypting passwords on write, or redacting sensitive data on read).
3. It runs the database query and returns a standardized JSON response.

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Key Platform Benefits

By decoupling design from execution, API Now! delivers a highly secure and flexible environment:

• Zero-Maintenance Database: Tables, relationships, and performance indexes are automatically managed.
• Instant Updates: Modifying a field structure or adding an API action takes seconds. The runtime immediately updates the database schema and API routes without downtime.
• Consistent Security: Smart Fields guarantee that sensitive properties (like passwords or credit card numbers) are encrypted and secured automatically at the database level.