FAQ & troubleshooting
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions we hear most. Still stuck? Ask the AI assistant.
What is API Studio?
API Studio is where an org developer defines the shape of your data — more technically, your entity definitions. Say you're building a shop and need a product: you define a product entity with its fields, and nostackai gives it Create, Read, Update, Delete and List APIs automatically, with no code and no deploy. You can also attach automations to an entity in API Studio. Logic Blocks, Agents, Connectors and Tenant Management are separate sections of the console.
Do I have to write backend code to build an API?
No. nostackai runs the backend for you — you set up entities, logic blocks, events, and permissions as configuration, and nostackai serves the APIs. Defining an entity generates its create, read, update, delete, and list endpoints with no code and no deploy.
What's the difference between the define tier and the run tier?
The define tier is where an org developer builds, starting with API Studio, where you define your entities and attach automations — guarded by your org role. The run tier is your app's endpoint, provided by nostackai at /app/{orgCode}/..., where your app's users call the live data APIs — guarded by tenant ACL. The two are kept completely separate.
How do permissions work for app users?
Only through ACL policies, attached to a user directly (useraclpolicy) or via a group (usergroup). A tenant role is just a label and grants nothing — to change access, attach an aclpolicy. See Auth & access → ACL, roles & groups.
When should I use a logic block instead of entity CRUD?
Use a logic block when one call needs multiple entity operations, branching or loops, an external/webhook/connector call, or AI. It's a multi-step pipeline exposed as a single endpoint.
Can I bring my own AI keys?
Yes. AI providers resolve through three tiers: platform defaults, an org enable gate, and per-workspace keys. Each workspace stores its own api_key and default_model. OpenAI-compatible providers (Grok, DeepSeek, …) work by setting protocol: openai and a base_url — no code change.
How do connectors get a tenant's credentials?
Credentials are saved per workspace as an encrypted settings record (group=connector). The platform defines the connector and its credential form; the org admin builds the automation; each tenant enters their own keys, which are AES-256 encrypted and never returned by any API.
How do I move my configuration from test to production?
Build in the test environment, then use the Deploy view to diff and publish entities, logic blocks, events, and settings to prod. Published items land staged, then activate to go live, with one-step rollback. App data is never deployed — only configuration.
How do automations fire on data changes?
Attach an after-event to an entity's create or update. When a record changes, the platform matches your automation, resolves {{source.*}} field mappings, and asynchronously invokes the destination — a connector, webhook, notification, S3 write, or another entity write.