Roam Research Docs · Developer documentation

Datomic Alpha API

Important Note: This is the documentation for the Depreciated (& inactive) Datomic API. We have a new API! see it here, Roam Backend API (Beta)

Reference::

Description::
- The Datomic Alpha API allows you to programatically interact with Experimental Roam Graphs.
- Experimental Roam Graphs make use of our new backend infrastructure and are separate from existing graphs.
  - Our goal is to migrate existing graphs to the new infrastructure when it is finalized.
- Our goal with an Alpha release is to gather information on use cases and usage to further shape work on the API.
- Any part of the API may change during the Alpha period.
- Any data in Experimental Roam Graphs is subject to:
  - deletion
  - alteration
  - unintended access
- Do not use Experimental Graphs or the Datomic Alpha API for important or sensitive information.
terms::
- Experimental Roam Graphs
  - Hosted Roam graph based on upcoming backend infrastructure.
- Datomic Alpha API
  - programmatic interface to Experimental Roam Graphss
- Block
  - base structure in Roam, corresponding to visible blocks of text and other functionality.
- Page
  - base structure in Roam, corresponding to the top level structure containing child blocks.
- API key
  - Unique string that grants an app access to the Datomic Alpha API.
    - Your app always uses this key when communicating with the API.
  - Currently obtained by messaging the either Filipe or Josh in the Alpha API slack channel.
    - Please provide your roam login email when asking for an API key.
  - API keys are subject to the following quota
    - 500 requests per second, with burst of 2,500 requests
    - 100,000 requests per month starting on the 1st day
    - If these are insufficient for your use case, please get in touch.
- API token
  - Unique string that grants an app access to an Experimental Roam Graphs.
    - Your app stores this token for an users graph.
Usage::
- The API can only interact with graphs created via the Create Experimental Graph button on the Hosted Graphs section of https://roamresearch.com/#/app
  - this button is only visible for users that are part of the alpha.
- The API receives a payload containing both the action to be performed and the action parameters.
- REST API
  - The REST API exposes a single URL where payloads are sent over HTTPS POST together with a header containing the API key.
    - The API key must be provided in a x-api-key header.
    - The API token must be provided in a x-api-token header.
    - Payload format must be provided via the Content-Type header.
      - Returns will use the same format.
    - Supported formats:
      - application/edn
        
        See https://github.com/edn-format/edn for specification
        
        See https://github.com/edn-format/edn/wiki/Implementations for implementations.
      - application/json
        
        Widely available across most programming languages.
      - application/transit+json
        
        See https://github.com/cognitect/transit-format#specification for specification
        
        See https://github.com/cognitect/transit-format#implementations for implementations
- JS SDK
  - The Roam web client exposes the window.roamDatomicAlphaAPI JS SDK as a convenient way to access the API from within roam/js or the browser console.
    - when using the SDK the graph-name action parameter is automatically filled in to the current graph.
    - no API key or API token is needed when using the JS SDK.
    - payload format is always JSON for the JS SDK.
- The API is currently based on Datomic dialect of Datalog
  - the extent to which Datomic and Datalog is exposed is the final API is under consideration.
  - Learn Datalog Today is an excellent resource for those curious about Datalog.
  - Datomic's docs are also a great place to learn more about its flavour of Datalog
status::
- Experimental Roam Graphs are available to Alpha participants
- Datomic Alpha API is available and under active development.
- REST API is available.
- JS SDK is available.
- Actions are missing return documentation.
  - actions that create entities should return them, allowing you to use the newly created entity.
- Entity schema is missing documentation.
known problems::
- Attributes do not work
  - Creating or updating a block with an attribute in it won't update attribute tables correctly, please do not use
action parameter schema::
- graph-name
  - Name of the graph.
  - string
- selector
  - Datomic Pull pattern
    - see https://docs.datomic.com/on-prem/pull.html for details
  - string
  - required
- query
  - Datomic query
    - see https://docs.datomic.com/on-prem/query.html for details
    - where clauses are limited to only data patterns.
  - string
- inputs
  - Datomic query inputs
    - see https://docs.datomic.com/on-prem/query.html for details
  - vector of any
- block
  - uid
    - Unique identifier for the block.
    - string
  - string
    - Text content of the block.
    - string
  - open
    - Collapse state of the block.
    - boolean
- location
  - parent-uid
    - Unique Identifier for block parent under which the block should be inserted.
    - string
  - order
    - Index where the block should be inserted under the parent.
      - Starts at zero.
    - string
- page
  - uid
    - Unique identifier for the page.
    - string
  - title
    - Title of the page.
    - string

actions::

read

pull

Description::
- Pull is a declarative way to make hierarchical (and possibly nested) selections of information about entities.
- Exposes Datomic Pull over graph entities.
Parameters::
- graph-name required
- selector required
- uid required

Usage::

Retrieve the string of block yS-It9SFL.

JS SDK

roamDatomicAlphaAPI({
  "action": "pull",
  "selector": "[:block/string]",
  "uid": "yS-It9SFL"
});

REST API

curl \
 -X POST https://4c67k7zc26.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/v1/alphaAPI \
 -H "Content-Type: application/edn" \
 -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" \
 -H "x-api-token: GRAPH_TOKEN_HERE" \
 -d '{:action     "pull" 
      :graph-name "an-experimental-graph"
      :selector   [:block/string]
      :uid        "yS-It9SFL"}'

q

Description::
- Deductive query.
- Exposes Datomic Query over graph entities.
Parameters::
- graph-name required
- query required
- inputs optional

Usage::

Get all titles.

JS SDK

await roamDatomicAlphaAPI({
  "action": "q",
  "query": "[:find ?t \
             :where [?e :node/title ?t]]"});

REST API

curl \
 -X POST https://4c67k7zc26.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/v1/alphaAPI \
 -H "Content-Type: application/edn" \
 -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" \
 -H "x-api-token: GRAPH_TOKEN_HERE" \
 -d '{:action     "q" 
      :graph-name "an-experimental-graph"
      :query      "[:find ?t
                    :where
                    [?e :node/title ?t]]"}'

Get all pages.

JS SDK

await roamDatomicAlphaAPI({
  "action": "q",
  "query": "[:find (pull ?page [*]) \
        	 :where \
             [?page :node/title]]"});

REST API

curl \
 -X POST https://4c67k7zc26.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/v1/alphaAPI \
 -H "Content-Type: application/edn" \
 -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" \
 -H "x-api-token: GRAPH_TOKEN_HERE" \
 -d '{:action     "q" 
      :graph-name "an-experimental-graph"
      :query      "[:find (pull ?page [*])
                     :where
                     [?page :node/title]]"}'

Get all pages in the left sidebar.

JS SDK

await roamDatomicAlphaAPI({
  "action": "q",
  "query": "[:find (pull ?page [*]) \
             :where \
             [?page :page/sidebar]]"});

REST API

curl \
 -X POST https://4c67k7zc26.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/v1/alphaAPI \
 -H "Content-Type: application/edn" \
 -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" \
 -H "x-api-token: GRAPH_TOKEN_HERE" \
 -d '{:action     "q" 
      :graph-name "an-experimental-graph"
      :query      "[:find (pull ?page [*])
                    :where \
                    [?page :page/sidebar]]"}'

Get all blocks' strings and their uids.

JS SDK

await roamDatomicAlphaAPI({
  "action": "q",
  "query": "[:find (pull ?block [:block/string :block/uid]) \
        	 :where \
             [?block :block/string]]"});

REST API

curl \
 -X POST https://4c67k7zc26.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/v1/alphaAPI \
 -H "Content-Type: application/edn" \
 -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" \
 -H "x-api-token: GRAPH_TOKEN_HERE" \
 -d '{:action     "q" 
      :graph-name "an-experimental-graph"
      :query      "[:find (pull ?block [:block/string :block/uid])
                    :where
                    [?block :block/string]]"}'

Get all pages and their blocks in a tree structure.

JS SDK

await roamDatomicAlphaAPI({
  "action": "q",
  "query": "[:find (pull ?page [:node/title :block/uid :block/string :block/order {:block/children ...}]) \
             :where \
             [?page :node/title] \
             [?page :block/children]]"});

REST API

curl \
 -X POST https://4c67k7zc26.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/v1/alphaAPI \
 -H "Content-Type: application/edn" \
 -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" \
 -H "x-api-token: GRAPH_TOKEN_HERE" \
 -d '{:action     "q" 
      :graph-name "an-experimental-graph"
      :query      "[:find (pull ?page [:node/title :block/uid :block/string :block/order {:block/children ...}])
             		:where
           		    [?page :node/title]
                    [?page :block/children]]"}'

Get the page with the title "October 4th, 2020" and its blocks in a tree structure.

JS SDK


let title = "October 4th, 2020"
await roamDatomicAlphaAPI({
  "action": "q",
  "query": "[:find (pull ?page [:node/title :block/uid :block/string :block/order {:block/children ...}]) \
             :in $ ?title \
			 :where \
             [?page :node/title ?title] \
             [?page :block/children]]",
  "inputs": [title]});

REST API

curl \
 -X POST https://4c67k7zc26.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/v1/alphaAPI \
 -H "Content-Type: application/edn" \
 -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" \
 -H "x-api-token: GRAPH_TOKEN_HERE" \
 -d '{:action     "q" 
      :graph-name "an-experimental-graph"
      :inputs     ["October 4th, 2020"]
      :query      "[:find (pull ?page [:node/title :block/uid :block/string :block/order {:block/children ...}])
                    :in $ ?title
                    :where
                    [?page :node/title ?title]
                    [?page :block/children]]"}'

write

block

create-block

Description::
- Create a new block at a location.
Parameters::
- graph-name required
- location
  - parent-uid required
  - order required
- block
  - string required
  - uid optional

Usage::

Create a block as the first child under 09-22-2020 with the text Mondays are cool!

JS SDK

roamDatomicAlphaAPI({
  "action": "create-block",
  "location": {
    "parent-uid": "09-22-2020",
    "order": 0
  },
  "block": {
    "string": "Mondays are cool!"
  }
});

REST API

curl \
 -X POST https://4c67k7zc26.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/v1/alphaAPI \
 -H "Content-Type: application/edn" \
 -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" \
 -H "x-api-token: GRAPH_TOKEN_HERE" \
 -d '{:action     "create-block" 
      :graph-name "an-experimental-graph"
      :location   {:parent-uid "09-22-2020"
                   :order      0}
      :block      {:string "Mondays are cool!"}}'

move-block

Description::
- Move a block to a new location.
Parameters::
- graph-name required
- location
  - parent-uid required
  - order required
- block
  - uid required

Usage::

Move block yS-It9SFL as the 6th child under 09-23-2020.

JS SDK

roamDatomicAlphaAPI({
  "action": "move-block",
  "location": {
    "parent-uid": "09-23-2020",
    "order": 5
  },
  "block": {
    "uid": "yS-It9SFL"
  }
});

REST API

curl \
 -X POST https://4c67k7zc26.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/v1/alphaAPI \
 -H "Content-Type: application/edn" \
 -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" \
 -H "x-api-token: GRAPH_TOKEN_HERE" \
 -d '{:action     "move-block" 
      :graph-name "an-experimental-graph"
      :location   {:parent-uid "09-23-2020"
                   :order      5}
      :block      {:uid "yS-It9SFL"}}'

update-block

Description::
- Update a blocks text and/or collapsed state.
Parameters::
- graph-name required
- block
  - uid required
  - string required
  - open optional

Usage::

Set yS-It9SFL to be closed with the text Poof!.

JS SDK

roamDatomicAlphaAPI({
  "action": "update-block",
  "block": {
    "uid": "yS-It9SFL",
    "open": false,
    "string": "Poof!"
  }
});

REST API

curl \
 -X POST https://4c67k7zc26.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/v1/alphaAPI \
 -H "Content-Type: application/edn" \
 -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" \
 -H "x-api-token: GRAPH_TOKEN_HERE" \
 -d '{:action     "update-block" 
      :graph-name "an-experimental-graph"
      :block      {:uid    "yS-It9SFL"
                   :open   false
                   :string "Poof!"}}'

delete-block

Description::
- Delete a block and all its children, and recalculates order of sibling blocks.
Parameters::
- graph-name required
- block
  - uid required

Usage::

Delete block yS-It9SFL.

JS SDK

roamDatomicAlphaAPI({
  "action": "delete-block",
  "block": {
    "uid": "yS-It9SFL"
  }
});

REST API

curl \
 -X POST https://4c67k7zc26.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/v1/alphaAPI \
 -H "Content-Type: application/edn" \
 -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" \
 -H "x-api-token: GRAPH_TOKEN_HERE" \
 -d '{:action     "delete-block" 
      :graph-name "an-experimental-graph"
      :block      {:uid "yS-It9SFL"}}'

page

create-page

Description::
- Create a new page with a given title.
- Pages with title in the format of September 22nd, 2020 will create a new daily note if it does not yet exist.
Parameters::
- graph-name required
- page
  - title required
  - uid optional

Usage::

Create a new page titled Reminder Inbox.

JS SDK

roamDatomicAlphaAPI({
  "action": "create-page",
  "page": {
    "title": "Reminder Inbox"
  }
});

REST API

curl \
 -X POST https://4c67k7zc26.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/v1/alphaAPI \
 -H "Content-Type: application/edn" \
 -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" \
 -H "x-api-token: GRAPH_TOKEN_HERE" \
 -d '{:action     "create-page" 
      :graph-name "an-experimental-graph"
      :page       {:title "Reminder Inbox"}}'

update-page

Description::
- Update a pages title.
Parameters::
- graph-name required
- page
  - uid required
  - title required

Usage::

Change title of page aY-ItUT65 to Testing Alpha API.

JS SDK

roamDatomicAlphaAPI({
  "action": "update-page",
  "page": {
    "uid": "aY-ItUT65"
    "title": "Testing Alpha API"
  }
});

REST API

curl \
 -X POST https://4c67k7zc26.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/v1/alphaAPI \
 -H "Content-Type: application/edn" \
 -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" \
 -H "x-api-token: GRAPH_TOKEN_HERE" \
 -d '{:action     "update-page" 
      :graph-name "an-experimental-graph"
      :page       {:uid   "aY-ItUT65"
                   :title "Testing Alpha API"}}'

delete-page

Description::
- Delete a page and all its children blocks.
Parameters::
- graph-name required
- page
  - uid required

Usage::

Delete page 09-22-2020.

JS SDK

roamDatomicAlphaAPI({
  "action": "delete-page",
  "page": {
    "uid": "09-22-2020"
  }
});

REST API

curl \
 -X POST https://4c67k7zc26.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/v1/alphaAPI \
 -H "Content-Type: application/edn" \
 -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" \
 -H "x-api-token: GRAPH_TOKEN_HERE" \
 -d '{:action     "delete-page" 
      :graph-name "an-experimental-graph"
      :page       {:uid "09-22-2020"}}'

markdown version · view in Roam Research · exported 2026-07-03