NSRAD

What NSRAD is

nsrad is Nacarsoft’s rapid web application development framework, written in Go and targeting database environments (ADABAS, Oracle, PostgreSQL, SQLite, DB2). Applications are defined with YAML files — forms, listings, dynamic menus and REST-API services — plus scheduled tasks (crontab), without repetitive coding. Access control is role-based (RBAC: users, groups, roles and permissions).

Application, file and data names in the examples are fictional.

Use cases

1. Management application on ADABAS with forms and listings

Create a maintenance app (e.g. a fictional policy-admin) on the configured ADABAS file.

./build/nsrad init /tmp/myproject
./build/nsrad start /tmp/myproject
# → listening on http://127.0.0.1:9090

Web flow (http://localhost:9090, admin / admin123): create the application under apps/, define its screens (forms, listings) in YAML, point to the configured database or a Natural entity, and browse the dynamic menus in the browser.

2. Exposing business data as a JSON REST-API

Expose an entity (e.g. fictional customers) as an endpoint with authentication and role control.

curl -s -X POST http://localhost:9090/api/auth/login \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"username":"admin","password":"admin123"}'

Web flow: define the entity in the application YAML; consume GET /api/<app>/<entity> with the JWT from login; each role authorizes specific actions on applications and data.

3. Automating a nightly report with scheduled tasks

Generate a nightly report or sync (e.g. a fictional policy summary) via the application crontab.

./build/nsrad status /tmp/myproject
# → nsrad is running (PID 12345) — listening on http://127.0.0.1:9090

Web flow: declare the task (report, sync) in the application YAML; check the environment logs/ to confirm the scheduled run completed.

4. Multi-language prototype with several environments

Run development and production environments with the same binary and serve the UI in Spanish and English.

./build/nsrad init /tmp/dev && ./build/nsrad start /tmp/dev
./build/nsrad init /tmp/prod && ./build/nsrad start /tmp/prod
./build/nsrad status /tmp/prod

Web flow: adjust i18n.supported_languages and ui.default_theme in each config.yaml; verify language and theme in the browser; stop with ./build/nsrad stop /tmp/dev.

Interface

Development environment

Reference

CLI commands (verified with `--help`, v1.0.0 build 679)

Command / flag	Description
`init [dir]`	Initialize a new environment (`config.yaml` + `db/` + `logs/`, plus `themes/`, `apps/`, `certs/`, `i18n/`)
`start [dir]`	Start the server in background
`stop [dir]`	Stop the background server
`status [dir]`	Status: running/not running, PID, uptime, memory, URL and config in use
`license`	Show license status and exit
`--config <dir>`	Alias for `[dir]` (environment directory, not a file)
`--version`, `-v`	Show version and build info
`--help`, `-h`	Show help

Note: the reference manual lists --direnv, --port, --host, --start/--stop/--restart flags; the real binary uses init/start/stop/status subcommands with a positional [dir]. Follow this table.

Main `config.yaml` options (see `config.example.yaml`)

Option	Description
`server.port`	HTTP port (default `9090`)
`server.read_timeout` / `write_timeout` / `shutdown_timeout`	Server timeouts
`server.logo_path`, `app_name`, `copyright`	Header branding
`security_db.path`	Security SQLite (`db/security.db`): users, groups, roles
`auth.jwt_secret`	JWT secret — change it in production (or `AUTH__JWT_SECRET` env var)
`auth.jwt_expiry` / `refresh_expiry`	Token (`15m`) and refresh (`24h`) lifetimes
`auth.ldap_enabled`, `ldap_host`, `ldap_port`, `ldap_base_dn`	Optional LDAP authentication
`smtp.*`	Mail for password reset and notifications (`host`, `port`, `username`, `password`, `from`, `security`)
`logging.log_dir`, `level`, `keep_days`	Log directory and retention
`mdi.max_open_tabs`, `tab_state_cookie`	Concurrent MDI desktop tabs
`maps.source`, `yaml_path`, `keyboard.*`	Map source and shortcuts (`F3` close, `F5` refresh, `F6` new, `F8` next)
`i18n.default_language`, `supported_languages`	Languages (`en, es, fr, de, it, pt`) and language cookie
`menu.max_depth`	Maximum menu depth
`ui.default_theme`, `theme_cookie`	Default theme and theme cookie
`pagination.default_page_size`, `max_page_size`	Pagination (`20` / `100`)
`ai.enabled`, `provider`, `model`, `api_key`, `base_url`	Built-in AI assistant
`license.trial_days`	Trial period in days (`30`)

Environment layout (mydata/): config.yaml (port, themes, database), apps/ (platform applications), repositories/ (Natural/ADABAS objects).

Web UI areas

Area	What it does
Login	Authentication (initial `admin`/`admin123`); issues the JWT used by the API (`POST /api/auth/login`)
MDI desktop	Concurrent work tabs (`mdi.max_open_tabs` limit), state persisted in a cookie
Dynamic menus	Navigation across applications and screens defined in `apps/` (`menu.max_depth` depth)
Forms and listings	Record create, edit and query against the configured database or Natural entities
REST-API	Entities exposed as `GET /api/<app>/<entity>` JSON, with authentication and roles
Scheduled tasks	Reports and syncs declared in the application YAML (application crontab)
RBAC administration	Management of users, groups, roles and permissions over applications and data
Themes and languages	Theme (`ui`) and language (`i18n`: en, es, fr, de, it, pt) selectors

Commented examples

# 1. New environment and startup (uses ./mydata if present and no [dir] given)
./build/nsrad init /tmp/myproject
./build/nsrad start /tmp/myproject
./build/nsrad status /tmp/myproject

# 2. Health check and API login
curl -s http://localhost:9090/api/health
curl -s -X POST http://localhost:9090/api/auth/login \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"username":"admin","password":"admin123"}'

# 3. License status and version
./build/nsrad license
./build/nsrad --version

# 4. Two environments with the same binary
./build/nsrad init /tmp/prod && ./build/nsrad start /tmp/prod
./build/nsrad status /tmp/prod
./build/nsrad stop /tmp/myproject

FAQ

Which port does it listen on and how do I change it? 9090 by default (server.port in [dir]/config.yaml); restart with stop + start after editing.

Where does the license go and what happens without one? At /opt/ns/licenses/nsrad.key; without a license it runs in 30-day trial (license shows the status).

What are the initial credentials? admin / admin123 at http://localhost:9090; the admin user is created by migration and cannot be deleted.

It won’t connect to ADABAS or the application doesn’t show? Check the database section of config.yaml (real DBID/FNR — manual values are fictional) and that the environment apps/ layout is correct; if the port is busy, change server.port.