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package/docs/03-entity-types.md

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+# Entity Types
+
+> **Load this file when:** you need to choose which entity type to use, understand
+> what each type provides, or configure entity-level behaviour (deletable, auditable,
+> multitenancy, storage, permissions, etc.).
+>
+> Related: [02-system-meta-builder.md](./02-system-meta-builder.md) ·
+> [04-fields.md](./04-fields.md) · [06-storage.md](./06-storage.md)
+
+---
+
+## Choosing an entity type
+
+| Type | Use when | Deletable by default | Auto-added fields |
+|------|----------|---------------------|-------------------|
+| `Catalog` | Reference / lookup data (statuses, categories, countries) | No | `id`, `search` |
+| `Document` | Business transactions (orders, invoices, payments) | No | `id`, `date`, `search` |
+| `InfoRegistry` | Accounting-style state snapshots (inventory levels, balances at a point in time) | No | `id`, + registrar fields if `registrarDepended=true` |
+| `SumRegistry` | Accounting-style running totals (sum of amounts per dimension) | No | `id`, `date`, + registrar fields if `registrarDepended=true` |
+| `Report` | Read-only report pages (no CRUD, no storage) | — | none |
+
+All savable entity types (`Catalog`, `Document`, `InfoRegistry`, `SumRegistry`) inherit
+from `BaseSavableEntityBuilder` and share the same core API described below.
+
+---
+
+## BaseSavableEntityBuilder — shared API
+
+All methods below are available on every savable entity.
+
+### Default state
+
+| Property | Default |
+|----------|---------|
+| `deletable` | `false` |
+| `editable` | `true` |
+| `auditable` | `true` |
+| `creatableByUser` | `true` |
+| `updatableByUser` | `true` |
+| `removableByUser` | `true` |
+| `exportableByUser` | `true` |
+| `searchEnabled` | `true` |
+| `storage` | `POSTGRES` |
+| `multitenancy` | `'none'` |
+| `database` | `'main'` |
+| `sortField` | `'id'` |
+| `sortOrder` | `'DESC'` |
+
+---
+
+### Access control {#access-control}
+
+#### `setCreatableByUser(value?: boolean): this`
+
+Controls whether users can create records via the UI and GraphQL mutation.
+Defaults to `true`.
+
+#### `setUpdatableByUser(value?: boolean): this`
+
+Controls whether users can update records. Defaults to `true`.
+
+#### `setRemovableByUser(value?: boolean): this`
+
+Controls whether users can delete records. Defaults to `true`.
+
+**Anti-pattern — hiding entity from UI by setting `setNotUpdatableByUser` on every field:**
+
+```ts
+// WRONG: makes fields optional in generated types, conflicts with setRequired()
+entity.addField('name').setRequired().setNotUpdatableByUser()
+entity.addField('status').setRequired().setNotUpdatableByUser()
+// ... repeat for every field
+
+// CORRECT: disable at the entity level
+entity
+  .setCreatableByUser(false)
+  .setUpdatableByUser(false)
+  .setRemovableByUser(false)
+```
+
+`setNotUpdatableByUser()` on a field marks that field as **not required in update input
+types**. When combined with `setRequired()`, the field is required in the DB but not in
+the update GraphQL input — which is the correct semantic for immutable fields. Using it
+globally to hide an entity from the UI is the wrong tool.
+
+#### `setExportableByUser(value?: boolean): this`
+
+Controls whether users can export records (e.g. to CSV). Defaults to `true`.
+
+See [11-permissions.md](./11-permissions.md) for how access control actually works —
+both the backend-enforced `<entity>.<action>` permissions and the frontend-only
+`ui.<entity>.list` permission.
+
+---
+
+### Deletion and editing {#deletion-and-editing}
+
+#### `setDeletable(value?: boolean): this`
+
+Allows physical deletion of records. Default `false` — most entities use soft-delete or
+are not deletable at all.
+
+#### `setEditable(value?: boolean): this`
+
+Controls whether the edit UI form is shown. Default `true`.
+
+---
+
+### Auditing {#auditing}
+
+#### `setAuditable(value?: boolean): this`
+
+Enables audit logging (recording who created/updated/deleted records). Default `true`.
+
+---
+
+### Caching {#caching}
+
+#### `setCacheable(value?: boolean): this`
+
+Enables in-memory caching for this entity. Default `false`. Use for small, rarely
+changing reference data (e.g. currencies, countries).
+
+---
+
+### Storage {#storage}
+
+#### `setStorage(storage: StorageType): this`
+
+Sets the storage engine. See [06-storage.md](./06-storage.md) for all options.
+
+When set to an external-search storage, automatically:
+- Forces `id` type to `string` with `cuid()` auto-generation
+- Creates an `externalSearchTrackings` helper entity
+
+#### `setDatabase(name: string): this`
+
+Assigns this entity to a named database. Default `'main'`.
+The database must be registered first via `system.addDatabase(name)`.
+See [02-system-meta-builder.md#addDatabase](./02-system-meta-builder.md#addDatabase).
+
+---
+
+### Search {#search}
+
+#### `setSearchEnabled(value?: boolean): this`
+
+Enables/disables full-text search for this entity. Default `true` for Catalog/Document,
+`false` for InfoRegistry.
+
+---
+
+### Sorting {#sorting}
+
+#### `setSort(field: string, order?: 'ASC' | 'DESC'): this`
+
+Sets the default sort order for list queries. The field must exist on the entity.
+Default: `'id'`, `'DESC'`.
+
+---
+
+### Unique constraints & indexes {#constraints-and-indexes}
+
+#### `addUniqueConstraint(fields: string[]): this`
+
+Adds a multi-column unique constraint. All field names must exist on the entity.
+
+#### `addIndex({ fields, type }: Index): this`
+
+Adds a database index.
+
+| `type` | `IndexType` value | Notes |
+|--------|------------------|-------|
+| BTree | `IndexType.BTree` | Default; supports multi-column |
+| Hash | `IndexType.Hash` | Single-column only |
+| GIN | `IndexType.Gin` | For full-text / array search |
+
+**Anti-pattern — multi-column Hash index:**
+
+```ts
+// WRONG: throws at build() time
+entity.addIndex({ fields: ['statusId', 'date'], type: IndexType.Hash })
+
+// CORRECT: use BTree for multi-column
+entity.addIndex({ fields: ['statusId', 'date'], type: IndexType.BTree })
+```
+
+---
+
+### Multitenancy {#multitenancy}
+
+#### `setMultitenancy(multitenancy, commonElementsVisibleToAll?): this`
+
+| Value | Behaviour |
+|-------|-----------|
+| `'none'` | No tenant isolation (default) |
+| `'optional'` | Records may belong to a tenant or be global. Pass `commonElementsVisibleToAll` to control whether global records are visible to all tenants |
+| `'required'` | Every record must belong to a tenant. `tenantId` is auto-populated from the current user's profile |
+
+Automatically adds a `tenantId` link field to `tenants` entity when `!== 'none'`.
+
+**Anti-pattern — `commonElementsVisibleToAll` with non-optional multitenancy:**
+
+```ts
+// WRONG: throws at build() time
+entity.setMultitenancy('required', true)
+
+// CORRECT: commonElementsVisibleToAll is only valid for 'optional'
+entity.setMultitenancy('optional', true)
+```
+
+---
+
+### Predefined data {#predefined-data}
+
+```ts
+addPredefinedElements(rows: Record<string, any>[])   // seeds data in all environments
+setPredefinedElements(rows: Record<string, any>[])   // replaces (not appends) seed data
+addDevPredefinedElements(rows: Record<string, any>[]) // seeds data in dev environment only
+setDevPredefinedElements(rows: Record<string, any>[])
+```
+
+---
+
+### Data cleanup {#data-cleanup}
+
+#### `setClearDBAfter(count: number, unit: DateUnit): this`
+
+Automatically deletes records older than `count` `unit`s.
+
+`DateUnit` values: `'year' | 'month' | 'day' | 'hour' | 'minute'`
+
+---
+
+### UI / menu {#ui-menu}
+
+#### `setExcludeFromCommonMenu(exclude?: boolean): this`
+
+Prevents this entity from appearing in the auto-generated sidebar menu. Default `false`.
+
+#### `getForms(): FormsBuilder`
+
+Returns the UI forms builder for customising list/show/create/edit form fields and
+their display order. See [08-frontend-file-graph.md](./08-frontend-file-graph.md).
+
+---
+
+### Key field {#key-field}
+
+#### `getKey(): IdFieldBuilder`
+
+Returns the `id` field builder. Use to change the key type:
+
+```ts
+entity.getKey().setType('string')   // cuid() auto-generated string id
+entity.getKey().setType('int')      // autoincrement integer
+entity.getKey().setType('bigint')   // autoincrement bigint
+```
+
+Default type is `int` (autoincrement).
+
+---
+
+### Title field {#title-field}
+
+#### `setTitleFieldByName(fieldName: string): this`
+
+Sets which field is shown as the record's display name in dropdowns and relation fields.
+Default is `id`. Usually set to a `name` or `title` scalar field.
+
+---
+
+### Fields {#fields}
+
+All field methods are described in [04-fields.md](./04-fields.md).
+
+```ts
+addField(name, title?, options?)           // ScalarFieldBuilder
+addLinkField(entity, name, title?)         // LinkFieldBuilder — name MUST end in 'Id'
+addFileField(name, title?)                 // LinkFieldBuilder to 'files' (plain file)
+addImageField(name, title?)                // LinkFieldBuilder to 'files' (image)
+addViewLinkField(entity, name, title?)     // ViewLinkFieldBuilder (read-only join)
+delField(name)                             // removes a field
+getFiled(name)                             // returns a field builder or throws
+getFieldIfExist(name)                      // returns a field builder or undefined
+getLinkFileds()                            // returns all LinkFieldBuilders
+```
+
+---
+
+### Custom methods & models on an entity {#entity-methods}
+
+Entities can have their own custom GraphQL operations in addition to the standard CRUD.
+
+```ts
+entity.addMethod(name, methodType, title?)         // MethodType.Query | Mutation
+entity.createGeneralModel(name, title?)            // model for input or output
+entity.createInputModel(name, title?)              // input-only model
+entity.createOutputModel(name, title?)             // output-only model
+```
+
+See [05-custom-methods.md](./05-custom-methods.md).
+
+---
+
+## Catalog {#catalog}
+
+Created via `system.addCatalog(name, title?, options?)`.
+
+**Additional auto-added fields:** `search` (hidden, string, not updatable by user).
+
+**Additional properties:**
+
+| Property | Default | Setter |
+|----------|---------|--------|
+| `deletable` | `false` | `setDeletable()` |
+| `editable` | `true` | `setEditable()` |
+
+Use for: statuses, categories, countries, currencies, units of measure, any lookup table.
+
+---
+
+## Document {#document}
+
+Created via `system.addDocument(name, title?, options?)`.
+
+**Additional auto-added fields:** `date` (datetime, required, defaults to `new Date()`)
+and `search` (hidden string).
+
+**Additional methods:**
+
+#### `addRegistry(registryName: string)`
+
+Links this document to an InfoRegistry or SumRegistry that it drives.
+`registryName` is the name of the registry entity.
+
+#### `setSharded(value?: boolean): this`
+
+When `true`, additionally adds hidden fields `repostRequired` (bool, default `true`) and
+`deleteRequired` (bool, default `false`) used for sharded accounting workflows.
+
+Use for: orders, invoices, payments, events, anything that represents a business
+transaction at a point in time.
+
+---
+
+## InfoRegistry {#inforegistry}
+
+Created via `system.addInfoRegistry(name, registrarDepended, title?, options?)`.
+
+An information register stores **state snapshots** — the value of something at a
+specific moment. Think of it as a time-series table of dimension→resource pairs.
+
+**Search disabled by default.**
+
+**When `registrarDepended = true`**, auto-adds:
+- `registrarTypeId` (string link to `entities`)
+- `registrarId` (int or string, configurable via `RegistryOptions.registrarIdType`)
+- `row` (int, default `1`)
+- Unique constraint on `[registrarTypeId, registrarId, row]`
+
+**Dimension vs Resource:**
+
+| Role | Meaning | Methods |
+|------|---------|---------|
+| **Dimension** | What you're measuring (product, warehouse, account) | `addDimension`, `addDimensionLinkField`, `addDimensionViewLinkField` |
+| **Resource** | The value being stored (quantity, amount, flag) | `addResource`, `addResourceLinkField`, `addResourceViewLinkField` |
+
+Auto-generated unique constraint: all dimension field names combined.
+
+#### `setPeriod(period: InfoRegistryPeriod): this`
+
+| Value | Auto-added field |
+|-------|-----------------|
+| `'notPeriodic'` | none |
+| `'second'` | `date` (datetime) |
+| `'day'` | `date` (date) |
+| `'month'` | `date` (date) |
+| `'year'` | `date` (date) |
+
+#### `delDimension(name) / delResource(name)`
+
+Removes a dimension or resource field.
+
+---
+
+## SumRegistry {#sumregistry}
+
+Created via `system.addSumRegistry(name, registrarDepended, title?, options?)`.
+
+A totals register stores **running aggregated sums** across dimensions. Think of it as
+a materialized aggregate table.
+
+`RegistryOptions`:
+
+| Field | Type | Default | Description |
+|-------|------|---------|-------------|
+| `registrarIdType` | `'int' \| 'string'` | `'int'` | Type of the `registrarId` field |
+| `sharded` | `boolean` | `undefined` | Use `ViewLinkField` instead of `LinkField` for `registrarTypeId` |
+
+**When `registrarDepended = true`**, auto-adds:
+- `date` (datetime, required)
+- `registrarTypeId` (string link/view-link to `entities`)
+- `registrarId` (int or string)
+- `row` (int, default `1`)
+- Unique constraint on `[registrarTypeId, registrarId, row]`
+- **Also sets `creatableByUser(false)`, `updatableByUser(false)`, `removableByUser(false)`**
+
+Same dimension/resource API as `InfoRegistry`.
+
+---
+
+## Report {#report}
+
+Created via `system.addReport(name, title?, options?)`.
+
+A report is a **read-only UI page** with no storage, no CRUD GraphQL, and no Prisma
+model. It generates a page and a `read` permission automatically — see
+[11-permissions.md](./11-permissions.md) for how permissions are structured and enforced.
+
+Reports do not inherit from `BaseSavableEntityBuilder` — they have no fields, no
+methods, and no storage configuration.
+
+Use for: dashboards, custom analytics pages, external data views.
+
+---
+
+## Anti-patterns
+
+### Using `Document` for reference data
+
+**Wrong:** creating a `Document` to store countries or categories.
+
+**Why:** Documents auto-add a `date` field and are designed for transactions. Reference
+data has no meaningful transaction date.
+
+**Correct:** use `Catalog` for lookup / reference data.
+
+---
+
+### Using `Catalog` for transactional data
+
+**Wrong:** creating a `Catalog` to store orders.
+
+**Why:** Catalogs have no `date` field, no registry linking, and no sharding support
+designed for transactions.
+
+**Correct:** use `Document` for transactional entities.
+
+---
+
+### Forgetting `system.addDatabase()` before `setDatabase()`
+
+**Wrong:**
+```ts
+const orders = system.addDocument('orders')
+orders.setDatabase('archive')  // throws at build(): 'archive' is not registered
+```
+
+**Correct:**
+```ts
+system.addDatabase('archive')
+const orders = system.addDocument('orders')
+orders.setDatabase('archive')
+```
+
+---
+
+> **Examples:** this file intentionally omits code examples. Add real usage examples
+> from the consuming project here. A reference metadata file is typically at
+> `src/meta/metadata.ts` in the meta project.