IcyDB has been announced as a new Rust framework aimed at building strongly typed, queryable data models on the Internet Computer, and while it was originally built for the Dragginz game, the team has now made it available for anyone working with IC canisters.
The framework introduces entity macros that let developers shape data structures through schema attributes instead of repetitive boilerplate. A type-safe query builder is included, covering filters, sorting and pagination, with storage handled by ic-stable-structures B-Trees for predictable performance. Automatic endpoint generation through icydb_build removes a lot of glue code, producing handlers for loading, saving and deleting data, along with observability endpoints for snapshots, logs and metrics.
For those integrating IcyDB into IC canisters, the macros icydb_start and icydb_build aim to keep setup straightforward. The framework places equal weight on testability, offering helpers for fixtures, query validation and index checks.
The project structure is fairly extensive, covering runtime components, schema tools, macros, design types and error handling. The team has also included a clear set of development utilities and a Makefile with common workspace tasks. Pre-commit hooks and formatting tools are encouraged to keep contributions tidy.
Developers experimenting locally can take advantage of snapshot, log and metric queries through simple dfx calls. The observability features appear to have been built with real deployments in mind, offering a window into storage behaviour and query performance.
The maintainers are clear that backward compatibility is not guaranteed at this early stage, though changes will be documented. Contributions are welcome now that the repository has been opened, with guidance provided on testing, code style and versioning.
For now, the focus is on documentation, more examples, deeper testing and reducing WASM size. IcyDB arrives as another option for IC developers who prefer strong typing, predictable storage behaviour and a more structured approach to data modelling.
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