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Getting Started

Fascia is a platform that lets you design, govern, and deploy production backend systems without writing code. You describe your business logic through structured specifications, and a deterministic Go executor interprets them directly at runtime — from database setup to API deployment — all inside your own Google Cloud project.

Early Access

Fascia is currently in early access. Some features described in this guide are under active development. Request access to join the early access program.

What You'll Need​

  • A Fascia account — sign up at fascia.run
  • A Google Cloud account (only needed when you're ready to deploy — you can design without it)

How Fascia Works​

Building a backend with Fascia follows five steps:

1. Define Entities​

Entities are your business objects — the core data structures your application works with. Think of them as smart database tables. Each Entity includes:

  • Fields — The data you want to store, like name (text), totalPrice (number), or status (list of options)
  • Relationships — How Entities connect to each other (e.g., a Reservation belongs to a Customer)
  • Status lifecycle — The stages your data goes through (e.g., pending → confirmed → completed)
  • Business rules — Conditions that must always be true (e.g., "end date must be after start date")

Fascia automatically creates the database tables, handles data storage, and enforces your rules. Learn more in the Entity concept guide.

2. Create Tools​

Tools are your backend operations — the things your app can do. Each Tool is like an API endpoint: it receives a request, processes data, and returns a result. You design the logic visually using a flow graph — a step-by-step diagram of what should happen.

Available steps include reading and writing data, conditional logic (if/switch), sending emails, processing payments, and calling external APIs. Every step runs inside transaction boundaries that prevent data corruption.

Every Tool follows a strict Execution Contract — a 9-step sequence that guarantees input validation, permission checks, data integrity, and automatic logging for every request.

Learn more in the Tool and Flow concept guides.

3. Review Design​

Before deployment, Fascia's Risk Engine checks every Tool and rates its spec completeness:

LevelWhat it meansCan you deploy?
GreenSpec is complete — data operations are protected, no incomplete patterns detectedYes
YellowThere are potential concerns to be aware of (e.g., payment processing, external API without retry)Yes, after reviewing the warnings
RedThere's a serious spec issue that must be fixed first (e.g., unprotected data changes, missing transaction boundaries)No — fix the issue first

The key insight: problems are caught during design, not after deployment. This means issues are identified and resolved before they can affect real users or data. See the Policy guide for details.

4. Deploy​

Once your Entities and Tools pass design review, deploy them to your own Google Cloud project with a single click. Fascia sets up everything you need:

  • Cloud Run — Runs your backend logic
  • Cloud SQL — Your PostgreSQL database
  • Cloud Scheduler — Runs scheduled tasks (e.g., daily reports, cleanup jobs)
  • Secret Manager — Securely stores API keys and passwords

Your data never leaves your cloud project. Fascia's servers store only your design specifications — never your business data. This is the BYOC (Bring Your Own Cloud) model.

5. Use Your App​

After deployment, the Entity CRUD Portal gives you a fully working web application — auto-generated from your specs:

  • Dashboard — See all your Entities with record counts and recent activity
  • Data management — Create, edit, and browse records with auto-generated forms
  • Tool execution — Run your backend operations through a simple UI
  • Status transitions — Move records through their lifecycle (e.g., confirm a reservation)

You can also set up End-User Authentication to let your actual users (customers, staff) log in and interact with your backend through role-filtered interfaces. Learn more in the Portal guide.

Design Surfaces​

Fascia provides three interfaces for building and managing your backend:

Chat Studio​

Describe what you want in plain language. Fascia's AI assistant helps you turn your ideas into structured specifications. The AI is only involved during design — it is never used when your backend processes real requests (see Execution Contract).

Flow Studio​

A visual drag-and-drop editor for designing how your Tools work. Build the logic by connecting steps from a palette of data operations, conditions, integrations, and validation controls. You get real-time feedback on risk level and execution strategy.

Management Console​

After deployment: monitor your system, browse your data, track changes, manage users, and test APIs. Learn more in Managing Your Backend.

Next Steps​