Step 5: Explore the Data Layer — PlanX Digital Planning Walkthrough

Open the Hasura console to browse tables and explore the GraphQL API

Step 5 of 5 • 2 minutes

Step 5 2 minutes

Explore the Data Layer

Open the Hasura GraphQL console to see how PlanX stores flow data, and run a sample query.

Expected outcome

• ✓ Hasura console opens and shows the PlanX database tables
• ✓ You can browse the flows, teams, and sessions tables
• ✓ GraphiQL interface is available to run GraphQL queries

Access the Hasura console

1. Find the Hasura credentials

   Go back to the CloudFormation console and find these outputs:

   • HasuraConsoleUrl — the Hasura console URL
   • HasuraAdminSecretOutput — the admin secret for authentication
2. Open the Hasura console

   Open the HasuraConsoleUrl in a new tab. When prompted for the admin secret, enter the value from HasuraAdminSecretOutput.

3. Browse the database tables

   Click the Data tab in the Hasura console to see the PlanX database schema. Key tables include:

   Table	What it stores
   flows	Planning application flow definitions (the node graphs you edited)
   teams	Council teams and their settings
   users	Editor users and their team memberships
   sessions	Applicant sessions (data collected during a flow)
   published_flows	Published versions of flows available to applicants

4. Try the GraphQL API

   Click the API tab to open GraphiQL. Try a simple query to list the flows:

   {
     flows {
       id
       slug
       team {
         name
       }
       updated_at
     }
   }

   Click the play button to run the query. You'll see the flows you browsed in Step 2, now as structured GraphQL data.

5. Understand the architecture

   Hasura sits between the PlanX application and the Aurora PostgreSQL database. It provides:

   • GraphQL API — used by the React editor and the applicant-facing frontend
   • Real-time subscriptions — for collaborative editing via ShareDB
   • Role-based access control — different permissions for editors, admins, and public access

Why this matters: The GraphQL API means PlanX data is accessible and interoperable. Councils can integrate PlanX with their existing back-office systems, reporting tools, and planning portals. The structured data model follows emerging planning data standards, making it easier to share data across local authorities.

Need help?

If you're stuck, check the troubleshooting section or contact us.

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