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Get

Retrieves a value from the BadgerDB database by its key.

Common Properties​

  • Name - The custom name of the node.
  • Color - The custom color of the node.
  • Delay Before (sec) - Waits in seconds before executing the node.
  • Delay After (sec) - Waits in seconds after executing node.
  • Continue On Error - Automation will continue regardless of any error. The default value is false.
info

If the ContinueOnError property is true, no error is caught when the project is executed, even if a Catch node is used.

Inputs​

  • Database Id - The unique identifier of the database, as returned by the Open node.
  • Transaction Id - (Optional) The transaction ID from Start Transaction node. If provided, the read operation will be performed within that transaction context.
  • Key - The key whose value you want to retrieve from the database.

Options​

  • Decoding - Specifies how to decode the stored bytes into a value:
    • JSON - Decodes the value as a JSON object or array
    • String - Decodes the value as a text string
    • Integer - Decodes the value as a 64-bit integer
    • Float - Decodes the value as a 64-bit floating point number
    • Boolean - Decodes the value as a boolean (true/false)

Output​

  • Value - The decoded value retrieved from the database. The type depends on the Decoding option selected.

How It Works​

The Get node retrieves stored data from BadgerDB by looking up a key. The stored bytes are decoded according to the specified format.

When executed, the node:

  1. Validates the database ID and key
  2. Creates a read transaction (or uses an existing one if Transaction Id is provided)
  3. Looks up the key in the database
  4. Retrieves the raw bytes stored under that key
  5. Decodes the bytes according to the selected Decoding option
  6. Returns the decoded value

Examples​

Example 1: Get JSON Object​

Retrieve a user profile stored as JSON:

Get
  Database Id: {{db_id}}
  Key: user:12345
  Decoding: JSON

Output:
  Value: {
    "name": "John Doe",
    "email": "john@example.com",
    "role": "admin"
  }

Example 2: Get String Value​

Retrieve a simple text value:

Get
  Database Id: {{db_id}}
  Key: last_sync_time
  Decoding: String

Output:
  Value: "2025-12-23T10:30:00Z"

Example 3: Get Counter Value​

Retrieve an integer counter:

Get
  Database Id: {{db_id}}
  Key: page_views
  Decoding: Integer

Output:
  Value: 1542

Example 4: Get Within Transaction​

Read multiple values consistently within a transaction:

1. Start Transaction
   Database Id: {{db_id}}
   → txn_id

2. Get Balance
   Database Id: {{db_id}}
   Transaction Id: {{txn_id}}
   Key: account:balance
   Decoding: Float
   → balance

3. Get Status
   Database Id: {{db_id}}
   Transaction Id: {{txn_id}}
   Key: account:status
   Decoding: String
   → status

4. Commit Transaction
   Transaction Id: {{txn_id}}

Example 5: Get Boolean Flag​

Retrieve a feature flag:

Get
  Database Id: {{db_id}}
  Key: feature:new_ui_enabled
  Decoding: Boolean

Output:
  Value: true

Tips for Effective Use​

  • Match Decoding to Storage - Use the same encoding/decoding format that was used when storing the value
  • Use JSON for Complex Data - Store objects and arrays as JSON for flexibility
  • Use Integers for Counters - Better performance and accuracy for numeric counters
  • Cache Frequently Accessed Data - Store often-used data in BadgerDB to avoid repeated API calls
  • Handle Missing Keys - Use error handling to gracefully handle keys that don't exist
  • Use Transactions for Consistency - Read multiple related values in a transaction to ensure consistency

Common Errors and Solutions​

Error: "database id cannot be empty"​

Solution: Ensure you're passing a valid database ID from the Open node.

Correct:
  Open → db_id
  Get (Database Id: {{db_id}}, Key: mykey)

Error: Key Not Found​

Solution: The key doesn't exist in the database. Handle this case:

Try:
  Get (Key: user_settings)
Catch:
  Set (Key: user_settings, Value: default_settings)

Error: "byte slice is too short to represent an int64"​

Solution: The stored value was not encoded as an integer. Check:

  • The value was stored using Set with Encoding: Integer
  • You're using the correct key
  • The data wasn't corrupted

Error: JSON Unmarshal Error​

Solution: The stored value is not valid JSON. Ensure:

  • The value was stored with Encoding: JSON
  • The stored data is valid JSON format
  • Use the correct decoding type that matches how it was stored

Error: Invalid Decoding Option​

Solution: Select a valid decoding option from the dropdown:

  • JSON
  • String
  • Integer
  • Float
  • Boolean

Decoding Details​

JSON Decoding​

  • Parses JSON objects, arrays, strings, numbers, booleans, and null
  • Returns the parsed JavaScript object
  • Use for complex nested data structures

String Decoding​

  • Converts bytes directly to UTF-8 string
  • Use for text data, dates, IDs, or any string content

Integer Decoding​

  • Decodes 64-bit signed integer stored in big-endian format
  • Range: -9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807
  • Use for counters, IDs, or whole numbers

Float Decoding​

  • Decodes 64-bit floating point number (IEEE 754 double precision)
  • Use for decimal numbers, percentages, or measurements

Boolean Decoding​

  • Returns true if the first byte is non-zero
  • Returns false if the first byte is zero
  • Use for flags, switches, or binary states

Performance Considerations​

  • Read Performance - BadgerDB is optimized for fast reads
  • Transaction Reads - Reading within a transaction ensures consistency but may be slightly slower
  • Key Size - Shorter keys result in better performance
  • Batch Reads - Use transactions to read multiple keys efficiently
  • Set - Stores values in the database
  • Delete - Removes values from the database
  • List - Lists all keys (optionally filtered by prefix)
  • Start Transaction - Starts a transaction for consistent reads