FAQ
Common Open Spanner questions.
Should usage be written from the dashboard?
No. Production usage should be written by backend services, workers, or scripts with an API key. The dashboard is mainly for setup, inspection, querying, and API key management.
Is Open Spanner a billing product?
Not by itself. Open Spanner is usage and metering infrastructure. It records usage, keeps quota state, checks entitlements, and exports usage data. Billing systems still own pricing, invoices, taxes, payment collection, credits, and revenue workflows.
Can SDKs create API keys or plans?
No. API keys and plans are managed from the dashboard or full REST API. SDKs intentionally expose the application-facing surface: meters, usage, direct exports, and entitlement checks.
Can I put an API key in browser code?
No. Treat API keys as server-side secrets. Browser access should use the dashboard session flow.
Does Open Spanner process payments?
No. Open Spanner records and aggregates usage, defines plan limits, and checks quota. Billing, invoicing, tax, and payment processing remain separate systems that can consume Open Spanner usage and quota data.
Does Open Spanner support gRPC or streaming?
Yes, for trusted backend usage ingestion. Use REST and the generated SDK clients for setup, querying, exports, and meter management; use the gRPC stream client when a backend service needs to continuously emit usage.
Which database should I use?
Use SQLite for local demos or very small deployments. Use Postgres when you need a networked database, operational tooling, and connection pooling.