What is a resource?

Before we run the generator, you need to know what it generates. Spoiler: it's a resource. This 5-minute lesson defines the word.

A resource is a complete vertical slice

For each domain concept (User, Order, Invoice, Product), Grit produces a slice that spans the whole stack:

Model           GORM struct        apps/api/internal/models/order.go
Service         Business logic     apps/api/internal/services/order.go
Handler         HTTP layer         apps/api/internal/handlers/order.go
Route           Wiring             apps/api/internal/routes/routes.go (injected)
Zod schema      Validation         packages/shared/src/schemas/order.ts
TS type         Frontend type      packages/shared/src/types/order.ts
React Query hook  Data fetching    apps/web/hooks/use-orders.ts
Admin resource  Filament-style page  apps/admin/app/resources/orders/

That's eight artefacts for one concept — too many to write by hand every time you add an entity. The generator writes all of them in one command.

The mental model

A resource exists to do CRUD on a thing:

• Create — POST /api/orders
• Read one — GET /api/orders/:id
• Read many — GET /api/orders (with pagination)
• Update — PUT /api/orders/:id
• Delete — DELETE /api/orders/:id

Five endpoints, one model, one admin page. The handler, service, type, schema, hook, and admin page all line up to make that flow work end-to-end.

Fields define the shape

When you generate a resource, you tell the generator what fields the model has:

$grit generate resource Order \
$  --field "customerId:uuid:required" \
$  --field "total:decimal:required" \
$  --field "status:string:default=pending"

Each field becomes: a GORM column, a Zod validator, a TS type property, an admin form input, a DataTable column. The generator knows the mapping for every supported type.

What's next

You know what a resource is. Time to make one — next lesson we run grit generate resource Product end-to-end.