From 5cb2bc6909be9a9f9cbd23e7f19f142091cbb5af Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Jul 2026 16:45:19 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] Homepage JSON returns databases as a list

/.json previously returned databases as an object keyed by database
name, unlike /-/databases.json and every other collection in the API.
It now returns a list of database objects. The HTML template already
consumed the list. This endpoint remains undocumented.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01GrHZSypDfMnym1tM5XJAFZ
---
 datasette/views/index.py      |  2 +-
 existing-api.md               |  4 ++--
 stable-api-recommendations.md |  6 ++++--
 tests/test_api.py             | 18 ++++++++++--------
 4 files changed, 17 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)

diff --git a/datasette/views/index.py b/datasette/views/index.py
index 86f8ae7d..8c5534cb 100644
--- a/datasette/views/index.py
+++ b/datasette/views/index.py
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ class IndexView(BaseView):
                 json.dumps(
                     {
                         "ok": True,
-                        "databases": {db["name"]: db for db in databases},
+                        "databases": databases,
                         "metadata": await self.ds.get_instance_metadata(),
                     },
                     cls=CustomJSONEncoder,
diff --git a/existing-api.md b/existing-api.md
index af7ca3b9..8d390f76 100644
--- a/existing-api.md
+++ b/existing-api.md
@@ -201,8 +201,8 @@ Routes: `/(\.(?P<format>jsono?))?$` and `/-/(\.(?P<format>jsono?))?$`
 - **Parameters:** `_sort=relationships` sorts each database's truncated table
   list by foreign-key relationship count.
 - **JSON response** (index.py:147-161) — includes `ok: true` plus:
-  - `databases` — an **object keyed by database name** (not a list). Each
-    value: `name`, `hash` (or null), `color`, `path`,
+  - `databases` — a **list** of database objects (undocumented API, subject
+    to change). Each item: `name`, `hash` (or null), `color`, `path`,
     `tables_and_views_truncated` (up to 5 items: `name`, `columns`,
     `primary_keys`, `count` (int or null), `hidden`, `fts_table`,
     `num_relationships_for_sorting`, `private`; view items are just
diff --git a/stable-api-recommendations.md b/stable-api-recommendations.md
index 3c216c04..d64b3fb8 100644
--- a/stable-api-recommendations.md
+++ b/stable-api-recommendations.md
@@ -156,10 +156,12 @@ Endpoints disagree about the success envelope:
 
 ### 2a. Collection representations disagree (P2)
 
-- Homepage `/.json` returns `databases` as an **object keyed by name**
+- ~~Homepage `/.json` returns `databases` as an **object keyed by name**
   (index.py:147-161); `/-/databases.json` returns an **array**; the database
   page returns `tables` as an array. Choose arrays-of-objects everywhere
-  (objects-keyed-by-name break when names need ordering or pagination).
+  (objects-keyed-by-name break when names need ordering or pagination).~~
+  ✅ **Done** — the homepage returns a list, matching `/-/databases.json`.
+  The homepage JSON remains deliberately undocumented.
 - ~~Insert/upsert with `return: true` respond with `rows` (plural, list); row
   update with `return: true` responds with `row` (singular, object)
   (views/row.py:837-844). Pick one (`rows` everywhere, even for one row,
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index 7a575144..17edc0e5 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -26,8 +26,9 @@ async def test_homepage(ds_client):
         "title",
     ]
     databases = data.get("databases")
-    assert databases.keys() == {"fixtures": 0}.keys()
-    d = databases["fixtures"]
+    assert isinstance(databases, list)
+    assert [d["name"] for d in databases] == ["fixtures"]
+    d = databases[0]
     assert d["name"] == "fixtures"
     assert isinstance(d["tables_count"], int)
     assert isinstance(len(d["tables_and_views_truncated"]), int)
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ async def test_homepage_sort_by_relationships(ds_client):
     assert response.status_code == 200
     tables = [
         t["name"]
-        for t in response.json()["databases"]["fixtures"]["tables_and_views_truncated"]
+        for t in response.json()["databases"][0]["tables_and_views_truncated"]
     ]
     assert tables == [
         "simple_primary_key",
@@ -251,8 +252,8 @@ def test_no_files_uses_memory_database(app_client_no_files):
     assert response.status == 200
     assert {
         "ok": True,
-        "databases": {
-            "_memory": {
+        "databases": [
+            {
                 "name": "_memory",
                 "hash": None,
                 "color": "a6c7b9",
@@ -267,7 +268,7 @@ def test_no_files_uses_memory_database(app_client_no_files):
                 "views_count": 0,
                 "private": False,
             },
-        },
+        ],
         "metadata": {},
     } == response.json
     # Try that SQL query
@@ -852,8 +853,9 @@ async def test_tilde_encoded_database_names(db_name):
     ds = Datasette()
     ds.add_memory_database(db_name)
     response = await ds.client.get("/.json")
-    assert db_name in response.json()["databases"].keys()
-    path = response.json()["databases"][db_name]["path"]
+    databases_by_name = {d["name"]: d for d in response.json()["databases"]}
+    assert db_name in databases_by_name
+    path = databases_by_name[db_name]["path"]
     # And the JSON for that database
     response2 = await ds.client.get(path + ".json")
     assert response2.status_code == 200