diff --git a/app/src/App.ts b/app/src/App.ts
index af68f58..45c6ef7 100644
--- a/app/src/App.ts
+++ b/app/src/App.ts
@@ -12,13 +12,17 @@ import { SystemController } from "modules/server/SystemController";
 
 export type AppPlugin<DB> = (app: App<DB>) => void;
 
-export class AppConfigUpdatedEvent extends Event<{ app: App }> {
+abstract class AppEvent<A = {}> extends Event<{ app: App } & A> {}
+export class AppConfigUpdatedEvent extends AppEvent {
    static override slug = "app-config-updated";
 }
-export class AppBuiltEvent extends Event<{ app: App }> {
+export class AppBuiltEvent extends AppEvent {
    static override slug = "app-built";
 }
-export const AppEvents = { AppConfigUpdatedEvent, AppBuiltEvent } as const;
+export class AppFirstBoot extends AppEvent {
+   static override slug = "app-first-boot";
+}
+export const AppEvents = { AppConfigUpdatedEvent, AppBuiltEvent, AppFirstBoot } as const;
 
 export type CreateAppConfig = {
    connection?:
@@ -38,6 +42,7 @@ export class App<DB = any> {
    modules: ModuleManager;
    static readonly Events = AppEvents;
    adminController?: AdminController;
+   private trigger_first_boot = false;
 
    constructor(
       private connection: Connection,
@@ -49,9 +54,20 @@ export class App<DB = any> {
          ...moduleManagerOptions,
          initial: _initialConfig,
          onUpdated: async (key, config) => {
-            //console.log("[APP] config updated", key, config);
+            // if the EventManager was disabled, we assume we shouldn't
+            // respond to events, such as "onUpdated".
+            if (!this.emgr.enabled) {
+               console.warn("[APP] config updated, but event manager is disabled, skip.");
+               return;
+            }
+
+            console.log("[APP] config updated", key);
             await this.build({ sync: true, save: true });
             await this.emgr.emit(new AppConfigUpdatedEvent({ app: this }));
+         },
+         onFirstBoot: async () => {
+            console.log("[APP] first boot");
+            this.trigger_first_boot = true;
          }
       });
       this.modules.ctx().emgr.registerEvents(AppEvents);
@@ -89,6 +105,12 @@ export class App<DB = any> {
       if (options?.save) {
          await this.modules.save();
       }
+
+      // first boot is set from ModuleManager when there wasn't a config table
+      if (this.trigger_first_boot) {
+         this.trigger_first_boot = false;
+         await this.emgr.emit(new AppFirstBoot({ app: this }));
+      }
    }
 
    mutateConfig<Module extends keyof Modules>(module: Module) {
diff --git a/app/src/core/events/EventManager.ts b/app/src/core/events/EventManager.ts
index 3b85d23..9233666 100644
--- a/app/src/core/events/EventManager.ts
+++ b/app/src/core/events/EventManager.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export class EventManager<
 > {
    protected events: EventClass[] = [];
    protected listeners: EventListener[] = [];
+   enabled: boolean = true;
 
    constructor(events?: RegisteredEvents, listeners?: EventListener[]) {
       if (events) {
@@ -28,6 +29,16 @@ export class EventManager<
       }
    }
 
+   enable() {
+      this.enabled = true;
+      return this;
+   }
+
+   disable() {
+      this.enabled = false;
+      return this;
+   }
+
    clearEvents() {
       this.events = [];
       return this;
@@ -39,6 +50,10 @@ export class EventManager<
       return this;
    }
 
+   getListeners(): EventListener[] {
+      return [...this.listeners];
+   }
+
    get Events(): { [K in keyof RegisteredEvents]: RegisteredEvents[K] } {
       // proxy class to access events
       return new Proxy(this, {
@@ -133,6 +148,11 @@ export class EventManager<
    async emit(event: Event) {
       // @ts-expect-error slug is static
       const slug = event.constructor.slug;
+      if (!this.enabled) {
+         console.log("EventManager disabled, not emitting", slug);
+         return;
+      }
+
       if (!this.eventExists(event)) {
          throw new Error(`Event "${slug}" not registered`);
       }
diff --git a/app/src/data/api/DataApi.ts b/app/src/data/api/DataApi.ts
index caf6a2a..ad7c670 100644
--- a/app/src/data/api/DataApi.ts
+++ b/app/src/data/api/DataApi.ts
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export class DataApi<DB> extends ModuleApi<DataApiOptions> {
 
    createOne<E extends keyof DB | string, Data = E extends keyof DB ? DB[E] : EntityData>(
       entity: E,
-      input: Data
+      input: Omit<Data, "id">
    ) {
       return this.post<RepositoryResponse<Data>>([entity as any], input);
    }
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ export class DataApi<DB> extends ModuleApi<DataApiOptions> {
    updateOne<E extends keyof DB | string, Data = E extends keyof DB ? DB[E] : EntityData>(
       entity: E,
       id: PrimaryFieldType,
-      input: Partial<Data>
+      input: Partial<Omit<Data, "id">>
    ) {
       return this.patch<RepositoryResponse<Data>>([entity as any, id], input);
    }
diff --git a/app/src/data/api/DataController.ts b/app/src/data/api/DataController.ts
index 86f3e42..68a5417 100644
--- a/app/src/data/api/DataController.ts
+++ b/app/src/data/api/DataController.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { type ClassController, isDebug, tbValidator as tb } from "core";
-import { Type, objectCleanEmpty, objectTransform } from "core/utils";
+import { StringEnum, Type, objectCleanEmpty, objectTransform } from "core/utils";
 import {
    DataPermissions,
    type EntityData,
@@ -182,19 +182,25 @@ export class DataController implements ClassController {
          })
          // read schema
          .get(
-            "/schemas/:entity",
-            tb("param", Type.Object({ entity: Type.String() })),
+            "/schemas/:entity/:context?",
+            tb(
+               "param",
+               Type.Object({
+                  entity: Type.String(),
+                  context: Type.Optional(StringEnum(["create", "update"]))
+               })
+            ),
             async (c) => {
                this.guard.throwUnlessGranted(DataPermissions.entityRead);
 
                //console.log("request", c.req.raw);
-               const { entity } = c.req.param();
+               const { entity, context } = c.req.param();
                if (!this.entityExists(entity)) {
                   console.log("not found", entity, definedEntities);
                   return c.notFound();
                }
                const _entity = this.em.entity(entity);
-               const schema = _entity.toSchema();
+               const schema = _entity.toSchema({ context } as any);
                const url = new URL(c.req.url);
                const base = `${url.origin}${this.config.basepath}`;
                const $id = `${this.config.basepath}/schemas/${entity}`;
diff --git a/app/src/data/entities/Entity.ts b/app/src/data/entities/Entity.ts
index 579ffb2..aa3d75c 100644
--- a/app/src/data/entities/Entity.ts
+++ b/app/src/data/entities/Entity.ts
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ export class Entity<
    }
 
    get label(): string {
-      return snakeToPascalWithSpaces(this.config.name || this.name);
+      return this.config.name ?? snakeToPascalWithSpaces(this.name);
    }
 
    field(name: string): Field | undefined {
@@ -210,21 +210,34 @@ export class Entity<
       return true;
    }
 
-   toSchema(clean?: boolean): object {
-      const fields = Object.fromEntries(this.fields.map((field) => [field.name, field]));
+   toSchema(options?: { clean: boolean; context?: "create" | "update" }): object {
+      let fields: Field[];
+      switch (options?.context) {
+         case "create":
+         case "update":
+            fields = this.getFillableFields(options.context);
+            break;
+         default:
+            fields = this.getFields(true);
+      }
+
+      const _fields = Object.fromEntries(fields.map((field) => [field.name, field]));
       const schema = Type.Object(
-         transformObject(fields, (field) => ({
-            title: field.config.label,
-            $comment: field.config.description,
-            $field: field.type,
-            readOnly: !field.isFillable("update") ? true : undefined,
-            writeOnly: !field.isFillable("create") ? true : undefined,
-            ...field.toJsonSchema()
-         })),
+         transformObject(_fields, (field) => {
+            //const hidden = field.isHidden(options?.context);
+            const fillable = field.isFillable(options?.context);
+            return {
+               title: field.config.label,
+               $comment: field.config.description,
+               $field: field.type,
+               readOnly: !fillable ? true : undefined,
+               ...field.toJsonSchema()
+            };
+         }),
          { additionalProperties: false }
       );
 
-      return clean ? JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(schema)) : schema;
+      return options?.clean ? JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(schema)) : schema;
    }
 
    toJSON() {
diff --git a/app/src/data/entities/Mutator.ts b/app/src/data/entities/Mutator.ts
index 3f81c6e..51a1d12 100644
--- a/app/src/data/entities/Mutator.ts
+++ b/app/src/data/entities/Mutator.ts
@@ -25,8 +25,12 @@ export type MutatorResponse<T = EntityData[]> = {
    data: T;
 };
 
-export class Mutator<DB = any, TB extends keyof DB = any, Data = Omit<DB[TB], "id">>
-   implements EmitsEvents
+export class Mutator<
+   DB = any,
+   TB extends keyof DB = any,
+   Output = DB[TB],
+   Input = Omit<Output, "id">
+> implements EmitsEvents
 {
    em: EntityManager<DB>;
    entity: Entity;
@@ -122,7 +126,7 @@ export class Mutator<DB = any, TB extends keyof DB = any, Data = Omit<DB[TB], "i
       return { ...response, data: data[0]! };
    }
 
-   async insertOne(data: Data): Promise<MutatorResponse<DB[TB]>> {
+   async insertOne(data: Input): Promise<MutatorResponse<Output>> {
       const entity = this.entity;
       if (entity.type === "system" && this.__unstable_disable_system_entity_creation) {
          throw new Error(`Creation of system entity "${entity.name}" is disabled`);
@@ -159,7 +163,7 @@ export class Mutator<DB = any, TB extends keyof DB = any, Data = Omit<DB[TB], "i
       return res as any;
    }
 
-   async updateOne(id: PrimaryFieldType, data: Data): Promise<MutatorResponse<DB[TB]>> {
+   async updateOne(id: PrimaryFieldType, data: Input): Promise<MutatorResponse<Output>> {
       const entity = this.entity;
       if (!Number.isInteger(id)) {
          throw new Error("ID must be provided for update");
@@ -190,7 +194,7 @@ export class Mutator<DB = any, TB extends keyof DB = any, Data = Omit<DB[TB], "i
       return res as any;
    }
 
-   async deleteOne(id: PrimaryFieldType): Promise<MutatorResponse<DB[TB]>> {
+   async deleteOne(id: PrimaryFieldType): Promise<MutatorResponse<Output>> {
       const entity = this.entity;
       if (!Number.isInteger(id)) {
          throw new Error("ID must be provided for deletion");
@@ -256,7 +260,7 @@ export class Mutator<DB = any, TB extends keyof DB = any, Data = Omit<DB[TB], "i
    }
 
    // @todo: decide whether entries should be deleted all at once or one by one (for events)
-   async deleteWhere(where?: RepoQuery["where"]): Promise<MutatorResponse<DB[TB][]>> {
+   async deleteWhere(where?: RepoQuery["where"]): Promise<MutatorResponse<Output[]>> {
       const entity = this.entity;
 
       const qb = this.appendWhere(this.conn.deleteFrom(entity.name), where).returning(
@@ -266,7 +270,7 @@ export class Mutator<DB = any, TB extends keyof DB = any, Data = Omit<DB[TB], "i
       return (await this.many(qb)) as any;
    }
 
-   async updateWhere(data: Data, where?: RepoQuery["where"]): Promise<MutatorResponse<DB[TB][]>> {
+   async updateWhere(data: Input, where?: RepoQuery["where"]): Promise<MutatorResponse<Output[]>> {
       const entity = this.entity;
       const validatedData = await this.getValidatedData(data, "update");
 
@@ -277,7 +281,7 @@ export class Mutator<DB = any, TB extends keyof DB = any, Data = Omit<DB[TB], "i
       return (await this.many(query)) as any;
    }
 
-   async insertMany(data: Data[]): Promise<MutatorResponse<DB[TB][]>> {
+   async insertMany(data: Input[]): Promise<MutatorResponse<Output[]>> {
       const entity = this.entity;
       if (entity.type === "system" && this.__unstable_disable_system_entity_creation) {
          throw new Error(`Creation of system entity "${entity.name}" is disabled`);
diff --git a/app/src/modules/ModuleManager.ts b/app/src/modules/ModuleManager.ts
index bed6c18..e5b6c9c 100644
--- a/app/src/modules/ModuleManager.ts
+++ b/app/src/modules/ModuleManager.ts
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ export type ModuleManagerOptions = {
       module: Module,
       config: ModuleConfigs[Module]
    ) => Promise<void>;
+   // triggered when no config table existed
+   onFirstBoot?: () => Promise<void>;
    // base path for the hono instance
    basePath?: string;
    // doesn't perform validity checks for given/fetched config
@@ -480,6 +482,9 @@ export class ModuleManager {
       // perform a sync
       await ctx.em.schema().sync({ force: true });
       await this.options?.seed?.(ctx);
+
+      // run first boot event
+      await this.options?.onFirstBoot?.();
    }
 
    get<K extends keyof Modules>(key: K): Modules[K] {
diff --git a/app/src/ui/client/api/use-entity.ts b/app/src/ui/client/api/use-entity.ts
index 3c57bad..dd93455 100644
--- a/app/src/ui/client/api/use-entity.ts
+++ b/app/src/ui/client/api/use-entity.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,23 @@
 import type { PrimaryFieldType } from "core";
-import { objectTransform } from "core/utils";
+import { encodeSearch, objectTransform } from "core/utils";
 import type { EntityData, RepoQuery } from "data";
 import type { ModuleApi, ResponseObject } from "modules/ModuleApi";
-import useSWR, { type SWRConfiguration, useSWRConfig } from "swr";
+import useSWR, { type SWRConfiguration, mutate } from "swr";
 import { useApi } from "ui/client";
 
 export class UseEntityApiError<Payload = any> extends Error {
    constructor(
-      public payload: Payload,
-      public response: Response,
-      message?: string
+      public response: ResponseObject<Payload>,
+      fallback?: string
    ) {
+      let message = fallback;
+      if ("error" in response) {
+         message = response.error as string;
+         if (fallback) {
+            message = `${fallback}: ${message}`;
+         }
+      }
+
       super(message ?? "UseEntityApiError");
    }
 }
@@ -38,14 +45,14 @@ export const useEntity = <
       create: async (input: Omit<Data, "id">) => {
          const res = await api.createOne(entity, input);
          if (!res.ok) {
-            throw new UseEntityApiError(res.data, res.res, "Failed to create entity");
+            throw new UseEntityApiError(res, `Failed to create entity "${entity}"`);
          }
          return res;
       },
       read: async (query: Partial<RepoQuery> = {}) => {
          const res = id ? await api.readOne(entity, id!, query) : await api.readMany(entity, query);
          if (!res.ok) {
-            throw new UseEntityApiError(res.data, res.res, "Failed to read entity");
+            throw new UseEntityApiError(res as any, `Failed to read entity "${entity}"`);
          }
          // must be manually typed
          return res as unknown as Id extends undefined
@@ -58,7 +65,7 @@ export const useEntity = <
          }
          const res = await api.updateOne(entity, _id, input);
          if (!res.ok) {
-            throw new UseEntityApiError(res.data, res.res, "Failed to update entity");
+            throw new UseEntityApiError(res, `Failed to update entity "${entity}"`);
          }
          return res;
       },
@@ -69,19 +76,26 @@ export const useEntity = <
 
          const res = await api.deleteOne(entity, _id);
          if (!res.ok) {
-            throw new UseEntityApiError(res.data, res.res, "Failed to delete entity");
+            throw new UseEntityApiError(res, `Failed to delete entity "${entity}"`);
          }
          return res;
       }
    };
 };
 
-export function makeKey(api: ModuleApi, entity: string, id?: PrimaryFieldType) {
+// @todo: try to get from ModuleApi directly
+export function makeKey(
+   api: ModuleApi,
+   entity: string,
+   id?: PrimaryFieldType,
+   query?: Partial<RepoQuery>
+) {
    return (
       "/" +
       [...(api.options?.basepath?.split("/") ?? []), entity, ...(id ? [id] : [])]
          .filter(Boolean)
-         .join("/")
+         .join("/") +
+      (query ? "?" + encodeSearch(query) : "")
    );
 }
 
@@ -92,29 +106,36 @@ export const useEntityQuery = <
    entity: Entity,
    id?: Id,
    query?: Partial<RepoQuery>,
-   options?: SWRConfiguration & { enabled?: boolean }
+   options?: SWRConfiguration & { enabled?: boolean; revalidateOnMutate?: boolean }
 ) => {
-   const { mutate } = useSWRConfig();
    const api = useApi().data;
-   const key = makeKey(api, entity, id);
+   const key = makeKey(api, entity, id, query);
    const { read, ...actions } = useEntity<Entity, Id>(entity, id);
    const fetcher = () => read(query);
 
    type T = Awaited<ReturnType<typeof fetcher>>;
    const swr = useSWR<T>(options?.enabled === false ? null : key, fetcher as any, {
       revalidateOnFocus: false,
-      keepPreviousData: false,
+      keepPreviousData: true,
       ...options
    });
 
+   const mutateAll = async () => {
+      const entityKey = makeKey(api, entity);
+      return mutate((key) => typeof key === "string" && key.startsWith(entityKey), undefined, {
+         revalidate: true
+      });
+   };
+
    const mapped = objectTransform(actions, (action) => {
       return async (...args: any) => {
          // @ts-ignore
          const res = await action(...args);
 
-         // mutate the key + list key
-         mutate(key);
-         if (id) mutate(makeKey(api, entity));
+         // mutate all keys of entity by default
+         if (options?.revalidateOnMutate !== false) {
+            await mutateAll();
+         }
          return res;
       };
    }) as Omit<ReturnType<typeof useEntity<Entity, Id>>, "read">;
diff --git a/app/src/ui/routes/data/data.$entity.$id.tsx b/app/src/ui/routes/data/data.$entity.$id.tsx
index 09cd38a..a641187 100644
--- a/app/src/ui/routes/data/data.$entity.$id.tsx
+++ b/app/src/ui/routes/data/data.$entity.$id.tsx
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export function DataEntityUpdate({ params }) {
                                  data: {
                                     data: data as any,
                                     entity: entity.toJSON(),
-                                    schema: entity.toSchema(true),
+                                    schema: entity.toSchema({ clean: true }),
                                     form: Form.state.values,
                                     state: Form.state
                                  }
diff --git a/app/src/ui/routes/test/tests/swr-and-api.tsx b/app/src/ui/routes/test/tests/swr-and-api.tsx
index 4d4d88f..45807eb 100644
--- a/app/src/ui/routes/test/tests/swr-and-api.tsx
+++ b/app/src/ui/routes/test/tests/swr-and-api.tsx
@@ -39,12 +39,12 @@ export default function SWRAndAPI() {
                   e.preventDefault();
                   if (!comment) return;
 
-                  await r.mutate(async () => {
+                  /*await r.mutate(async () => {
                      const res = await r.api.data.updateOne("comments", comment.id, {
                         content: text
                      });
                      return res.data;
-                  });
+                  });*/
 
                   return false;
                }}
diff --git a/app/src/ui/routes/test/tests/swr-and-data-api.tsx b/app/src/ui/routes/test/tests/swr-and-data-api.tsx
index ab82e24..fe8d7b1 100644
--- a/app/src/ui/routes/test/tests/swr-and-data-api.tsx
+++ b/app/src/ui/routes/test/tests/swr-and-data-api.tsx
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ export default function SwrAndDataApi() {
 
 function QueryDataApi() {
    const [text, setText] = useState("");
-   const { data, update, ...r } = useEntityQuery("comments", 2);
+   const { data, update, ...r } = useEntityQuery("comments", 2, {
+      sort: { by: "id", dir: "desc" }
+   });
    const comment = data ? data : null;
 
    useEffect(() => {
diff --git a/app/vite.dev.ts b/app/vite.dev.ts
index 608e24e..1fdcdbe 100644
--- a/app/vite.dev.ts
+++ b/app/vite.dev.ts
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ export default {
    async fetch(request: Request) {
       const app = App.create({ connection });
 
-      app.emgr.on(
-         "app-built",
+      app.emgr.onEvent(
+         App.Events.AppBuiltEvent,
          async () => {
             app.registerAdminController({ forceDev: true });
             app.module.server.client.get("/assets/*", serveStatic({ root: "./" }));