qualifiers.js

// collection style
var qualifierCollection = [{
  family: 'user',
  qualifier: 'tagged',
  $: 'bfranklin'
}, {
  family: 'user',
  qualifier: 'tagger',
  $: 'alincoln'
}];

// simple hash using bigtable syntax
var qualifierSimpleHash = {
  'user:tagged': 'bfranklin',
  'user:tagger': 'alincoln'
};

// nested objects
var qualifierNestedObjs = {
  user: {
    tagged: 'bfranklin',
    tagger: 'alincoln'
  }
};

usage.js

var gcloud = require('gcloud')({ ... });
var bigtable = gcloud.bigtable();

var prezzy = bigtable.table('prezzy');
var lincoln = prezzy.row('lincoln');

// this is where that data would go
lincoln.put(qualifiers, function (err, apiResponse) {
  if (err) console.log('sad times');
});

Using this prezzy example:

Make jadams follow wmckinley:

var prezzy = bigtable.table('prezzy');
var jadams = prezzy.row('jadams');

jadams.family('follows').set('wmckinley', 1, function(err, apiResponse) {});

Make tjefferson, wmckinley, and gwashington follow jadams:

var prezzy = bigtable.table('prezzy');

var rows = prezzy.rows(['tjefferson', 'wmckinley', 'gwashington']);
// alternative:
// var tjefferson = prezzy.row('tjefferson');
// var wmckinley = prezzy.row('wmckinley');
// var gwashington = prezzy.row('gwashington');
// var rows = prezzy.rows([tjeferrson, wmckinley, gwashington]);

rows.family('follows').set('jadams', 1, function(err, apiResponse) {});

Is that awful?