PocketBase
activeby Gani Georgiev · since 2022 · also known as Pocket Base
Open-source backend in one Go binary: SQLite database, auth, files, realtime and admin UI.
Overview
PocketBase packages an embedded SQLite database, a REST API with filter syntax, realtime subscriptions over SSE, auth (email, OAuth2, OTP, MFA), file storage (local or S3) and an admin dashboard into one Go executable. You can extend it with Go or JavaScript hooks. Collections map to SQLite tables with typed fields, relations and per-collection API rules, so it is closer to a tiny Firebase or Supabase than to a document database. It is pre-1.0 (v0.41.0 as of October 2026). In October 2026 its author moved development off GitHub to a self-hosted forge at ganigeorgiev.com and archived the GitHub repo, so update import paths and release feeds.
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
- +Entire backend (DB, auth, files, realtime, admin UI) in a single binary
- +Trivial to deploy on a small VPS; backups are a file copy
- +Extend with Go (as a framework) or JavaScript hooks
- +Realtime subscriptions and API rules out of the box
- +MIT license
Trade-offs
- −Pre-1.0 with breaking changes between minor versions
- −Single-node only; no replication or horizontal scaling
- −Bus factor of one maintainer
- −Move off GitHub breaks existing Go import paths and release automation
Great for
- +MVPs and indie SaaS backends
- +Internal tools and admin panels
- +Mobile app backends with auth and file uploads
- +Self-hosted alternatives to Firebase for small apps
Think twice for
- −High-availability or multi-region systems
- −Large write-heavy workloads
- −Teams needing vendor support contracts
Capabilities
Native or official first-party support · 10 of 25 tracked
Scale & consistency
- Comfortable data size
- Small · ≤ 100 GB
- Horizontal scaling
- None
- Multi-region
- No
- Transactions
- Full ACID
- Consistency
- Strong
- Schema
- Strict
- Architecture
- Single node, Embedded, Client server
- Query languages
- PocketBase filter syntax, SQL (via hooks)
One process on one machine; vertical scaling only, inherits SQLite's single-writer model.
Deployment
Ecosystem
Alternatives to PocketBase
Open-source Postgres backend platform: database, auth, storage, realtime and edge functions in one project.
pocketbase vs supabase →Google's app platform: Firestore, Realtime Database and Data Connect, plus auth, functions and hosting.
pocketbase vs firebase →Open-source backend platform with databases, auth, storage, functions and realtime, self-hosted or cloud.
pocketbase vs appwrite →Reactive TypeScript backend with a transactional document database, server functions and live queries.
pocketbase vs convex →The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers.
pocketbase vs sqlite →Firebase's original JSON-tree database that syncs every change to connected clients in milliseconds.
pocketbase vs firebase-realtime-database →PocketBase FAQ
What is PocketBase?
PocketBase is a relational database by Gani Georgiev, first released in 2022. PocketBase packages an embedded SQLite database, a REST API with filter syntax, realtime subscriptions over SSE, auth (email, OAuth2, OTP, MFA), file storage (local or S3) and an admin dashboard into one Go executable. You can extend it with Go or JavaScript hooks. Collections map to SQLite tables with typed fields, relations and per-collection API rules, so it is closer to a tiny Firebase or Supabase than to a document database. It is pre-1.0 (v0.41.0 as of October 2026). In October 2026 its author moved development off GitHub to a self-hosted forge at ganigeorgiev.com and archived the GitHub repo, so update import paths and release feeds.
Is PocketBase open source?
Yes. PocketBase is open source. License: MIT License.
Does PocketBase support ACID transactions?
Yes. PocketBase supports full ACID transactions, with strong consistency.
Does PocketBase scale horizontally?
PocketBase does not scale horizontally; it runs on a single node, so you scale it up rather than out. It is comfortable at small scale (≤ 100 GB).
How can I run PocketBase?
You can self-host it and embed it in your application.
What is PocketBase best for?
PocketBase is a strong fit for MVPs and indie SaaS backends; internal tools and admin panels; and mobile app backends with auth and file uploads. Think twice for high-availability or multi-region systems.
What are the best alternatives to PocketBase?
Common alternatives to PocketBase include Supabase, Firebase, Appwrite, Convex and SQLite. The right choice depends on your workload, scale and hosting; WhichDB's smart match ranks them against your requirements.
How popular is PocketBase?
PocketBase ranks #74 of 844 databases on the WhichDB Score (32.0/100), and #22 among relational databases. The score combines public adoption signals such as package downloads, GitHub activity, job posts and developer discussion.