convex.html

Convex

JS-first reactive database — functions are the API, real-time queries by default.

VISIT CONVEX

Quick facts

  • CategoryRealtime / function-as-DB
  • EngineJS-native
  • PricingFreemium
  • LicenseApache-2.0 (client) + Proprietary (server)
  • Created2021
  • GitHub stars1.4k
  • PostgresNo
  • Edge-readyNo

Bundled features: Realtime queries Functions-as-API File storage Auth

What it is

Convex is a JS-first reactive database where backend functions are the API surface. Queries are real-time by default — your React component re-renders when underlying data changes. Strong on type-safety, transactional consistency, and the full-stack TypeScript story.

Best for

  • Real-time first apps (dashboards, multiplayer, collaborative)
  • TypeScript-fluent teams that want backend functions as the only API
  • Apps where the database-to-UI reactivity is the differentiator

When not to pick it

Skip Convex for SQL-shaped workloads where Postgres is the natural fit. Skip if your team values portable data more than reactive convenience — Convex is its own data model.

My take

Convex is genuinely interesting and well-built. The reactivity is real and the TypeScript story is excellent. The trade-off is portability — once you adopt Convex, the data model is non-trivial to migrate.

Links

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If Convex is your pick — the next conversation is short

The 30-min call is where your database choice becomes a real architecture, a migration plan if you are switching, and a price range you can take to your stakeholders. Describe your stack, your scale, your data shape. I tell you whether Convex is genuinely your fit.