Open-Source Databases · electric-sql

pglite

PGlite is a WebAssembly build of PostgreSQL packaged as a TypeScript library, allowing you to run a full Postgres database in browsers, Node.js, Bun, and Deno without external dependencies. It supports in-memory operation or persistence to indexedDB (browser) or the filesystem (server runtimes), and includes extensions like pgvector and PostGIS.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/electric-sql/pglite

15.5k

GitHub stars

403

Forks

TypeScript

Primary language

Apache-2.0

License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.

Field	Value
Repository	electric-sql/pglite
Owner	electric-sql
Primary language	TypeScript
License	Apache-2.0 — OSI-approved
Stars	15.5k
Forks	403
Open issues	137
Latest release	@electric-sql/[email protected] (2026-07-02)
Last updated	2026-07-07
Source	https://github.com/electric-sql/pglite

What pglite is

PGlite compiles PostgreSQL to WASM using Emscripten and runs it in single-user/single-connection mode via Postgres's built-in single-user mode, avoiding the need for process forking. The 3MB gzipped package exposes a TypeScript API for query execution and supports multiple persistence backends via a URI scheme (idb://, file paths).

Quickstart

Get the pglite source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/electric-sql/pglite.git2cd pglite3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

Need it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.

Best use cases

Local-first browser applications

Embed a full SQL database directly in the browser for offline-capable, reactive web apps that synchronize with a server when connectivity returns.

Rapid prototyping and demos

Quickly stand up a Postgres-compatible database for proof-of-concepts, educational projects, or live demos without Docker or server infrastructure.

Edge/serverless query execution

Run complex SQL queries at the edge (Cloudflare Workers, Vercel Edge Functions) or in short-lived serverless environments where persistent services are unavailable.

Implementation considerations

Single-connection model: design application architecture to avoid concurrent queries; use connection pooling patterns cautiously.
Storage backend selection: choose idb:// for browsers (IndexedDB limitations apply) or filesystem paths for Node/Bun/Deno; ephemeral (in-memory) for testing.
3MB gzipped footprint: acceptable for most web bundles, but measure actual impact in your target environment and consider lazy-loading if critical.
Extension availability: pgvector and PostGIS are included, but verify all required Postgres extensions are pre-compiled in the WASM build.
Browser compatibility: requires WebAssembly support; test in your minimum target browser versions.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

Multi-user/multi-connection scenarios — PGlite is explicitly single-user/single-connection; it cannot handle concurrent connections or serve multiple clients simultaneously.
Strict production data resilience needed — Project status is alpha; no warranty on data durability or recovery. Not recommended for mission-critical production workloads without thorough vetting.
Heavy I/O or large dataset operations — WASM execution and in-browser/in-process database constraints may cause performance degradation with large datasets or high-frequency transactional workloads.
Complex administrative operations — Limited support for advanced Postgres administration (replication, clustering, backup recovery) compared to traditional server deployments.

License & commercial use

Dual-licensed under Apache License 2.0 and PostgreSQL License. You may choose either license for your use. Apache 2.0 is a permissive OSI-approved license; PostgreSQL License is also permissive and compatible with the Apache 2.0 choice.

Both Apache 2.0 and PostgreSQL License permit commercial use, redistribution, and modification without requiring you to open-source your own code. No license terms explicitly restrict commercial use. However, as project is marked alpha status, conduct appropriate risk assessment and legal review before deploying commercially.

DEV.co evaluation signals

Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.

Signal	Assessment
Maintenance	Active
Documentation	Adequate
License clarity	Clear
Deployment complexity	Low
DEV.co fit	Good
Assessment confidence	High

Security considerations

PGlite runs Postgres in-process within the same execution context as your application (browser or Node.js process). Security model differs from a separate server: no network isolation, same-process memory exposure. WASM itself has no exploits mentioned in provided data, but all queries execute in-process; validate untrusted input as normal. No audit or security certification stated. Review before handling sensitive data.

Alternatives to consider

sql.js

Lightweight in-browser SQLite alternative; smaller footprint (~1MB gzipped), but lacks Postgres semantics and advanced features.

Dexie.js + IndexedDB

Lower-level browser persistence library; simpler for basic structured data, but not SQL-compliant and limited querying capability.

Traditional remote Postgres + WebSocket/GraphQL

Server-side Postgres with real-time subscriptions; handles multi-user, clustering, and durability, but requires infrastructure and network latency.

Software development agency

Build on pglite with DEV.co software developers

PGlite enables offline-capable, SQL-driven web apps without server infrastructure. Ideal for prototypes, edge functions, and local-first designs. Review alpha status and single-connection limitations before production use.

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Related open-source tools

Surfaced by semantic similarity across the DEV.co open-source index.

pgtyped pg_graphql efcore.pg

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pglite FAQ

Can PGlite handle multiple users or concurrent connections?

No. PGlite is single-user/single-connection by design due to WASM's single-process constraint. It is intended for embedded, local databases, not multi-user servers.

How much data can I store in PGlite?

Unknown. Practical limits depend on available memory and storage backend (IndexedDB quota in browsers, filesystem space on servers). No explicit limits documented in provided data.

Is PGlite production-ready?

Status badge indicates alpha. The project is active and functional for prototyping and local-first use, but conduct thorough testing and risk assessment before production deployment.

Can I sync PGlite data with a remote Postgres server?

Not natively. You must implement custom sync logic. Electric SQL (the maintainer) offers products for real-time sync, but specific integration details require external documentation review.

Software developers & web developers for hire

DEV.co is a software development agency delivering custom software development services to companies building on open source. Our software developers and web developers design, integrate, and ship production systems — spanning web development, APIs, AI, data, and cloud. If pglite is part of your open-source databases roadmap, our team can implement, customize, migrate, and maintain it.

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