Open-Source Databases · roapi

roapi

ROAPI is a Rust-based tool that automatically generates read-only REST, GraphQL, and SQL APIs for static datasets without requiring code. It supports multiple data sources (CSV, JSON, Parquet, S3, databases) and uses Apache Arrow and Datafusion for efficient query execution.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/roapi/roapi

3.4k

GitHub stars

210

Forks

Rust

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	roapi/roapi
Owner	roapi
Primary language	Rust
License	Apache-2.0 — OSI-approved
Stars	3.4k
Forks	210
Open issues	65
Latest release	roapi-v0.13.0 (2026-03-24)
Last updated	2026-03-25
Source	https://github.com/roapi/roapi

What roapi is

ROAPI builds on Apache Arrow and Datafusion to translate SQL, GraphQL, REST, and FlightSQL queries into execution plans. It provides automatic schema inference, multiple response encodings (JSON, Arrow, Parquet), and query backends including Postgres wire protocol support.

Quickstart

Get the roapi source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/roapi/roapi.git2cd roapi3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

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

Best use cases

Analytics dashboards over static datasets

Serve CSV, JSON, or Parquet files as queryable APIs without backend development. Ideal for internal analytics, reporting dashboards, or data exploration where the underlying data changes infrequently.

Multi-source data federation

Query and join data across heterogeneous sources (S3, GCS, databases, spreadsheets) through a unified SQL/GraphQL interface. Useful for data warehousing scenarios where raw data lives in multiple places.

Rapid prototyping of data APIs

Quickly expose datasets as queryable services during proof-of-concept or prototype phases. Reduces time-to-API for datasets without requiring custom backend development.

Implementation considerations

Data is loaded into memory on startup; validate that dataset sizes fit available RAM in your deployment environment.
Schema inference happens automatically but can be overridden in config. Test inferred schemas against your actual data types before production use.
The dynamic registration feature (`-d` flag) requires careful validation of posted table URIs to prevent unauthorized data exposure.
Postgres wire protocol and FlightSQL clients need the corresponding port configured; ensure network policies accommodate these listeners.
Response encoding negotiation happens via ACCEPT header; verify client libraries send appropriate headers for desired output format.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

Transactional workloads requiring writes — ROAPI is read-only by design. If your use case requires INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE operations, it is not suitable.
High-frequency, real-time data updates — Designed for slowly-moving datasets. If data changes multiple times per minute and clients need instant visibility, consider a streaming database or operational data store.
Complex authentication or row-level security — Authentication layer is listed as not yet implemented in the roadmap. If you require fine-grained access control per user or row-level filtering, this requires custom integration.
Strict latency SLAs on query execution — No performance benchmarks or latency guarantees provided. Schema inference and large dataset scans may incur startup or per-query overhead unsuitable for sub-millisecond response requirements.

License & commercial use

Licensed under Apache License 2.0 (Apache-2.0), a permissive OSI-approved license. Permits commercial use, modification, and distribution with limited liability and requirement to include the license and notice of changes.

Apache-2.0 is a permissive license that explicitly permits commercial use. You may deploy ROAPI in commercial products and services without royalties or licensing fees. Ensure compliance by including the license text and documenting any modifications. No warranty is provided; assess risk tolerance accordingly.

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

ROAPI provides read-only access, limiting direct data mutation risk. No authentication or authorization layer is currently implemented; it assumes network-level access control is sufficient. Consider: (1) credential management for data source connections stored in config files, (2) exposure of schema and table structure via `/api/schema` endpoint, (3) lack of query rate limiting or request validation, (4) dynamic table registration endpoint can be misused without additional controls. Regular review of network exposure and data sensitivity is advisable.

Alternatives to consider

Apache Superset

Full-featured analytics platform with BI capabilities, user authentication, and dashboarding. Heavier than ROAPI but suitable if you need interactive visualization and multi-user access control.

Hasura GraphQL Engine

Auto-generates GraphQL APIs from databases with subscription support and fine-grained permissions. Better suited if your primary data source is a PostgreSQL database and you need write operations.

dbt + BI tool (Looker, Tableau, Metabase)

Separates data transformation (dbt) from visualization/querying (BI tools). More flexible for complex ETL but requires larger operational footprint and higher setup cost.

Software development agency

Build on roapi with DEV.co software developers

ROAPI eliminates boilerplate for read-only data services. Start with a dataset and a config file—no backend code required. Ideal for analytics, dashboards, and rapid prototyping. Let our experts help you evaluate fit for your use case.

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Related open-source tools

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DBAPI postgrest datafusion

Related on DEV.co

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roapi FAQ

Can I use ROAPI to serve write operations or mutations?

No. ROAPI is explicitly designed as read-only. It cannot perform INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE operations. Use it for exposing static or infrequently-changing datasets.

How does ROAPI handle authentication and access control?

Authentication is not yet implemented (listed in roadmap as incomplete). Operate ROAPI behind a reverse proxy or within a private network to control access, or implement authentication at the ingress layer.

What happens if my dataset is larger than available RAM?

ROAPI loads data into memory. If your dataset exceeds RAM, the service will either fail to start or crash under query load. Verify dataset size against deployment environment capacity before production use.

Can I query data from multiple sources in a single query?

Yes. SQL queries support JOIN operations across tables sourced from different backends (e.g., S3 and PostgreSQL). REST and GraphQL interfaces do not support joins; use SQL for cross-source queries.

Software developers & web developers for hire

From first prototype to production, DEV.co delivers software development services around tools like roapi. Our software development agency staffs experienced software developers and web developers for custom software development, web development, integrations, and ongoing support across open-source databases and beyond.

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