pglite README

The project's README from github.com/electric-sql/pglite. As one markdown file: README.md.

PGlite - the WASM build of Postgres from Electric.
Build reactive, realtime, local-first apps directly on Postgres.

PGlite - Postgres in WASM

PGlite

PGlite is a WASM Postgres build packaged into a TypeScript client library that enables you to run Postgres in the browser, Node.js, Bun and Deno, with no need to install any other dependencies. It is only 3mb gzipped and has support for many Postgres extensions, including pgvector and PostGIS.

import { PGlite } from "@electric-sql/pglite";

const db = new PGlite();
await db.query("select 'Hello world' as message;");
// -> { rows: [ { message: "Hello world" } ] }

It can be used as an ephemeral in-memory database, or with persistence either to the file system (Node/Bun/Deno) or indexedDB (Browser).

Unlike previous "Postgres in the browser" projects, PGlite does not use a Linux virtual machine - it is simply Postgres in WASM.

For full documentation and user guides see pglite.dev.

Browser

It can be installed and imported using your usual package manager:

import { PGlite } from "@electric-sql/pglite";

or using a CDN such as JSDeliver:

import { PGlite } from "https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@electric-sql/pglite/dist/index.js";

Then for an in-memory Postgres:

const db = new PGlite()
await db.query("select 'Hello world' as message;")
// -> { rows: [ { message: "Hello world" } ] }

or to persist the database to indexedDB:

const db = new PGlite("idb://my-pgdata");

Node/Bun/Deno

Install into your project:

NodeJS

npm install @electric-sql/pglite

Bun

bun install @electric-sql/pglite

Deno

deno add npm:@electric-sql/pglite

To use the in-memory Postgres:

import { PGlite } from "@electric-sql/pglite";

const db = new PGlite();
await db.query("select 'Hello world' as message;");
// -> { rows: [ { message: "Hello world" } ] }

or to persist to the filesystem:

const db = new PGlite("./path/to/pgdata");

How it works

PostgreSQL typically operates using a process forking model; whenever a client initiates a connection, a new process is forked to manage that connection. However, programs compiled with Emscripten - a C to WebAssembly (WASM) compiler - cannot fork new processes, and operates strictly in a single-process mode. As a result, PostgreSQL cannot be directly compiled to WASM for conventional operation.

Fortunately, PostgreSQL includes a "single user mode" primarily intended for command-line usage during bootstrapping and recovery procedures. Building upon this capability, PGlite introduces an input/output pathway that facilitates interaction with PostgreSQL when it is compiled to WASM within a JavaScript environment.

Limitations

PGlite is single user/connection.

How to build PGlite and contribute

The build process of PGlite is split into two parts:

Building the Postgres WASM module.
Building the PGlite client library and other TypeScript packages.

Docker is required to build the WASM module, along with Node (v20 or above) and pnpm for package management and building the TypeScript packages.

To start checkout the repository and install dependencies:

git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/electric-sql/pglite
cd pglite
pnpm install

To build everything, we have the convenient pnpm build:all command in the root of the repository. This command will:

Use Docker to build the Postgres WASM module. The artifacts produced by this step are then copied to /packages/pglite/release.
Build the PGlite client library and other TypeScript packages.

To only build the Postgres WASM module (i.e. point 1 above), run

pnpm wasm:build

If you don't want to build the WASM module and assorted WASM binaries from scratch, they are generated automatically on Github after each successful PR merge. You can download the latest binaries by going to the last successfully merged PR and clicking the link after the comment Interim build files:. Extract the files and place them under packages/pglite/release in your local repo copy.

To build all TypeScript packages (i.e. point 2 of the above), run:

pnpm ts:build

This will build all packages in the correct order based on their dependency relationships. You can now develop any individual package using the build and test scripts, as well as the stylecheck and typecheck scripts to ensure style and type validity.

Or alternatively to build a single package, move into the package directory and run:

cd packages/pglite
pnpm build

When ready to open a PR, run the following command at the root of the repository:

pnpm changeset

And follow the instructions to create an appropriate changeset. Please ensure any contributions that touch code are accompanied by a changeset.

Acknowledgments

PGlite builds on the work of Stas Kelvich of Neon in this Postgres fork.

Sponsors

Big shoutout to everybody supporting us!

Blacksmith

License

PGlite is dual-licensed under the terms of the Apache License 2.0 and the PostgreSQL License, you can choose which you prefer.

Changes to the Postgres source are licensed under the PostgreSQL License.

Searching Database…

16.2K ·GitHub

What is this?

PGlite is Postgres compiled to WebAssembly and packaged as a TypeScript client library, so a real Postgres database runs directly in the browser, Node.js, Bun or Deno - no other dependencies needed.

Is this a separate Postgres server I install, or a library I import into my code?

It is a client library you import into your JavaScript or TypeScript app, with Postgres running inside your own process as WASM - there is no separate server or Linux VM involved.

How do I add it to my project?

Install it with your usual package manager, or import it from a CDN such as JSDelivr, then create an instance in code for an in-memory database.

Do I need to install Postgres or any other dependencies first?

Nothing else is required - the WASM Postgres ships inside the library itself, which is only 3mb gzipped.

Can multiple clients connect to it at the same time?

No - PGlite is single user and single connection, so only one client can talk to it at a time.

Is it free to use in commercial projects?

Yes - it is dual-licensed under the Apache 2.0 and PostgreSQL License terms, and you can pick whichever you prefer.

How does Postgres run inside a browser without a virtual machine?

Postgres was compiled to WebAssembly with Emscripten. Because WASM programs cannot fork processes, PGlite is built on Postgres's single-user mode, with an I/O pathway that lets JavaScript talk to it.

Is it a good fit for local-first or real-time apps?

Yes - that is exactly the positioning: Electric pitches PGlite for building reactive, realtime, local-first apps directly on Postgres, with browser data persisting locally in indexedDB.

Which extensions does it ship besides pgvector and PostGIS?

The repo's build scripts also package pgmq (message queues), pgTAP (testing) and pg_uuidv7 as WASM extension builds.

What are similar projects?

kysely, supabase, zvec, turso, electric, rxdb, lancedb, perspective

Which topics is it in?

pgvector, embedded-database, deno, reactive, postgres, webassembly, bun, vector-database, embedded, wasm, sql, real-time

Creator: electric-sql
Size: 31.2 MB
Stars: 16.2K
Updated: CommitOct 14 Release@electric-sql/[email protected]Oct 14
Age: 2y
Commits · 90 Days