Postgrest

Standalone web server that turns a PostgreSQL database directly into a RESTful API. Tables, views, and functions become HTTP resources with the database schema and constraints defining endpoints and behavior.

PostgREST is used in production by Supabase, Catarse, Nimbus, and others. It differs from ORM-based APIs by making the database the single source of truth: no custom CRUD code, no leaky abstraction. Permissions and constraints live in PostgreSQL rather than scattered across controllers. The project provides an OpenAPI spec, client libraries for multiple languages, and integrates with Nginx for production deployments.

Key features:

• Automatic REST endpoints for tables, views, and stored procedures
• Resource embedding for nested queries without N+1 problems
• Database-driven authorization via PostgreSQL roles and row-level security
• Filtering, sorting, pagination, and aggregates via URL query parameters
• OpenAPI spec generation and JWT or external authentication
• Single binary and Docker deployment

PostgREST suits rapid backend development and internal tools where the database is the core model. Teams building SPAs, mobile apps, or microservices can expose PostgreSQL without writing boilerplate API layers. SQL experts can design an API entirely through schema, views, and functions.