PocketBase

PocketBase is an open-source backend that ships as a single executable. Download the binary for your platform, run one command, and you have a running backend with a SQLite database, a REST API, realtime subscriptions, user authentication, file storage, and an admin dashboard. No Docker required, no database server to configure, no separate auth service.

The realtime layer works through server-sent events. From the JavaScript or Dart SDK, you subscribe to a collection and receive push updates whenever a record is created, updated, or deleted. The auth system covers email and password accounts, OAuth2 providers, and one-time passwords out of the box. File uploads go to local storage by default, with the option to route them to any S3-compatible bucket.

For developers who want to extend beyond the built-in features, PocketBase can also be used as a Go framework. You import it as a library and write custom routes, hooks, and middleware around the core, so you are not locked into the default behaviour.

Two honest caveats worth knowing before you build on it. First, PocketBase has not reached v1.0, and the project documentation explicitly states that backward compatibility is not guaranteed. Upgrades between minor versions occasionally require manual migration steps. Second, the SQLite foundation means the database lives on one machine. This works well for most indie projects and small teams, but it rules out horizontal scaling.

For side projects, MVPs, and internal tools, the tradeoff is usually worth it. The time it saves on infrastructure setup is hard to overstate.

PocketBase: Pros & Cons