Back to catalog
Nhost OSS
MITNhost OSS is an open-source GraphQL backend replacing Firebase and Nhost Pro with PostgreSQL, Hasura, auth, and S3 storage on Docker.
Open-source alternative to — compare it against:
Overview
Nhost combines PostgreSQL, the Hasura GraphQL Engine, a dedicated authentication service, and S3-compatible file storage into an integrated container stack. Teams deploy the backend locally through the Nhost CLI or run it on their own servers to generate instant GraphQL APIs over relational tables. The platform replicates Firebase backend capabilities through open relational standards, avoiding vendor lock-in while preserving data sovereignty.
Why Nhost OSS instead of Nhost Pro
Nhost OSS provides the same core development surface as Nhost Pro by running identical backend services across local and remote environments. Developers interacting with the local stack get the exact Hasura GraphQL engine, PostgreSQL relational database, authentication endpoints, and storage APIs that power the managed cloud platform. Frontend clients built with the Nhost JavaScript SDK, React hooks, or Flutter packages communicate with local containers using the same query syntax and authentication tokens as a hosted cluster. This consistency allows engineering teams to validate schema migrations, Hasura permissions, and serverless functions offline before pushing code.
The operational workflow diverges around infrastructure maintenance and automated platform tooling. Nhost Pro handles database provisioning, daily automated snapshots, point-in-time recovery, managed Grafana telemetry, and automated preview environments. Self-hosting Nhost OSS replaces those cloud conveniences with standard container orchestration. DevOps engineers retain full control over data residency, networking perimeters, and resource allocations, eliminating cloud seat charges and egress tiers. In exchange, the team manages container uptime, PostgreSQL replication, reverse proxy configuration, and custom backup routines. Compared to proprietary GraphQL backends like 8base, Nhost OSS avoids closed schema models and keeps application logic rooted in standard SQL tables.
What it does well
- Instant GraphQL API generation via Hasura, exposing queries, mutations, and WebSocket subscriptions directly from PostgreSQL schemas without resolver boilerplate.
- Declarative schema migrations and metadata tracking, allowing teams to commit database definitions and row-level authorization rules into Git repositories.
- Local development parity through the Nhost CLI, letting developers run the complete multi-service stack offline without cloud dependencies.
