ElectricSQL
Sync layer for Postgres that streams database changes to local SQLite in web browsers and mobile apps. ElectricSQL implements Partial Sync — clients subscribe to a 'shape' (filtered subset of Postgres data) and receive real-time updates as Postgres changes. Applications query local SQLite for instant reads without network latency, and Electric handles syncing changes bidirectionally. Enables offline-capable, real-time collaborative applications built on Postgres without custom sync infrastructure.
Score Breakdown
⚙ Agent Friendliness
🔒 Security
Apache 2.0 open source for auditability. Shape-level access control via server proxy. Data is client-local — no additional data exposure beyond what Postgres already contains. TLS for sync stream. Auth implementation is pluggable — security posture depends on application's auth layer.
⚡ Reliability
Best When
You're building web or mobile applications where agents or users need instant read access to data and real-time updates from Postgres without managing WebSocket sync infrastructure.
Avoid When
Your agent workloads are server-side and can query Postgres directly — ElectricSQL's value is for edge/client environments that benefit from local data access.
Use Cases
- • Build local-first agent applications where agents query a local SQLite replica of Postgres data with zero latency — no network round-trips for read-heavy agent data access
- • Enable offline agent functionality — agents continue operating on locally cached data when network is unavailable, syncing changes when connectivity is restored
- • Implement real-time multi-user collaboration in agent-powered tools — ElectricSQL propagates Postgres changes to all connected clients in real time without custom WebSocket infrastructure
- • Reduce database load from high-frequency agent read operations — agents query local SQLite replica instead of hitting Postgres directly for every read
- • Build reactive agent UIs that update instantly when underlying Postgres data changes without polling — ElectricSQL pushes live updates to client-side SQLite
Not For
- • Server-side agents — ElectricSQL is designed for browser/mobile clients with local SQLite; server-side agents should query Postgres directly
- • Large dataset sync — ElectricSQL syncs relevant subsets (shapes); syncing entire large tables to every client is inappropriate; design shapes carefully for data access patterns
- • Non-Postgres databases — ElectricSQL requires Postgres as the source of truth; not compatible with MySQL, MongoDB, or other database backends
Interface
Authentication
ElectricSQL's sync API can be configured with bearer token auth or proxy-based auth. Shape access control via server-side proxy that validates access before exposing shape subscription endpoint. Open source self-hosted; auth is configurable.
Pricing
Apache 2.0 open source. Self-hostable. Electric Cloud provides managed hosting. Project is actively developed; v1.x represents a major architectural rewrite from earlier versions. Pricing for managed cloud still evolving.
Agent Metadata
Known Gotchas
- ⚠ ElectricSQL requires Postgres logical replication enabled — this is not default in all Postgres deployments; verify wal_level=logical and configure replication slots before deploying
- ⚠ Shape design is critical for performance — overly broad shapes (entire tables) cause excessive data transfer; agents must design shapes as targeted subsets of data needed by each client
- ⚠ ElectricSQL v1.x (current) is a complete rewrite from pre-1.x — docs and examples from pre-1.x are not compatible; verify documentation version before implementing
- ⚠ Write path must still go through Postgres directly (or via your API) — ElectricSQL only syncs reads; agents writing data must use a separate API or direct Postgres connection
- ⚠ Conflict resolution for concurrent writes is application responsibility — ElectricSQL syncs Postgres state; CRDT or last-write-wins strategies must be implemented at the application layer
- ⚠ Local SQLite queries use SQLite dialect, not Postgres SQL — agents must adapt queries for SQLite limitations (no JSONB operators, different date functions) when using local replica
- ⚠ Electric Cloud managed service pricing and availability are still evolving (2025) — evaluate self-hosting as the primary option until Cloud offering stabilizes
Alternatives
Full Evaluation Report
Detailed scoring breakdown, competitive positioning, security analysis, and improvement recommendations for ElectricSQL.
Scores are editorial opinions as of 2026-03-06.