PostGraphile
Automatic GraphQL API generation from PostgreSQL database schema. Reflects PostgreSQL tables, views, functions, and relationships into a fully-featured GraphQL API. Supports filtering, pagination, ordering, mutations (CRUD), subscriptions (via PostgreSQL LISTEN/NOTIFY), and custom business logic via PostgreSQL functions. Uses PostgreSQL row-level security (RLS) for authorization. 'Your database, already an API.'
Score Breakdown
⚙ Agent Friendliness
🔒 Security
Database-level authorization via PostgreSQL RLS is a strong security model. JWT auth maps claims to PostgreSQL session variables. MIT core. Defense in depth via database security.
⚡ Reliability
Best When
Your API closely mirrors your PostgreSQL schema and you want automatic GraphQL generation with PostgreSQL's full feature set (RLS, functions, views).
Avoid When
Your API has complex multi-system business logic or you need a non-PostgreSQL database — use Hasura for multi-DB or build custom resolvers.
Use Cases
- • Generate a complete GraphQL API from an existing PostgreSQL schema without writing resolver code
- • Expose PostgreSQL row-level security policies to GraphQL for database-level authorization that's automatically enforced
- • Build real-time subscriptions on PostgreSQL data changes using PostGraphile's LISTEN/NOTIFY integration
- • Extend auto-generated API with custom PostgreSQL functions that appear as GraphQL mutations or queries
- • Rapid prototyping of GraphQL APIs where the schema is driven by the database model without boilerplate
Not For
- • Non-PostgreSQL databases — PostGraphile is PostgreSQL-specific; use Hasura (multi-DB) or custom resolvers for other databases
- • APIs that need complex business logic beyond database operations — PostGraphile's logic lives in PostgreSQL functions
- • Teams preferring code-first GraphQL — PostGraphile is database-first; type-graphql or Pothos offer code-first approaches
Interface
Authentication
JWT-based authentication that sets PostgreSQL session variables. Row-level security enforced at database level. JWT claims become PostgreSQL settings (e.g., request.jwt.claim.user_id).
Pricing
MIT licensed core. Pro plugins available for purchase. Core PostGraphile is free and powerful.
Agent Metadata
Known Gotchas
- ⚠ PostGraphile introspects the database schema — schema changes require PostGraphile restart or watch mode for automatic schema updates
- ⚠ Row-level security must be enabled on PostgreSQL tables explicitly — without RLS, PostGraphile exposes all rows to all authenticated users
- ⚠ JWT claims must match PostgreSQL function signatures exactly — claim names and types must align with what PostgreSQL RLS policies expect
- ⚠ N+1 query problem is solved via Dataloader — but complex nested queries may still generate many database round-trips without careful schema design
- ⚠ PostGraphile v5 (Grafast) has different plugin/middleware API than v4 — migration guide required for v4 setups
- ⚠ Custom SQL functions must follow PostGraphile's naming conventions to appear in GraphQL schema automatically
Alternatives
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Scores are editorial opinions as of 2026-03-07.