#58 in Frameworks & LibrariesUpdated 2026-08

PocketBase

by PocketBase · Open source backend in one file with realtime database, auth and file storage

33.4 — BenchRank score out of 100

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Overview

PocketBase is an open source backend shipped as a single file. It provides an embedded database with a schema builder, data validations, realtime subscriptions and a REST API, plus email/password and OAuth2 authentication, file storage locally or in S3, and an admin dashboard. It can run standalone or be used as a framework and extended with Go and JavaScript hooks.

Best for: Developers wanting a single-file, self-hosted backend with database, auth and file storage.
Pricing: No prices are shown on the captured page; the project is presented as open source.
Runs on: macOSLinux

Strengths and trade-offs

Strengths

One file covers database, auth, file storage and admin UI
Realtime subscriptions and a REST API over an embedded database
Files stored locally or in S3, with thumbnails generated on the fly
Extendable via Go and JavaScript hooks, or usable as a framework

Trade-offs

Version 0.39.10 — still pre-1.0, so APIs may change
Only JavaScript and Dart SDKs are shown
OAuth2 sign-up limited to Google, Facebook, GitHub and GitLab
No hosted or managed option is mentioned; you run the server yourself

How this score is made up

Each dimension is scored out of 100 and combined into the headline score using fixed weights.

MCP support: 0 out of 100
API quality: 20 out of 100
Documentation: 60 out of 100
Agent friendliness: 32 out of 100
Changelog: 100 out of 100
Marketing site structure: 40 out of 100
Operational trust: 0 out of 100

Measured, but not part of the score

Useful to know, but not a mark for or against the product — so these do not affect the ranking.

Openness: 60 out of 100
Maintenance: 100 out of 100

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