DriftDB is a real-time data backend that operates on the edge, enabling direct client connections via WebSocket. It offers various messaging primitives such as publisher/subscriber channels, key/value storage with subscriptions, and ordered streams. DriftDB is designed for scenarios where direct browser-to-browser or backend-to-browser connections are needed, making it ideal for real-time collaborative applications like whiteboards, multiplayer games, WebRTC signaling, and streaming CI/CD logs.
The backend is implemented in Rust and is MIT-licensed, with a JavaScript client library and ergonomic React bindings available. DriftDB provides both hosted and self-hosted instances, with free API keys available for hosted versions.
DriftDB's architecture is centered around rooms and keys, where messages belong to a room and have a key. Rooms are represented by unique strings, while keys are developer-defined and context-specific. The React integration allows for state synchronization across multiple clients, as demonstrated in a slider synchronization example.
The service is intended for applications requiring a small number of clients to share state over short periods, with room state persisting for 24 hours after the last write. The trust model is simple: possession of the room ID grants write access to all data in the room, suitable for applications where multiplayer functionality is siloed into rooms with controlled access.
For more complex server-side requirements like persistence or access control, DriftDB suggests using Plane. Additional resources include detailed documentation, API guides, live demos, and a React quickstart.
Pricing
Pricing information is not available