# Convex — Reactive Backend and Database for Apps

> Convex is an open-source reactive backend platform that combines a document database, serverless functions, and real-time sync into a single TypeScript-first development experience.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# Convex — Reactive Backend and Database for Apps

## Quick Use
```bash
npm create convex@latest
cd my-app
npx convex dev   # starts local backend and syncs schema
```

## Introduction
Convex provides a reactive backend where database queries, serverless functions, and real-time subscriptions are defined together in TypeScript. Changes to data automatically propagate to all connected clients without manual WebSocket management or polling.

## What Convex Does
- Stores data in a transactional document database with strong consistency
- Runs server-side TypeScript functions with automatic caching and reactivity
- Pushes real-time updates to connected clients when query results change
- Provides built-in file storage, authentication, and scheduled jobs
- Offers a fully self-hostable open-source backend since the 2024 release

## Architecture Overview
Convex is built in Rust and uses a custom transactional document store as its storage layer. Server functions are defined in TypeScript and executed in a V8 isolate runtime. The reactivity system tracks which documents each query reads and automatically re-runs queries when those documents change, pushing updates to subscribed clients over WebSockets.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Bootstrap a new project with the create-convex CLI in seconds
- Self-host using the open-source convex-backend Docker image
- Define your schema, queries, mutations, and actions in a convex/ directory
- Environment variables and secrets are managed through the dashboard or CLI
- Deploy to production with zero-downtime schema migrations

## Key Features
- Automatic reactivity eliminates manual cache invalidation and data refetching
- ACID transactions across multiple documents and tables
- TypeScript end-to-end with generated types from your schema
- Built-in vector search for AI embedding queries
- Scheduled functions and cron jobs without external task queues

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Supabase** — Postgres-based with REST APIs and real-time via Change Data Capture, but not reactively re-executing queries
- **Firebase** — Google-managed NoSQL with real-time sync, but proprietary and limited query capabilities
- **PocketBase** — Lightweight Go backend with SQLite, simpler but no reactive query system
- **SpacetimeDB** — Unified DB and server with WASM modules, focused on game workloads
- **Hasura** — GraphQL layer over Postgres with subscriptions, but requires managing the underlying database

## FAQ
**Q: Is Convex fully open source?**
A: Yes, the Convex backend was open-sourced in 2024 under the FSL (Functional Source License), which converts to Apache 2.0 after two years.

**Q: Can I self-host Convex?**
A: Yes. The open-source backend can be deployed on your own infrastructure using Docker.

**Q: What client frameworks does Convex support?**
A: Official React, Next.js, and React Native clients are available. Community clients exist for Vue, Svelte, and plain JavaScript.

**Q: How does Convex handle file uploads?**
A: Convex includes built-in file storage with automatic URL generation. Files are stored alongside your data with no external S3 configuration required.

## Sources
- https://github.com/get-convex/convex-backend
- https://docs.convex.dev

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/b3685d7c-3c71-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: AI Open Source