A backend-as-a-service gives a frontend or mobile team a database, login, file storage and real-time updates without writing a server. These open-source projects do that and can run on your own infrastructure.
1
supabase supabase/supabase
The most-starred: a full Postgres database with auth, storage, edge functions and real-time. Apache-2.0, with a hosted service if you don’t want to run it.
2
pocketbase pocketbase/pocketbase
A real-time backend in a single file, with SQLite, auth and an admin UI. Ideal for small apps and prototypes. MIT.
3
appwrite appwrite/appwrite
Auth, databases, storage, functions and messaging behind one API, with SDKs for web and mobile. BSD-3-Clause.
4
parse-server parse-community/parse-server
The open-source continuation of Parse, the backend Facebook shut down. Mature and still maintained.
5
nhost nhost/nhost
A Firebase alternative built on Postgres and GraphQL. MIT.
How to choose
Want SQL and room to grow: Supabase. A side project or small app on one server: PocketBase. Many mobile SDKs and a Firebase-like API: Appwrite. Prefer GraphQL: Nhost.
How we pick: we start from every public GitHub repository with 1,000+ stars, keep the projects that do the job in the title, and read their descriptions and licenses. Stars show community size, not quality, so we also show maintenance status. Nobody paid to be listed.