| Product | Hasura |
| Website | hasura.io |
| Category | GraphQL Engine / Backend |
| Pricing | Free (self-hosted), Cloud Free (60 req/min), Cloud Professional $2/hr+ |
What Is Hasura?
Hasura is a GraphQL engine that connects to your existing databases and instantly provides a full-featured GraphQL API. Point Hasura at a PostgreSQL, MS SQL, MySQL, or MongoDB database, and it generates queries, mutations, subscriptions, and authorization rules — all without writing resolver code.
The appeal is speed: building a GraphQL API manually requires writing resolvers for every type and field, handling authentication, implementing subscriptions, and managing the N+1 query problem. Hasura does all of this automatically from your database schema.
Key Features
Auto-Generated GraphQL
Every table becomes a GraphQL type. Every relationship becomes a nested query. Filters, sorting, pagination, and aggregations are generated automatically. The API mirrors your database schema, and as you change the schema, the API updates.
Real-Time Subscriptions
GraphQL subscriptions that push data changes to clients in real-time. When a row changes in your database, connected clients receive the update immediately. This powers live dashboards, chat applications, and collaborative tools without writing WebSocket code.
Row-Level Authorization
Define authorization rules at the row level using session variables (user ID, role). A rule like “users can only see their own orders” is configured in the Hasura console, and the engine enforces it on every query. No authorization logic in application code.
Remote Schemas and Actions
Federate multiple GraphQL services or add custom business logic through “Actions” (HTTP webhooks that extend the schema). Hasura handles the database CRUD; your custom endpoints handle the business logic that doesn’t fit in database operations.
Who Is This For?
- Teams that need a GraphQL API without building one from scratch
- Projects with existing databases that need a modern API layer
- Applications requiring real-time data (subscriptions)
- Developers who want database-driven APIs fast
Pros
- Instant GraphQL API from database schema
- Real-time subscriptions built in
- Row-level authorization
- Self-hosted option (open source core)
- Supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, MS SQL, MongoDB
- Federation and remote schemas
Cons
- GraphQL only (no REST API generation)
- Complex authorization rules can be hard to debug
- Cloud pricing can spike with traffic
- Learning curve for non-GraphQL teams
- Schema-first approach limits flexibility
Verdict
Hasura is the fastest way to get a production-ready GraphQL API on an existing database. The auto-generated queries, real-time subscriptions, and row-level authorization cover the hardest parts of building a GraphQL backend. For teams that want GraphQL without the boilerplate, Hasura saves weeks of development.
The trade-off is the GraphQL commitment. If your team prefers REST or needs non-CRUD business logic, Hasura becomes one layer in a larger stack rather than the complete solution. For database-centric applications with real-time needs, it’s hard to beat.