Convex

Convex bundles database, server functions, real-time subscriptions, scheduled tasks, and file storage into a single TypeScript-coherent backend platform. Functions (queries, mutations, actions) run on Convex's infrastructure with automatic transactionality. Real-time subscriptions mean clients re-render automatically when data changes. For agents: use HTTP Actions to expose REST endpoints, scheduled actions for background processing, mutations for transactional writes. Strong fit for TypeScript-first stacks. Growing developer adoption in React/Next.js ecosystem. Confidence is docs-derived.

Convex functions are TypeScript-first: define query (read-only), mutation (read-write, transactional), or action (external calls) as exported functions in convex/ directory. Deploy with npx convex deploy. Client-side: useQuery subscribes to real-time query results. useMutation for writes. HTTP Actions: export default httpRouter() to define REST-like endpoints. Convex Dashboard: browse data, run functions interactively. Scheduled tasks via ctx.scheduler.runAfter() or cron jobs in convex/crons.ts.

Convex uses Clerk, Auth0, or custom JWT providers for user authentication. Functions receive authenticated user identity via ctx.auth.getUserIdentity(). Per-function access control via identity checks in function bodies. Admin access via Convex account. Deployment keys for CI/CD via CONVEX_DEPLOY_KEY env var. HTTPS enforced. No raw DB credentials — all access via Convex functions with built-in auth integration.

Convex provides strong consistency and ACID transactions within mutations. Query subscriptions automatically re-run when relevant data changes. TypeScript type safety across client and server catches integration errors at compile time. Scheduled tasks have retry semantics. Convex uptime at status.convex.dev. Free tier has compute and storage limits; upgrade triggers clearly documented. Version mismatch handled via convex deploy workflow.

docs.convex.dev is excellent for TypeScript developers — tutorials, API reference, framework integration guides (Next.js, React, SvelteKit, Vue), and video walkthroughs. Getting started: npx create-convex@latest scaffolds a project in minutes. Free tier requires no credit card. Convex Discord community is active and responsive. TypeScript-coherent development experience (shared types between client and server) is a genuine DX differentiator.