{"slug": "gel-postgres-unchained", "title": "Gel: Postgres Unchained", "summary": "Gel launched as a fully open-source, scalable data platform built on top of Postgres, offering a type-based schema, graph-style link traversal without JOINs, a built-in migration engine, and integrated auth and AI features. The platform includes a vector store with configurable automatic embeddings, an automatic RAG endpoint, and integrations with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Mistral, plus Python and TypeScript SDKs. Gel also ships a CLI installable via npx or uvx, a Vercel marketplace partnership for billing, and the ability to export data to vanilla Postgres.", "body_md": "unchained\n\nPostgres is the endgame database. Gel supercharges it with a modern data model, graph queries, Auth & AI solutions, and much more.\n\n## Fresh database experience\n\nGel is a scalable, integrated data platform on top of Postgres. Gel gives the relational model a fresh facelift, solves n+1, simplifies migrations, and streamlines your entire database workflow.\n\nGel is fully [open source](https://github.com/geldata/gel).\n\n- complete local dev environment\n- zero-config\n- seconds to deploy to cloud\n- cloud: encryption at rest, backups, monitoring\n- export data to vanilla Postgres, if needed\n\n- hierarchical selects, inserts, updates\n- link traversal: no JOINs\n- no NULL\n- easily composable queries\n- SQL & ORMs support\n\n- object types: links not JOINs\n- watertight access control\n- schema migrations engine\n- abstract types and mixins\n- advanced features: introspection, polymorphism\n\n- strictly typed schema\n- typed code via code gen for queries\n- TypeScript query builder\n- standard library optimized for safety\n- single type-safe data model for all languages\n\n- vector store\n- configurable automatic embeddings\n- automatic RAG end-point\n- gels with OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral\n- SDKs for Python and TS\n\n- multiple OAuth integrations\n- email/password, magic links\n- passkeys\n- built-in login UI\n- SDKs for Python and TS\n\n- Vercel marketplace partnership: easy billing\n- GitHub & Vercel previews\n- comprehensive CLI\n- built-in graphical UI\n- compatible with most BI solutions\n\n*AND*robust\n\n- query composability: better perf than SQL\n- no extra network roundtrips = low latency\n- auto-recovery from network errors in client APIs\n- built-in server and client connection pooling\n\n## The Gel way\n\nWhat does building an app from zero to 1 with Gel look like?\n\nA complete database workflow for both local & cloud development. Run Gel CLI with uvx or npx, or install in seconds.\n\n## More about the CLI\n\n- Instant setup: Install Gel CLI in seconds—or use via npx or uvx, with no extra downloads.\n- Flexible versioning: Run multiple Gel/Postgres versions side by side, no sudo required.\n- Local & cloud: Create and manage deployments anywhere, from your laptop to the cloud.\n- Built-in tooling: Apply schema migrations, dump & restore data, open a GUI, or jump into a REPL.\n- Zero config: Everything just works out of the box—no manual setup needed.\n\nModel your data with types, not tables. Start with simple types, go nuts with advanced concepts later.\n\n## More about the data model\n\n- Higher-level modeling: Gel's type-based schema feels natural in modern languages—no ORMs required.\n- Feature-rich schema: Define object types, abstract types, multiple inheritance and mixins, triggers, annotations, introspection, computed fields, user-defined functions, access policies, and more.\n- Native performance: Your schema compiles down to efficient, faithful Postgres layouts for speed and reliability.\n- Built for developers: If traditional databases ever felt like an awkward fit, Gel's flexible design is the solution you've been waiting for.\n\nIterate on your schema fast. Gel gives you a complete migration system and tools for branching and rapid prototyping.\n\n```\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8module default {\n  type User {\n    required username: str;\n  }\n}\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n7\n8CREATE MIGRATION m1kdtk6ze2irotrxzscsr5hmt55zxv...\n{\n  ALTER TYPE default::User {\n    CREATE REQUIRED PROPERTY email -> std::str {\n      SET REQUIRED USING ('example@example.com');\n    };\n  };\n};\n$\n```\n\n## More about migrations\n\n- Purpose-built: Gel was designed for migrations from day one, ensuring a robust, intuitive workflow for any project size.\n- Framework-agnostic: Learn once, use everywhere—perfect for multi-language or large, distributed teams.\n- Interactive migrations: The Gel server and CLI work together to provide a guided, user-friendly migration process.\n- Flexible changes: Squash minor tweaks, add custom steps, and easily browse through existing migration history.\n- Branch & prototype: Effortlessly experiment with new ideas, then fold them back into your main schema when ready.\n\nFast and robust client libraries. Zero-config, automatic connection pooling, performance-optimized, and auto-recovery from network and transaction errors.\n\n## More about client API's\n\n- Refined API: Gel client libraries offer a clean, consistent interface across multiple programming languages.\n- Zero Configuration: No manual setup needed—Gel handles connection pooling and connection options automatically.\n- Error resilience: Network and transaction issues are handled gracefully with transparent re-connects and retries.\n- Performance-oriented: Designed for high efficiency under load, minimizing latency and overhead.\n- Developer-friendly: Minimal boilerplate and clear documentation help teams integrate with ease.\n\nComposable, strictly typed, high-performance—pick three. Gel gives you EdgeQL, a type-safe query builder, and classic SQL/ORM options.\n\n## More about queries\n\n- EdgeQL: Gel's own fast, readable, composable, graph-relational language—like if SQL and GraphQL had a child, but with superpowers.\n- TypeScript query builder: A super-flexible builder with unparalleled composability and type safety.\n- SQL/ORM support: Use standard SQL or plug into your favorite ORM. Gel partnered with Drizzle to create a top-tier JavaScript ORM experience.\n- Code generation: Generate type-safe code from .edgeql files in the language of your choice—streamlined for any tech stack.\n- Strict typing: Enjoy type-safe queries that reduce bugs and keep your code robust and maintainable.\n- GraphQL out of the box: Need even more flexibility? Gel includes native GraphQL support by default.\n\nDon't build an admin panel. Gel comes with a feature rich UI to work with your data & schema, prototype queries, and much more.\n\n## More about Gel UI\n\n- Comprehensive: Gel's UI has been evolving alongside its core, ensuring a reliable and fully-featured tool.\n- Key features: Schema browser, data editor, query IDE, visual query builder, web-REPL, query performance visualization, and AI/Auth configuration.\n- Universal access: Run locally or in the cloud, on desktop browsers or mobile devices—no separate setup required.\n\nAutomatic embeddings creation and RAG. With just a few lines in your schema Gel will talk to LLMs give you a ready to go RAG endpoint.\n\nPick an LLM or configure a custom one.\n\n## More about Gel AI\n\n- Seamless opt-in: Enable AI when you're ready—no hidden defaults or dependencies.\n- Schema-driven embeddings: Simply annotate your data, and Gel handles embedding creation, storage, and indexing behind the scenes.\n- Built-in RAG: Enjoy a native Retrieval Augmented Generation endpoint for instant AI-driven insights, complete with an admin UI for rapid testing.\n- Flexible providers: Connect Gel AI to your preferred LLM service, so you can choose the best fit for your use case.\n- Scalable & integrated: Combine your AI features with Gel's powerful type system and migrations to build robust, future-proof data solutions.\n\nAuth is a solved problem. OAuth, emails and passwords, magic links, sign in and sign up UI — Gel comes with it all.\n\n## More about Gel Auth\n\n- Comprehensive Auth: Gel comes with a complete authentication layer, covering OAuth, email/password, magic links, passkeys, webhooks, and more.\n- Single database: Keep all user information in your main database, avoiding any need for external synchronization.\n- Built-In UI: Gel provides sign-in and sign-up forms out of the box, speeding up your auth implementation. Use it or build your own UI, the choice is yours.\n- Free & Open Source: Gel's Auth is a core part of the product, with no extra fees or licenses.\n\nGel Cloud is integrated with Vercel and GitHub. Automatic preview deployments, zero-configuration.\n\n## More about Gel+Vercel partnership\n\n- Streamlined workflows: Having a robust data model is crucial, but seamless development matters just as much—Gel delivers both.\n- Vercel partnership: Gel Cloud's collaboration with Vercel makes production and preview deployments simple and automated.\n- GitHub Pull Requests: Integrate Gel Cloud with GitHub to manage deployments directly from your team's PR workflow.\n- Zero setup: Configuration is minimal, so developers can focus on building rather than juggling deployment pipelines.\n\nDrop the maintenance burden. Gel runs a fully managed, HA database so you don't have to.\n\n## More about Gel Cloud\n\n- Unified platform: Gel's managed service is deeply integrated into every part of the stack, minimizing setup overhead.\n- Secure: End-to-end encryption and mandatory TLS in internal traffic protect data at all times.\n- AWS-powered: Currently runs on AWS, with plans to expand to additional cloud providers.\n- Cost-effective: Provides high availability and management capabilities at a competitive rate, suitable for both startups and enterprises.\n\n## Fast\n\nGel client libraries, network protocol, and the query language are designed for performance.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gel-postgres-unchained", "canonical_source": "https://www.geldata.com", "published_at": "2026-11-10 19:35:17+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-11-10 19:52:37.355843+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-products", "ai-tools", "developer-tools", "ai-infrastructure", "ai-agents"], "entities": ["Gel", "Postgres", "OpenAI", "Anthropic", "Mistral", "Vercel", "GitHub"], "also_reported_by": [], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gel-postgres-unchained", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gel-postgres-unchained.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gel-postgres-unchained.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gel-postgres-unchained.jsonld"}}