What is pREST used for?

pREST turns a PostgreSQL database into an instant REST API, with auth, access control, custom SQL routes and a read-only MCP endpoint. It is a good fit for quick APIs for internal tools, exposing Postgres data to AI clients over MCP and low-code backends for prototypes.

Is pREST open source?

Yes. pREST is open source under the MIT licence. Its source code is on GitHub at prest/prest and is written mainly in Go.

Yes. pREST is open source, so the software itself is free to use.

Can I self-host pREST?

Yes. pREST can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure; there is no official hosted version.

What is pREST an alternative to?

pREST is an open-source alternative to Firebase and Xano. Other open-source alternatives to Firebase include PocketBase, Nhost and FastSchema.

Is pREST actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to pREST was on 1 October 2026, and the latest release is v2.4.2, published on 11 August 2026. The project has 4.6k stars on GitHub.

pREST: open-source alternative to Firebase, Xano

About pREST

pREST, short for PostgreSQL REST, is a production-ready service that exposes an existing or new Postgres database as an HTTP API. It delivers CRUD endpoints, custom SQL routes, authentication and access control lists without you having to hand-write a back end, and it adds a read-only endpoint for the Model Context Protocol so AI clients can query data.

It requires PostgreSQL 9.5 or newer and can be obtained with Docker, Homebrew or Go. The documentation covers configuration, an API reference, MCP over HTTP, multi-database setups and the roadmap, plus guidance for AI clients such as Cursor and Claude. Topics list JWT, OpenAPI, TimescaleDB and microservice use, and it is written in Go.

pREST is licensed under MIT and is self-hosted. It suits developers who want a quick, low-code back end on top of Postgres for prototypes, internal tools or microservices, without adopting a larger backend-as-a-service platform.

Key features

Instant REST API over PostgreSQL
CRUD endpoints without custom backend code
Custom SQL routes
Authentication, JWT and ACL
Read-only MCP endpoint
Support for multiple databases

Good fit for

→Quick APIs for internal tools
→Exposing Postgres data to AI clients over MCP
→Low-code backends for prototypes

Built with: Go; PostgreSQL; Docker
Tags: postgresql; rest-api; low-code; mcp; golang; backend; instant-api; self-hosted

pREST: questions and answers

What is pREST used for?: pREST turns a PostgreSQL database into an instant REST API, with auth, access control, custom SQL routes and a read-only MCP endpoint. It is a good fit for quick APIs for internal tools, exposing Postgres data to AI clients over MCP and low-code backends for prototypes.
Is pREST open source?: Yes. pREST is open source under the MIT licence. Its source code is on GitHub at prest/prest and is written mainly in Go.
Is pREST free?: Yes. pREST is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
Can I self-host pREST?: Yes. pREST can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure; there is no official hosted version.
What is pREST an alternative to?: pREST is an open-source alternative to Firebase and Xano. Other open-source alternatives to Firebase include PocketBase, Nhost and FastSchema.
Is pREST actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to pREST was on 1 October 2026, and the latest release is v2.4.2, published on 11 August 2026. The project has 4.6k stars on GitHub.