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Kuzzle

Generic backend with API, storage, and realtime capabilities

Self-hostable backend offering standard building blocks—multi-protocol API, persisted data, realtime notifications, user management, and extensibility—so you can focus on business logic.

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Overview

What is Kuzzle?

Kuzzle is a production-ready backend platform that provides the foundational features common to modern applications, eliminating repetitive development work. Built for web applications and IoT networks, it delivers a standardized multi-protocol API, persistent data storage with advanced search, realtime pub/sub notifications, and integrated user management out of the box.

Who Should Use It?

Developers building web apps, mobile applications, or complex IoT systems will benefit from Kuzzle's extensible framework. It supports tens of thousands of concurrent users and can be deployed anywhere. The platform includes an integrated development framework for custom business logic, client SDKs for accelerated frontend work, and leverages Elasticsearch and Redis for storage and caching.

How It Works

Scaffold a new application using Kourou, register custom API controllers in TypeScript or JavaScript, and deploy using Docker. Kuzzle handles authentication, permissions, data querying, and realtime subscriptions, letting teams ship high-value features faster without rebuilding standard backend infrastructure.

Highlights

Multi-protocol API (HTTP, WebSocket, MQTT) with standardized endpoints
Realtime pub/sub engine and database change notifications
Advanced search and data persistence powered by Elasticsearch
Extensible framework for custom controllers and business logic

Pros

  • Eliminates boilerplate for auth, storage, and realtime features
  • Production-proven scalability supporting tens of thousands of users
  • Self-hostable with full control over deployment and data
  • Rich SDK ecosystem accelerates frontend and IoT client development

Considerations

  • Requires Elasticsearch and Redis infrastructure dependencies
  • Learning curve for framework conventions and API patterns
  • Opinionated architecture may not suit highly custom backends
  • Smaller community compared to mainstream backend frameworks

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Fit guide

Great for

  • Teams needing realtime features without building WebSocket infrastructure
  • IoT projects requiring MQTT support and device management
  • Applications with complex search and filtering requirements
  • Startups wanting to accelerate MVP development with standard features

Not ideal when

  • Microservices architectures requiring minimal dependencies
  • Projects with strict constraints against Elasticsearch or Redis
  • Simple CRUD apps where a lightweight framework suffices
  • Teams preferring serverless or fully managed backend services

How teams use it

IoT Device Network

Connect thousands of MQTT devices with realtime data ingestion, persistent storage, and live dashboard updates without custom infrastructure.

Collaborative SaaS Platform

Build multi-tenant applications with user authentication, role-based permissions, and realtime collaboration features in weeks instead of months.

Mobile App Backend

Leverage client SDKs and standardized APIs to rapidly develop iOS/Android apps with offline sync, push notifications, and advanced search.

Real-Time Analytics Dashboard

Stream sensor or event data into Elasticsearch, subscribe to filtered updates, and visualize changes instantly without polling or custom WebSocket code.

Tech snapshot

JavaScript73%
TypeScript21%
Gherkin6%
Shell1%
Ruby1%
Dockerfile1%

Tags

redisreal-timekuzzlehacktoberfestiotapi-serverscalableelasticsearchnode-jspersistent-datawebsocketsmqtt-serverkuzzle-serverbackend

Frequently asked questions

What protocols does Kuzzle support?

Kuzzle provides a multi-protocol API supporting HTTP, WebSocket, and MQTT, allowing diverse clients from web browsers to IoT devices to connect using the same backend.

Can Kuzzle scale to production workloads?

Yes, Kuzzle is production-proof and can serve tens of thousands of concurrent users with strong performance when properly deployed with Elasticsearch and Redis.

How do I add custom business logic?

Register custom controllers and actions using the integrated framework in TypeScript or JavaScript. Kuzzle provides request/response handling, validation, and access to storage and realtime engines.

What are the infrastructure requirements?

Kuzzle requires Elasticsearch for data storage and search, and Redis for caching and pub/sub. These can be run via Docker Compose or managed services.

Are there client SDKs available?

Yes, Kuzzle offers SDKs for multiple platforms to accelerate frontend and IoT development, abstracting API calls and realtime subscriptions into idiomatic client libraries.

Project at a glance

Active
Stars
1,626
Watchers
1,626
Forks
136
LicenseApache-2.0
Repo age10 years old
Last commit5 days ago
Self-hostingSupported
Primary languageJavaScript

Last synced 3 hours ago