Overview
Encore is a backend framework for TypeScript and Go whose distinctive idea is infrastructure from code. You declare what an app needs, such as a SQLDatabase, a Pub/Sub Topic, an object storage Bucket, a cache, cron jobs and secrets, as objects in your code. Running encore run starts the whole system locally with real Postgres, Pub/Sub semantics, a local dashboard and distributed tracing.
The open-source SDK (MPL-2.0) also handles API definitions and type-safe service-to-service calls, and produces architecture diagrams and a service catalogue. You can use just the SDK and provision infrastructure yourself with Terraform or any other tool.
Encore Cloud is the optional paid platform. It builds and tests each push, creates a preview environment per pull request, and on deploy provisions matching resources in your own AWS (RDS, SNS and SQS, S3, Fargate or EKS) or GCP (Cloud SQL, Pub/Sub, GCS, Cloud Run or GKE) account. Starter is free with two dev environments; Pro is $49 per member per month plus usage and adds deployment to your own cloud.
Python support is listed as coming soon. The repository dates from 2021.
Pricing and plans
Free tier · no card
The SDK is free and open source. Encore Cloud Starter is free: 2 dev environments on Encore Cloud (fair use), 1M trace events a month, 7-day log and trace retention, 1 concurrent build
At the limit Not stated The vendor does not say what happens at the limit, or we have not found it yet.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| SDK | Free | Open source (MPL-2.0); provision infrastructure yourself if you like |
| Starter | Free | 2 Encore Cloud dev environments, 1M trace events/month, 7-day retention |
| Pro | $49/member/mo + usage | Deploy to your own AWS/GCP, preview environments per PR, 20M trace events, 30-day retention; 14-day trial |
| Enterprise | Custom | Least-privilege IAM, custom RBAC, SOC 2 assistance, SLAs |
What it does
- Infrastructure declarations
- Databases, Pub/Sub, buckets, caches, cron and secrets declared in code and started locally.
- Local dev dashboard
- encore run gives real Postgres, tracing and architecture diagrams.
- Type-safe service calls
- Call other services like functions with shared types.
- Preview environments
- Encore Cloud Pro creates an environment per pull request.
- Your own cloud
- Encore Cloud provisions resources in your AWS or GCP account, so you keep your VPC and bills.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths
- Removes most Terraform and YAML for common back-end resources
- Same infrastructure model locally, in previews and in production
- Resources live in your own cloud account, easing exit
- Both TypeScript and Go SDKs
Limitations
- Only TypeScript and Go today; Python is listed as coming soon
- Automated provisioning to your own AWS or GCP needs the paid Pro plan
- Only resources Encore models (SQL, Pub/Sub, buckets, caches, cron, secrets, compute) are provisioned automatically; others you manage yourself
- Cloud automation targets AWS and GCP only
Who it suits
Good for
- Startups that want production infrastructure without a DevOps hire
- Teams building event-driven services in TypeScript or Go
- Projects that must run in their own AWS or GCP account
Look elsewhere if
- Teams deploying to hosts other than AWS or GCP who want automation
- Small APIs that need nothing but a router
Alternatives to Encore
Questions
Is Encore free?
The SDK is open source and Encore Cloud Starter is free; Pro costs $49 per member per month plus usage.
Does Encore lock me in?
Resources are provisioned in your own AWS or GCP account, and you can use the SDK without Encore Cloud.
Which languages does Encore support?
TypeScript and Go; Python is listed as coming soon.
Can Encore deploy to Kubernetes?
Encore Cloud can deploy to EKS or GKE and, on Pro, import existing Kubernetes clusters.
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