PouchDB
PouchDB is a free, open-source JavaScript database inspired by Apache CouchDB and designed for browser applications.
What PouchDB is
PouchDB is a free, open-source JavaScript database inspired by Apache CouchDB and designed for browser applications. It also runs in Node.js, with the same API in both environments. By storing data locally, it lets applications work offline and synchronize in both directions with CouchDB-compatible servers when online. Supported server integrations include CouchDB 1.x, 2.x, and 3.x, Cloudant, and PouchDB Server. In browsers, it uses IndexedDB by default. For Node.js versions later than 22.5.0, the adapters documentation describes an adapter using Node’s native SQLite module. PouchDB is framework-agnostic, with Angular, React, Ember, and Backbone named as examples, and it can also run with Cordova/PhoneGap, NW.js, Electron, and Chrome apps. Documents must be serializable as JSON; attachments can be base64-encoded strings or Blob objects. Direct synchronization with a non-CouchDB database requires a backend that speaks the CouchDB replication protocol. The project lists GitHub Discussions, Slack, and Stack Overflow for discussion and says it is undergoing Apache Software Foundation incubation.
Good
- Works in browsers and Node.js with the same API
- Supports offline storage and bidirectional synchronization
- Framework-agnostic, with named integrations for four frameworks
- Free and open source
Watch out
- Direct sync requires a CouchDB-compatible replication protocol
- Documents must be serializable as JSON
- Mobile Safari has a hard 50MB WebSQL limit
Who it suits
PouchDB suits JavaScript developers building browser or Node.js applications that need local data storage and offline work. It is best suited to projects whose servers support CouchDB replication.
Verdict
PouchDB offers local browser or Node.js storage with offline synchronization to compatible servers. Check the replication-protocol requirement and the stated Mobile Safari storage limit against your application’s needs.
Plans and prices
From PouchDB's own pricing page, checked 15 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | open-source database · API access · online documentation support |
| Free open-source project | Free | JavaScript database; runs in browsers and Node.js · Free open-source project |
The facts
Each one read from PouchDB's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Asynchronous API
- The public API supports callbacks, promises and async functions.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Build tooling
- Custom builds require an npm-oriented bundler such as Browserify, Webpack, Rollup, SystemJS or JSPM; direct prebuilt-file workflows are not supported for custom builds.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Community support
- The project points users to GitHub issues, Slack, mailing lists and Stack Overflow for help.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Compatibility limit
- PouchDB cannot sync directly with a non-CouchDB database unless the backend speaks the CouchDB replication protocol.checked 7 Oct 2026
- CouchDB compatibility
- The project aims to closely reproduce the CouchDB API and replication behavior.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Custom builds
- Packages can be assembled from presets, plugins and utilities to reduce bundle size or tailor functionality.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Data formats
- PouchDB stores documents that must be serializable as JSON and supports attachments supplied as base64-encoded strings or Blob objects.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Documentation depth
- Official materials include a getting-started tutorial, API reference, guides, FAQ, adapter documentation and plugin listings.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Document operations
- The API includes database creation, document insertion and updates, deletion, bulk operations and changes feeds.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Environments
- PouchDB runs in browsers and Node.js, and its API works the same across those environments.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Frameworks
- The project says it is framework-agnostic and can be used with Angular, React, Ember, Backbone, or another framework.checked 7 Oct 2026
- License
- PouchDB is distributed under the Apache License 2.0.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: Analytics workload
- DEV.co advises against using PouchDB for high-volume real-time analytics or warehouse-scale aggregation.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: Conflict handling
- DEV.co says applications must define how concurrent replication conflicts are resolved or merged.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: Query performance
- The official performance report says secondary-index construction is expensive and recommends other databases for complex queries or large datasets when synchronization is unnecessary.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: Storage-engine variability
- The official performance report documents materially different performance across IndexedDB, WebSQL, LevelDB and memory adapters.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: Transaction model
- DEV.co warns that PouchDB follows eventual consistency rather than providing strict ACID multi-document transactions.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Local storage adapters
- Browser databases use IndexedDB, older browsers may use WebSQL, and Node.js uses LevelDB by default.checked 15 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Browser preset
- The pouchdb-browser preset includes IndexedDB plus replication, HTTP and map/reduce plugins.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Browser storage
- PouchDB uses IndexedDB by default in browsers and prefers IndexedDB over separately installed WebSQL support.checked 7 Oct 2026
The company
- Company founded
- LinkedIn lists The Apache Software Foundation as founded in 1999.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Company headquarters
- The Apache Software Foundation lists its mailing address in Wilmington, Delaware, United States.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Company legal entity
- The Apache Software Foundation is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the listed steward of Apache PouchDB.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Company size
- LinkedIn lists the Apache Software Foundation in the 5,001–10,000 employee size range.checked 15 Oct 2026
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