Is Convex Really a Database?
I keep hearing and reading that Convex is a Database. But I also heard that it uses Postgres or SQLite behind the scenes. The marketing is confusing and sells this like a Database, and so do the docs. But is it really a database or a database abstraction?
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Thank you!
It's both. You don't interact with the engine underneath, you interact with your data via low level TypeScript api's. It doesn't replace postgres or whatever it happens to be running on today or tomorrow (which can change because it's an implementation detail) in the sense that it's powered by existing database technology at the bottom level, but it does replace postgres for you as a postgres user (or replaces database x for you as a database x user).
My encouragement would be to zoom out and just try the tutorial. See what Convex does in practice. The short answer is yes, it's a database, but also a lot more.
Yup, many databases are built on storage layers that aren't raw files - in our case we use it essentially as an ordered key/value store. e.g. your "tables" and "indexes" don't become postgres tables & indexes - that's all managed in our layer
Jamie answers exactly this question right here!!
https://youtu.be/X6qbl61oEYo?t=1247
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