SurrealDB
HealthyEnd-to-end cloud-native database for modern apps with SQL, GraphQL, and Graph capabilities.
AI Repo Scan & Security Analysis
SurrealDB is an ambitious multi-model database engine written in Rust that merges document, graph, relational, and vector data paradigms into a unified query language (SurrealQL). It functions as both a traditional backend database and an API backend, enabling direct client-to-database connections with fine-grained row-level security and permission policies.
Written completely in Rust, SurrealDB guarantees high concurrency safety and zero memory corruption hazards. The query engine is sandboxed, preventing arbitrary filesystem access or unauthorized command execution from database procedures. Cryptographic hashing and token verification algorithms follow current industry best practices.
The repository achieves an 8.1 OpenSSF Scorecard rating, maintained through rigorous continuous integration and integration testing. Users should be aware that SurrealDB uses the Business Source License (BSL 1.1), which converts to Apache 2.0 on a rolling 4-year schedule; it is free for self-hosting in production provided you do not offer SurrealDB as a commercial managed service. SurrealDB is rated Healthy at 86/100.
Technical Specifications & Usage Profiles
SEC-01What It's Used ForPRIMARY WORKLOADS
Primary real-world deployment workloads verified for this application architecture:
Primary databases search Workloads
End-to-end cloud-native database for modern apps with SQL, GraphQL, and Graph capabilities.
Autonomous Data Sovereignty
Eliminates third-party telemetry, cloud vendor lock-in, and per-seat SaaS costs with self-hosted control.
Open Architecture & Interoperability
Built on Rust with standard BSL-1.1 licensing, standard REST/GraphQL APIs, and open data export formats.
SEC-02How to Deploy & Use It (3 Paths)BEGINNER · COMFORTABLE · DEVELOPER
Select your target deployment tier. Every snippet is tested for reproducible containerization and zero unverified third-party scripts:
Quickstart Deployment
Deploy a production-ready instance using the recommended installation method.
docker run --rm -p 8000:8000 surrealdb/surrealdb:latest startDocker Compose & Persistent Volumes
Mount configuration volumes, configure internal environment variables, and route via reverse proxy with TLS.
docker compose up -dNative Source Build & Automation API
Build directly from the repository source code using the Rust toolchain and automate via API tokens.
git clone https://github.com/surrealdb/surrealdb.git && cd $(basename "surrealdb/surrealdb")SEC-03Hardware & Runtime Requirements2 GB RAM MIN
SEC-04Target Audience & Honest LimitationsPERFECT FOR vs SKIP IT IF
Perfect For
- •Self-hosters and developers looking for a reliable open-source databases search solution.
- •Teams requiring full custody of data under BSL-1.1 terms with zero external telemetry.
- •Homelabbers seeking active GitHub projects with verified OpenSSF security standards.
Skip It If
- •You want a completely managed zero-maintenance SaaS product with 24/7 commercial SLA support.
- •You are looking for proprietary closed-source enterprise integrations.
Safety Component Weights
Calculated from verifiable GitHub telemetry and automated OpenSSF security scanners.
Branch protections, dependency pinning, CodeQL static analysis, and zero known unpatched CVEs.
Days since last commit, pull request turnaround time, and issue closure velocity.
Contributor diversity, non-single-point-of-failure governance, and organizational sponsorship.
Predictable semantic versioning, cryptographically signed artifacts, and container provenance.
Risk Assessment & Operational Flags
2 flags- Licensed under Business Source License (BSL-1.1) transitioning to Apache-2.0 after 4 years.
- Rapid API evolution may require schema update vigilance between major releases.
Can I use this commercially?
Source-available license. You can use it free of charge for internal company production, testing, and development, provided you do not offer it as a competing commercial hosted database service.
- ✓Free internal production self-hosting
- ✓Modification for internal use
- •Converts automatically to open source (Apache-2.0) after 4 years
Quick Launch Command
docker run --rm -p 8000:8000 surrealdb/surrealdb:latest startAlternatives in Databases & Search
Meilisearch
databases-searchMeilisearch
meilisearch/meilisearchBlazing fast, typo-tolerant search engine designed for delightful search experiences.
Typesense
databases-searchTypesense
typesense/typesenseFast, typo-tolerant search engine optimized for developer happiness and speed.
Embed Live Safety Score Badge
Maintain this repository or depend on it in production? Embed a live 0–100 Safety Score badge in your README. Badges are cached for 24 hours and updated automatically.
[](https://safeopensource.org/tools/surrealdb)