# PGlite Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/pglite/ 41 people recommended PGlite in Hacker News comments, 7 had mixed feelings and 6 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 8 of 12 months, in 13 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule. 25 of the 41 people who recommend it commented in one thread, “PGlite – Embeddable Postgres”. **Verdict:** Real Postgres compiled to WASM that runs embedded in apps and tests, avoiding Docker for quick isolated instances. Critics note it allows only one writer connection. Summary written by Claude from 48 comments. It was written before the November 2026 recount, and 44 of those comments still count. ## Why people recommend it - Fast isolated tests without containers (10 comments in the sample): "The ability to .clone() the database to create "checkpoints" is also great for tests…" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46147869)) "Having something like this, that I can quickly spawn and know, I am getting exact behavior as prod database would be a lifesaver!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46146979)) "It worked fine and made it pretty easy to spin up a development/CI environment anywhere you want." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46813263)) - Real Postgres running embedded (5 comments in the sample): "Imagine being able to go from 'embedded' to 'networked' without having to change any SQL or behavior, so cool." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46146598)) "PGlite offers the "real database" compiled to WASM, which can then be embedded similarly to SQLite." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48954592)) "With a simple `npm install` you now have a PostgreSQL instance in your web or node app" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46551701)) - Prototypes and local-first apps (3 comments in the sample): "One thing this (and any browser-embeddable data store) are fantastic for is vibe coding interactive prototypes for user research." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46147010)) "It's now used by a huge number of developers for running local dev environments" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46146731)) "this has big potential for local-first" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46146882)) - Same behavior as production (2 comments in the sample): "Yeah pglite is exquisite. Now I don't have to write separate code for client and server side queries." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48954823)) "That way you don't need any specific SGQLite vs Postgres behavior switches." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46906826)) ## What people warn about - Only one writer connection (2 comments in the sample): "I really really really wish SQLite or PGLite supported multiple writers" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46907909)) "PGlite would be perfect if only it allowed multiple writer connections" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46907855)) - Only works in WASM (1 comment in the sample): "since it ONLY works in Wasm, that seemed way too niche" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46148102)) ## Other embedded databases people recommend - [SQLite](https://hackerapproved.com/p/sqlite/): 657 recommend, 109 mixed, 165 criticize - [DuckDB WASM](https://hackerapproved.com/p/duckdb-wasm/): 8 recommend, 0 mixed, 2 criticize - [SlateDB](https://hackerapproved.com/p/slatedb/): 5 recommend, 0 mixed, 1 criticize - [Stoolap](https://hackerapproved.com/p/stoolap/): 5 recommend, 4 mixed, 5 criticize ## The badge A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged. ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "PGlite", https://hackerapproved.com/p/pglite/ (41 recommend, 7 mixed, 6 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026). Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.