In this article, we’ll be comparing Hasura vs. DreamFactory, two leading platforms in the API management and development space. Both platforms offer features tailored to aid with backend API development, but they cater to different use cases and developer preferences.
Here are the key differences between Hasura and DreamFactory:
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Hasura is an open-source engine that connects to your databases & microservices and instantly provides a production-ready GraphQL API. Key features include real-time subscriptions, built-in authorization, and high performance on large datasets, catering to developers looking to rapidly develop data-driven applications.
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DreamFactory is an API management platform that automatically generates fully documented REST APIs for your databases. Its key features include extensive database support, customizable scripting, and data transformation capabilities, making it suitable for developers needing comprehensive API solutions across various databases.
Here are some of the key features that Hasura boasts:
On the other hand, here’s some of DreamFactory’s most important features:
Hasura and DreamFactory both offer powerful features for building and managing backend services, their focus and approach differ. Hasura is primarily a GraphQL engine with a strong emphasis on real-time data synchronization and access control, while DreamFactory is more oriented towards the rapid creation and documentation of REST APIs for internal services.
Applications have to juggle data from various sources, making integration with different database systems a crucial requirement for any API management solution.
Hasura initially focused on PostgreSQL, offering in-depth integration and optimization. However, recognizing the growing demand for multi-database support, Hasura has recently expanded its horizons to include other popular databases like MySQL and SQL Server.
DreamFactory boasts extensive database support, covering a wide array of SQL and NoSQL databases. Its API generation capabilities automatically generates fully documented REST APIs for databases like MySQL, SQL Server, MongoDB, and more, without requiring additional code, making it highly versatile for projects with diverse data storage needs.
Custom logic in API management platforms allows developers to extend the functionality of auto-generated APIs with business logic, data transformations, and integrations - a critical aspect in making sure your APIs are up to spec.
Hasura enables custom logic through remote schemas and serverless functions. This allows developers to stitch together a unified GraphQL API from multiple sources, including custom business logic hosted as serverless functions.
DreamFactory excels in this area with its scriptable API platform. It allows developers to add custom logic directly within the API layer using server-side scripts in JavaScript, PHP, Python, and other languages. This feature is particularly useful for data transformations, conditional logic, and integrating third-party services.
The cost of API management solutions can vary widely based on features, scalability, and support. Below, I’m gonna break down the pricing structures of Hasura and DreamFactory.
Hasura offers a free tier for developers and startups, with premium plans based on usage, features, and support levels. Its pricing is transparent and scales with the size of your project, making it accessible for projects of all sizes.
DreamFactory's pricing varies based on the deployment method you need. There is an open source version available, but only has limited connectors available. DreamFactory also has an AWS offering, where you can pay on a usage-basis. However, for most enterprise-level use cases, it is best to speak with an engineer to discuss your use case.
Hasura embraces GraphQL and gRPC. GraphQL allows retrieving only the necessary data in a single request, while gRPC facilitates low-latency communication between the GraphQL engine and the database making Hasura well-suited for applications demanding real-time updates and efficient data handling.
On the other hand, DreamFactory (the fan favorite, or at least on this site it is) really focuses on traditional REST APIs, aligning with industry-standard practices. REST APIs may not match GraphQL's flexibility and efficiency, they are well-established and have a vast ecosystem of tools and resources. DreamFactory is also great at rapidly generating REST APIs for various data sources, making it a compelling choice for applications with straightforward data fetching needs or those integrating with existing REST-based systems.
Picking between Hasura and DreamFactory depends on your project's specific requirements. Hasura's GraphQL and gRPC approach is great for real-time, complex data scenarios, while DreamFactory's REST API focus is geared toward more traditional architectures and simpler data fetching needs.
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Some of Hasura's key features include real-time GraphQL APIs, instant setup with PostgreSQL, live queries and subscriptions, built-in authorization at the API level, and high-performance queries on large datasets.
DreamFactory's key features include automatically generated REST APIs, support for a wide range of SQL and NoSQL databases, a scriptable API platform for custom logic, data transformation capabilities, and comprehensive API management features.
Hasura initially focused on PostgreSQL but has recently expanded to support other popular databases like MySQL and SQL Server, while maintaining its performance and ease of use.
DreamFactory boasts extensive database support, covering a wide array of SQL and NoSQL databases. It automatically generates REST APIs for databases like MySQL, SQL Server, MongoDB, and more, without requiring additional code.
Hasura enables custom logic through remote schemas and serverless functions, allowing developers to stitch together a unified GraphQL API from multiple sources, including custom business logic hosted as serverless functions. DreamFactory excels in this area with its scriptable API platform, allowing developers to add custom logic directly within the API layer using server-side scripts in various languages.
Hasura offers a free tier for developers and startups, with premium plans based on usage, features, and support levels. DreamFactory's pricing varies based on the deployment method, with an open-source version, an AWS offering with usage-based pricing, and enterprise-level pricing determined through consultation with their engineers.