# helios-framework/helios

An extensible open-source mobile backend framework

Repository: https://github.com/helios-framework/helios
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/helios
Language: CSS
License: MIT
License Family: permissive
Last push: 2015-09-30T17:16:45+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 32/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 0, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 4901, "days_push": 3990, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 4074, forks 322 (observed 2026-08-28T04:08:34.266967+00:00)

## What it is
Helios is an extensible open-source mobile backend framework written in Ruby that provides essential backend services for iOS apps, including data synchronization, user accounts, push notifications, in-app purchases, and Passbook integration. It generates REST web services from Core Data models and includes a web UI for browsing records and sending push notifications.

## Use cases
- build a backend for an iOS app quickly
- sync Core Data between iPhone app and server without iCloud
- generate a REST API from a Core Data model
- send push notifications to iOS devices from a web UI
- add user accounts and in-app purchase validation to a mobile app
- integrate mobile backend services into an existing Rails or Sinatra app

## When to choose
- building an iOS app that needs a backend with Core Data synchronization
- you want a mobile-first backend you can extend with Rack middleware
- you need push notification, in-app purchase, and Passbook services out of the box
- you prefer Ruby tooling and PostgreSQL

## When to avoid
- you need an actively maintained framework - the last release was 2015
- your backend is not for iOS/mobile clients
- you use a language other than Ruby
- you need modern push notification or in-app purchase flows that have changed since 2015

## Facets
- artifact type: framework
- maturity: abandoned
- function: web-framework, http-server, middleware, auth, database, api-framework
- domain: mobile-development, backend, web-development
- platform: ruby, self-hosted
- tags: mobile-backend, core-data-sync, rack, push-notifications, in-app-purchases, passbook, ios-backend, rest-api-generation, push-notification, macos, web-server

## Member repositories
- helios-framework/helios (main) score 32

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:34.266967+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T18:23:29.149940+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/helios-framework/helios (fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:34.266967+00:00, sha 9e57e9b0aa1c)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.