# rethinkdb/horizon

Horizon is a realtime, open-source backend for JavaScript apps.

Repository: https://github.com/rethinkdb/horizon
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/rethinkdb-horizon
Language: JavaScript
License: MIT
License Family: permissive
Last push: 2026-01-31T06:15:44+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 52/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 65, release rhythm 8, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3962, "days_push": 214, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 6734, forks 346 (observed 2026-08-28T04:09:48.182904+00:00)

## What it is
Horizon is an open-source realtime backend platform for JavaScript web and mobile apps, built on top of RethinkDB. It bundles a middleware server, a browser client library, and a CLI to provide streaming data subscriptions, authentication, identity, and permissions without writing backend code.

## Use cases
- build realtime apps without writing backend code
- stream database changes to the browser over websockets
- add social login with Facebook, Google, or GitHub to a JavaScript app
- scaffold and deploy a realtime web app from the command line
- protect data with a permissions model for client-side queries
- manage user accounts and identity from the frontend

## When to choose
- you are building a JavaScript web or mobile app that needs realtime data updates
- you want a batteries-included backend with auth and permissions out of the box
- you are already using RethinkDB and want a simpler API layer over it

## When to avoid
- you need a backend for a non-JavaScript client
- you require a production-proven, actively developed platform - the project has seen little activity
- you use a database other than RethinkDB

## Facets
- artifact type: framework
- maturity: maintenance
- function: web-framework, websocket, auth, authorization, database, cli, middleware
- domain: web-development, backend, databases, developer-tools
- platform: cli, cross-platform
- tags: rethinkdb, realtime-backend, baas, streaming-api, javascript-apps, real-time, nodejs, javascript, web-server

## Member repositories
- rethinkdb/horizon (main) score 52

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:48.182904+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 2026-08-29T17:42:48.124380+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/rethinkdb/horizon (fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:48.182904+00:00, sha 352fd966bb57)
  - registry_npm: https://registry.npmjs.org/horizon (fetched 2026-08-29T08:39:05.445011+00:00, sha 71ae0ef84489)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.