Infrastructure defined in code
Declare services and infrastructure in TypeScript or Go, and let Encore turn that code into the cloud resources your backend needs.
Encore
ClaimEncore is a backend infrastructure platform for TypeScript or Go teams. It provisions resources in your AWS or GCP account with local dev, preview environments, and AI workflows.
Backend infrastructure for application code
Encore is a backend infrastructure platform for teams building in TypeScript or Go. It turns application code into cloud infrastructure and provisions the required resources in your own AWS or GCP account, using a structure that is meant to work for both human developers and AI coding assistants.
The platform combines local development, deployment automation, and observability. According to the site, you can run the backend locally with real services and databases, deploy with automatic provisioning, and inspect the resulting system through tracing, architecture diagrams, a service catalog, and a dashboard.
Core capabilities
Local development with production-like infrastructure
Run your backend locally with real databases, pub/sub, migrations, and tracing so the development environment mirrors production more closely.
Cloud automation on your own account
Get automatic provisioning, infrastructure tracking, and change management when deploying to your own AWS or GCP account.
Observability and architecture views
Use built-in distributed tracing, architecture diagrams, and a service catalog to inspect services, APIs, databases, and message flows.
Preview environments
Create full environments for pull requests and test changes against real infrastructure before release.
AI-assisted development
Use Encore's MCP server and AI-oriented workflow to help coding assistants understand services, APIs, and schemas.
Practical use cases
New backend development
Build a new backend in TypeScript or Go and have Encore provision databases, object storage, pub/sub, and other resources directly from code.
Incremental migration
Adopt Encore gradually in an existing application by moving services over one at a time instead of rewriting the whole system.
Local product development
Run a complete backend on a laptop with real infrastructure, then test changes against the same shape of environment used in production.
Pull-request validation
Create preview environments for each pull request so reviewers can validate behavior against real infrastructure before merging.
AI-assisted implementation
Give AI coding assistants access to services, APIs, and schemas so they can generate code that matches the current architecture.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Supports both TypeScript and Go.
- Deploys to your own AWS or GCP account rather than requiring a separate hosted runtime.
- Combines local development, preview environments, and production deployment in one platform.
- Includes built-in tracing, architecture diagrams, and a service catalog.
- Offers a free plan and a Pro plan with a published starting price.
Cons
- The documentation provided here does not spell out every integration or workflow detail, so some advanced capabilities may require reviewing the docs or pricing pages directly.
- Organizations that need custom enterprise controls or support have to contact Encore for tailored pricing and terms.
FAQ
Can Encore be used on an existing project?
Encore can be used for both new projects and existing applications. For existing codebases, you can adopt it incrementally by converting services to use Encore's SDK one by one.
How does Encore compare with Terraform or Pulumi?
Encore provisions infrastructure directly from application code instead of separate Terraform or Pulumi configuration files. The source mentions that it automatically provisions each environment and removes the need to maintain Terraform configs or Pulumi stacks.
What does the local development workflow look like?
The local development flow is centered on `encore run`, which starts the application, provisions local databases, runs migrations, starts pub/sub, and opens a local dashboard. The environment is designed to mirror production and supports distributed tracing, service catalog views, and API exploration.
Which programming languages does Encore support?
Encore supports TypeScript and Go. Both languages are described as offering the full feature set.
What pricing options are available?
Encore offers a free plan, a Pro plan starting at $49 per member per month, and an Enterprise plan with custom pricing. The pricing page also mentions a 14-day free trial for Pro and contact-based sales for Enterprise.
Quick Facts
- Category
- Developer Tool
- Platform
- AWS and GCP
- Languages
- TypeScript, Go
- Primary workflow
- Define infrastructure in code, run locally, deploy to your own cloud account
- Pricing model
- Free plan, Pro plan from $49 per member/month, Enterprise contact sales
- Source domain
- encore.cloud
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