RethinkDB
RethinkDB is an open-source, scalable NoSQL database designed from the ground up for real-time applications. It inverts traditional polling by allowing developers to continuously push updated query results to applications in real-time via changefeeds.
Overview
| Category | Realtime |
| Ecosystem | Language-agnostic with SDKs for Python, Node.js, Ruby, and more |
| Self-Hostable | Yes |
| On-Prem | No |
| Best For | startup, growth, enterprise |
| Last Verified | 2026-02-13 |
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths:- performance
- customization
- reliability
- Smaller ecosystem than MongoDB
- Self-hosted requires expertise
When to Use
Best when:- You need realtime changefeeds
- You're building collaborative applications
- You want to avoid polling entirely
- You prefer strict schemas
- You need enterprise managed service