Local Development
Run your entire backend locally with a single command. All your microservices, databases, pub/sub, and distributed tracing work on your machine without Docker Compose or manual setup.
Paste into your coding agent to install Encore and scaffold an app.
One command, everything running
Run encore run and your entire application starts: all your microservices, PostgreSQL databases provisioned, migrations applied, pub/sub queues running, and a local dashboard with distributed tracing.This works for systems of any size, from a single service to hundreds of microservices. No Docker Compose, no manual setup, no YAML configuration.
Infrastructure from code
Local infrastructure works without configuration because it is declared in your code. Encore’s open source SDK gives you type-safe APIs for the building blocks of a backend — databases, pub/sub, object storage, secrets and caching. Declare one and Encore runs it locally.The same code deploys to AWS or GCP without changes, where Encore provisions the production-grade managed service behind it.
import { SQLDatabase } from "encore.dev/storage/sqldb";
const db = new SQLDatabase("todo", {
migrations: "./migrations",
});
Amazon RDS
Cloud SQLManaged PostgreSQL with migrations, pooling and IAM auth
Production-like infrastructure, locally
The local environment mirrors production. When you define a database in code, it runs locally. Pub/sub topics work locally. Cron jobs fire on schedule. No surprises when you deploy.
All Your Microservices
Run hundreds of services with a single command, no Docker Compose needed
PostgreSQL Databases
Real PostgreSQL instances with your migrations applied automatically
Pub/Sub Queues
In-memory message queues that behave like cloud pub/sub
Distributed Tracing
See request flows across services in the local dashboard
API Explorer
Test endpoints directly from the browser with type-aware forms
Hot Reload
Code changes take effect immediately without restarting
Debug with production-quality tools
The local development dashboard at localhost:9400 includes distributed tracing, API explorer, and service catalog. Debug with production-quality tools from day one.
- Trace requests across services
- See SQL queries with timing
- Inspect pub/sub messages
- Test APIs with generated forms
Build faster with AI coding assistants
Encore's local development environment works seamlessly with AI coding assistants. With MCP integration and Encore-specific rules, AI understands your architecture and can generate code that works with your local infrastructure.Test AI-generated code instantly with real databases, pub/sub queues, and services running locally. You get immediate feedback with actual infrastructure, not mocks.Learn about AI-powered development
“What used to take days or weeks of back-and-forth between developers and infra teams is now automated and completed in minutes.”
Josef Sima, Engineering Director at Groupon
Stop wrestling with Docker Compose
Get started in minutes, not hours.
Paste into your coding agent to install Encore and scaffold an app.