Gel reimagines relational databases by adding first-class support for relationships, computed properties, and polymorphism while preserving the reliability and performance of PostgreSQL underneath. EdgeQL replaces SQL with a composable query language designed for graph traversals and nested data fetching, eliminating the JOIN complexity that makes SQL painful for applications with rich data relationships. A single EdgeQL query can traverse multiple relationship levels and return nested results that map directly to application data structures.
The schema definition language provides a type system that feels natural to application developers rather than database administrators. Object types define properties and links to other types, with inheritance and abstract types enabling DRY schema design. The built-in migration system automatically generates and applies schema changes by diffing the desired schema against the current database state, eliminating the manual migration file authoring that other ORMs require.
Gel includes batteries that traditional databases leave to external tools: built-in authentication with OAuth providers and email/password flows, a web-based data browser and query editor for interactive exploration, and client libraries for TypeScript, Python, Go, Rust, and other languages that generate type-safe query functions from schema definitions. The combination of PostgreSQL's proven storage engine with a modern query language and developer tooling positions Gel as a compelling alternative for teams frustrated by ORM limitations.
