RethinkDB

aid: rethinkdb
name: RethinkDB
description: RethinkDB is an open source, distributed document-oriented NoSQL database designed for real-time applications,
  with push-based change feeds, native JSON storage, and an expressive query language called ReQL. Applications interact with
  RethinkDB through official client drivers (JavaScript, Python, Java, Ruby) that speak the native JSON driver protocol over
  TCP, rather than through an HTTP REST API. ReQL also includes an r.http command that lets queries pull data from external
  HTTP APIs directly.
type: Index
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
tags:
- Database
- NoSQL
- Document Database
- Real-Time
- Open Source
- Change Feeds
- ReQL
url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/rethinkdb/refs/heads/main/apis.yml
created: '2026-05-11'
modified: '2026-05-11'
specificationVersion: '0.19'
apis:
- aid: rethinkdb:reql
  name: RethinkDB ReQL Driver API
  description: ReQL (RethinkDB Query Language) is the expressive query language exposed by RethinkDB through official client
    drivers. Drivers communicate with the RethinkDB server using a native JSON protocol over TCP (default port 28015) rather
    than HTTP. ReQL supports filtering, joins, aggregations, change feeds, and external HTTP access via the r.http command.
  humanURL: https://rethinkdb.com/api
  baseURL: tcp://<your-rethinkdb-host>:28015
  tags:
  - ReQL
  - Drivers
  - Change Feeds
  - JSON Protocol
  properties:
  - type: Documentation
    url: https://rethinkdb.com/docs
  - type: ReQL Command Reference
    url: https://rethinkdb.com/api
  - type: Introduction to ReQL
    url: https://rethinkdb.com/docs/introduction-to-reql/
  - type: External HTTP Access
    url: https://rethinkdb.com/docs/external-api-access/
  - type: Driver Protocol
    url: https://rethinkdb.com/docs/driver-spec/
common:
- type: DomainSecurity
  url: security/rethinkdb-domain-security.yml
- type: LinkedIn
  url: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rethinkdb
- type: Website
  url: https://rethinkdb.com
- type: Documentation
  url: https://rethinkdb.com/docs
- type: APIReference
  url: https://rethinkdb.com/api
- type: Download
  url: https://rethinkdb.com/docs/install/
- type: GitHubOrganization
  url: https://github.com/rethinkdb
- type: Source Code
  url: https://github.com/rethinkdb/rethinkdb
- type: Documentation Source
  url: https://github.com/rethinkdb/docs
- type: Community
  url: https://rethinkdb.com/community/
- type: License
  url: https://github.com/rethinkdb/rethinkdb/blob/next/LICENSE
- type: Blog
  url: https://rethinkdb.com/blog
features:
- name: ReQL Query Language
  description: Chainable, composable query language with filtering, joins, aggregations, geospatial queries, and subqueries.
- name: Change Feeds
  description: Subscribe to real-time updates on queries and tables so applications can push changes directly to clients.
- name: Native JSON Storage
  description: Store and query JSON documents natively with schema flexibility and secondary indexes.
- name: r.http External API Access
  description: Pull data from external HTTP APIs directly inside ReQL queries with pagination, authentication, and streaming
    via cursors.
- name: Distributed Architecture
  description: Built-in sharding, replication, and automatic failover across a cluster of RethinkDB nodes.
- name: Official Drivers
  description: Official client drivers for JavaScript, Python, Java, and Ruby with community drivers for other languages.
solutions:
- name: Real-Time Applications
  description: Power dashboards, multiplayer games, collaboration tools, and live feeds using change feeds rather than polling.
- name: Document Store
  description: Store JSON documents with secondary indexes and flexible schemas for content, catalogs, and user data.
- name: Operational Database
  description: Use as the operational store for distributed applications requiring sharding and replication.
useCases:
- name: Live Dashboards
  description: Stream query result changes directly to browser clients via change feeds for live operational dashboards.
- name: Collaborative Editing
  description: Power multi-user real-time editing experiences where document changes propagate immediately to all participants.
- name: External API Aggregation
  description: Use r.http inside ReQL queries to fetch and join data from external REST APIs without an application-tier proxy.
integrations:
- name: Node.js
  description: Official rethinkdb-js driver with connection pooling
- name: Python
  description: Official Python driver for ReQL
- name: Java
  description: Official Java driver for ReQL
- name: Ruby
  description: Official Ruby driver for ReQL
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com