How does GatewayD compare to ProxySQL for MySQL?

GatewayD is more extensible with plugins for caching and security, but ProxySQL is more mature and optimized specifically for MySQL, with simpler setup. GatewayD's cloud-native focus makes it better for custom, multi-database environments.

How to set up query caching with GatewayD?

Use the gatewayd-plugin-cache plugin, configure it in the plugins settings, and enable caching for SELECT queries. This allows results to be stored and reused without modifying your database or application code.

Can GatewayD prevent SQL injection attacks?

Yes, via the gatewayd-plugin-sql-ids-ips plugin, which uses a deep learning model to detect and block injection attempts in real-time database traffic, enhancing security without app changes.

What is the performance overhead of using GatewayD?

There's some latency from proxying and plugin processing, but connection pooling helps minimize it. Performance depends on plugin complexity; for basic proxying, it's lightweight, but caching or security plugins add more overhead.

Is GatewayD suitable for PostgreSQL in production?

Yes, but it requires plugin configuration for PostgreSQL support. Ensure stable plugins are used and test thoroughly, as the core is agnostic but plugins handle database-specific protocols.

How to write a custom plugin for GatewayD?

Use the Go-based SDK provided by GatewayD to develop plugins that hook into the proxy lifecycle. The documentation includes a developer guide for creating plugins that can intercept and transform database traffic.

Open-Awesome

gatewayd

AGPL-3.0Gov0.11.1

A cloud-native database gateway and framework that proxies and extends database traffic with plugins for caching, security, and observability.

Visit Website GitHub

286 stars23 forks0 contributors

What is gatewayd?

GatewayD is a cloud-native database gateway and framework that sits between database servers and clients, proxying all their communication. It allows developers to inspect, transform, and secure database traffic through a plugin-based architecture, enabling features like query caching, SQL injection detection, and observability. It solves the problem of limited control and visibility in database interactions by providing a middleware layer similar to API gateways but for databases.

Target Audience

Developers and DevOps engineers building data-driven applications who need enhanced control, security, and observability over database traffic, especially in cloud-native environments.

Value Proposition

Developers choose GatewayD for its database-agnostic, plugin-based extensibility, allowing custom functionality without modifying database servers. Its cloud-native design, built-in observability, and security features like SQL injection prevention provide a robust alternative to traditional database proxies.

Overview

database gateway for building data-driven applications

Use Cases

Best For

Adding caching layers to SQL SELECT queries without application changes
Detecting and preventing SQL injection attacks in database traffic
Implementing multi-tenancy with a single gateway instance
Enhancing observability with integrated logging, metrics, and tracing
Building custom database middleware for authentication and authorization
Proxying and pooling connections to improve database performance

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring immediate, out-of-the-box support for NoSQL databases without custom plugin development
Teams needing a lightweight, minimal-overhead proxy with zero configuration or plugin management
Environments with strict licensing restrictions that cannot use AGPL-licensed software
Simple database setups where the added complexity of a gateway layer provides marginal benefit

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cloud-Native Design

Built as containerized, stateless, and observable, it fits modern infrastructure like Kubernetes, as highlighted in its cloud-native principles.

Extensible Plugin System

Supports custom plugins via Go SDK and includes built-in ones for caching and SQL injection detection, allowing deep customization without server modifications.

Full Observability Integration

Provides built-in logging, metrics, and tracing, making it easy to monitor database traffic comprehensively, as emphasized in its features.

Multi-Tenancy Support

Manages multiple databases and clients within a single instance, enabling efficient resource use in shared environments.

Cons

Limited Built-in Database Support

While the core is protocol-agnostic, NoSQL support is still pending, and specific database functionality relies on plugins that may be experimental or require custom development.

Configuration and Setup Complexity

Requires detailed global and plugin configuration, which can be time-consuming, especially for teams new to middleware or plugin ecosystems.

Experimental Plugin Maturity

Some plugins, like the JS plugin, are labeled experimental, indicating potential instability or incomplete features that may not be production-ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Hasura GraphQL Engine

Blazing fast, instant realtime GraphQL APIs on all your data with fine grained access control, also trigger webhooks on database events.

REST API for any Postgres database

Vitess is a database clustering system for horizontal scaling of MySQL.

Stars21,159

Forks2,374

Last commit21 hours ago

PostGraphile

🔮 Graphile's Crystal Monorepo; home to Grafast, PostGraphile, pg-introspection, pg-sql2 and much more!

Stars12,935

Forks620

Last commit2 days ago

Community-curated · Updated weekly · 100% open source

Found a gem we're missing?

Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.

Submit a project Star on GitHub