![EdgeDB data modeling Image](https://res.cloudinary.com/dh2nt6hgh/image/upload/v1761333018/edb_logo_tfdhos.png "EdgeDB self hosted on Railway platform)

Deploy and Host Managed EdgeDB Service with one click on Railway

EdgeDB is an advanced, open-source database engine that combines the power of a relational database with the simplicity of a document store. It is designed to make database modeling, querying, and management more intuitive for developers, eliminating the complexity of traditional SQL while maintaining all its robustness. ## About Hosting EdgeDB on Railway (Self Hosting EdgeDB on Railway)

Hosting EdgeDB on Railway allows you to build and scale modern applications effortlessly. By self-hosting EdgeDB, you retain full control of your data, schema evolution, and deployment pipeline - with zero vendor lock-in.

Why Deploy Managed EdgeDB Service on Railway

Deploying a managed EdgeDB service on Railway offers automated scalability, simplified setup, and zero maintenance burden. You get the reliability of a PostgreSQL-powered backend with the developer-friendly experience of EdgeQL - EdgeDB’s query language designed to replace complex SQL joins with simple, readable syntax.

Railway’s managed EdgeDB deployment ensures that your database is always running, secure, and optimized, while giving you the flexibility to make schema updates and perform versioned migrations with ease.

Railway vs DigitalOcean:

While DigitalOcean requires you to manually configure servers, databases, and networking for EdgeDB, Railway provides a ready-to-use managed EdgeDB instance with one-click deployment. No sysadmin work, no manual backups - just a fully managed, scalable environment.

Railway vs Vultr:

Deploying EdgeDB on Vultr involves manual configuration, environment setup, and monitoring. In contrast, Railway automates deployment, ensures performance tuning, and handles resource allocation - all through an intuitive web UI.

Railway vs AWS Lightsail:

AWS Lightsail offers virtual machines where you must handle all database setup, scaling, and security. Railway removes these complexities entirely, providing a seamless way to deploy EdgeDB with built-in auto-scaling and monitoring.

Railway vs Hetzner:

While Hetzner offers raw compute power at competitive pricing, Railway provides a managed experience for EdgeDB with zero operational burden. You can deploy your EdgeDB instance securely within minutes - no command line or manual configuration needed.

Common Use Cases for EdgeDB

Here are 5 common use cases for EdgeDB:

1. Application Backends: Build structured, schema-driven APIs and applications with modern query support using EdgeQL instead of verbose SQL joins.

2. Data Modeling and Prototyping: EdgeDB’s declarative schema system and automatic migrations make it ideal for startups iterating quickly.

3. Graph and Relational Data Management: Manage complex data relationships using EdgeDB’s native graph-relational hybrid model.

4. Analytics Dashboards: Use EdgeDB for building analytical applications that need strong relationships and advanced query performance.

5. Developer Productivity: Boost developer efficiency with EdgeQL, introspection, and powerful migrations built directly into the database engine.

Dependencies for EdgeDB hosted on Railway

To host EdgeDB on Railway, the key dependency is PostgreSQL, as EdgeDB runs on top of it, leveraging its stability while introducing its own advanced schema and query engine.

Deployment Dependencies for Managed EdgeDB Service

A managed EdgeDB instance requires a PostgreSQL backend, a runtime environment for EdgeDB, and secure cloud infrastructure - all automatically provisioned and managed by Railway.

Implementation Details for EdgeDB (Advanced Graph-Relational Database)

You can set environment variables like:

• EDGEDB_SERVER_SECURITY – Defines security mode (e.g., strict, insecure_dev).

• EDGEDB_SERVER_DATABASE – Name of the primary database.

• EDGEDB_SERVER_PASSWORD – Secure password for the EdgeDB instance.

• EDGEDB_SERVER_USER – Username for accessing the database.

Railway makes configuring these variables simple via its environment panel, allowing instant connectivity to your backend services or apps.

How does EdgeDB compare to other databases (Alternatives to PostgreSQL and MongoDB)

EdgeDB vs PostgreSQL

EdgeDB builds on PostgreSQL but introduces a powerful schema layer and EdgeQL, simplifying relationships and data retrieval. While PostgreSQL is a pure SQL database, EdgeDB offers a developer-first experience that abstracts away joins, making queries more readable and efficient.

EdgeDB vs MongoDB

MongoDB provides flexibility with document-based storage but lacks strict schema control. EdgeDB offers structured schema with flexibility, ensuring data integrity and powerful relational queries - a perfect blend of structured and unstructured models.

EdgeDB vs MySQL

MySQL is great for transactional workloads but has limited schema evolution support. EdgeDB supports versioned migrations and advanced relationship modeling, allowing teams to evolve data structures without downtime.

EdgeDB vs Prisma ORM

Prisma is an ORM layer built on SQL databases, while EdgeDB replaces both ORM and database layers entirely. It provides schema management, type-safe queries, and integrated migrations natively.

EdgeDB vs Neo4j

Neo4j specializes in graph data but lacks relational features. EdgeDB combines both graph and relational models natively, allowing for complex queries without needing multiple database technologies.

How to use EdgeDB?

1. Deploy EdgeDB on Railway: Click the “Deploy Now” button to spin up your managed EdgeDB instance in seconds.

2. Connect Locally: Use the EdgeDB CLI to connect via edgedb project init and manage your schema and queries.

3. Define Schema: Create .esdl schema files to define types, links, and properties.

4. Run Migrations: Apply migrations using edgedb migrate to evolve your schema safely.

5. Query Data: Use EdgeQL in your app or CLI for human-readable, relational queries.

How to self host EdgeDB on other VPS?

Clone the Repository

Download EdgeDB from GitHub using https://github.com/edgedb/edgedb.git.

Install Dependencies

Ensure your VPS has PostgreSQL installed and accessible. EdgeDB will use it as its storage layer.

Configure Environment Variables

Set up necessary environment variables like EDGEDB_SERVER_USER, EDGEDB_SERVER_PASSWORD, and EDGEDB_SERVER_DATABASE.

Start the EdgeDB Server

Run the EdgeDB service with edgedb-server and expose it to your preferred port.

Access EdgeDB

Use the EdgeDB CLI or dashboard to start creating databases, schemas, and queries. With Railway, this entire setup happens automatically with a single click.

Deploy Now!

Features of EdgeDB

• Combines relational and graph models seamlessly.

• Human-readable query language (EdgeQL) that replaces complex SQL joins.

• Built-in schema migration system with version tracking.

• Type-safe queries and introspection for developers.

• Backed by PostgreSQL for proven reliability.

Official Pricing of EdgeDB Cloud Service

EdgeDB offers both open-source and managed cloud versions. The EdgeDB Cloud plan starts with a free tier ideal for development. Paid tiers start around $20/month with scalable compute and storage limits, automated backups, and dedicated support. Custom enterprise plans are also available for larger organizations needing dedicated clusters and advanced SLAs. [Updated Oct’25]

Monthly cost of Self hosting EdgeDB on Railway

Hosting EdgeDB on Railway generally costs $5–$10 USD per month, depending on your selected instance size and storage needs. For most small to mid-size apps, Railway’s free tier or starter plan suffices, making it a cost-effective choice compared to managed database services.

System Requirements for Hosting EdgeDB

• PostgreSQL 13+

• 512MB RAM minimum (1GB recommended)

• Railway or VPS access with environment variable support

• EdgeDB CLI for schema and query management

FAQs

What is EdgeDB?

EdgeDB is an open-source, next-generation database that merges the best of relational and graph models, simplifying database queries using its modern query language, EdgeQL.

How do I self host EdgeDB?

You can self-host EdgeDB by deploying it manually on a VPS with PostgreSQL or using cloud platforms like Railway that automate the process entirely.

What are the key features of EdgeDB?

EdgeDB provides type-safe queries, schema versioning, migrations, strong relational and graph support, and human-readable EdgeQL syntax.

How do I deploy EdgeDB on Railway?

Deploying EdgeDB on Railway is simple - click Deploy Now, configure environment variables, and Railway handles setup, scaling, and security for you.

What are the dependencies for EdgeDB hosting?

EdgeDB depends on PostgreSQL as its core storage layer and requires minimal configuration beyond environment variables.

How does EdgeDB deployment on Railway compare to other VPS providers?

Railway automates deployment, scaling, and updates for EdgeDB, while traditional VPS setups like Linode or AWS require manual administration and monitoring.

What is the difference between self hosting EdgeDB and EdgeDB Cloud plans?

Self-hosting provides full control and privacy, while EdgeDB Cloud adds managed backups, uptime SLAs, and maintenance-free scaling for enterprises.

Where can I find the official EdgeDB source code?

You can explore and contribute to EdgeDB’s open-source code on GitHub.