Deploy and Host Gel + PostgreSQL on Railway

Gel is a next-generation graph-relational database that supercharges PostgreSQL with an object-oriented data model, powerful graph queries via EdgeQL, and built-in schema migrations. It combines SQL's reliability and performance with modern developer workflows, making it easier to work with complex, hierarchical data while maintaining strict type safety.

About Hosting Gel + PostgreSQL

Deploying Gel with PostgreSQL on Railway involves running two interconnected services: a PostgreSQL database instance for data storage and a Gel server container that provides the query interface and object-relational layer. Gel stores and manages data using PostgreSQL's proven relational techniques while exposing a more intuitive object-oriented model through its EdgeQL query language.

The deployment handles automatic schema migrations, connection management between services, and persistent data storage. Railway simplifies this architecture by managing both containers, networking, and volume persistence, allowing you to focus on schema design and application logic rather than infrastructure configuration.

Common Use Cases

Complex data relationship modeling - Applications requiring intricate object hierarchies and multi-level relationships that are cumbersome in traditional SQL
Rapid schema evolution - Projects needing frequent data model changes with built-in migration support and type-safe schema definitions
Modern full-stack applications - Web and mobile apps requiring a developer-friendly database layer with strong typing and GraphQL-like query capabilities

Dependencies for Gel + PostgreSQL Hosting

PostgreSQL database - Underlying storage engine (version 14)
Gel server container - The geldata/gel Docker image providing the EdgeQL interface and schema management
Persistent volumes - Storage for PostgreSQL data (/var/lib/postgresql/data)
Network connectivity - Inter-service communication between Gel server and PostgreSQL instance

Deployment Dependencies

Implementation Details

Environment Variables for Gel Container:

# Backend connection to Railway PostgreSQL
GEL_SERVER_BACKEND_DSN="${{Postgres.DATABASE_URL}}"

# Security and authentication
GEL_SERVER_SECURITY="strict"
GEL_SERVER_PASSWORD="${{ secret(32) }}"
GEL_SERVER_TLS_CERT_MODE="generate_self_signed"

# Performance and resource settings
GEL_SERVER_MAX_BACKEND_CONNECTIONS="8"
GEL_SERVER_COMPILER_POOL_MODE="on_demand"

# Enable admin UI
GEL_SERVER_ADMIN_UI="enabled"

Key Configuration Notes:

GEL_SERVER_BACKEND_DSN connects Gel to your Railway PostgreSQL instance using Railway's variable reference syntax
GEL_SERVER_SECURITY="strict" enables production-grade security settings
GEL_SERVER_PASSWORD uses Railway's secret generation to create a secure 32-character password
GEL_SERVER_COMPILER_POOL_MODE="on_demand" allows the compiler pool to scale automatically based on demand
GEL_SERVER_ADMIN_UI="enabled" provides access to Gel's web-based administrative interface

Performance Tuning:

You can adjust these settings based on your workload and Railway plan:

GEL_SERVER_MAX_BACKEND_CONNECTIONS - Increase for higher concurrency (default: 8). Scale based on your PostgreSQL connection limit and expected traffic
GEL_SERVER_COMPILER_POOL_MODE - Use "on_demand" for variable workloads or "fixed" for consistent high-traffic applications

Volume Mounts:

PostgreSQL: /var/lib/postgresql/data

Why Deploy Gel + PostgreSQL on Railway?

Railway is a singular platform to deploy your infrastructure stack. Railway will host your infrastructure so you don't have to deal with configuration, while allowing you to vertically and horizontally scale it.

By deploying Gel + PostgreSQL on Railway, you are one step closer to supporting a complete full-stack application with minimal burden. Host your servers, databases, AI agents, and more on Railway.