Capability Matrix
Compare SDK mode support, runtime boundaries, protocol features, extensions, backup, restore, and client compatibility.
Use this page to choose the right SDK and runtime mode. Oliphaunt SDKs are peers: Rust is for Tauri and native Rust apps, Swift is for iOS and macOS, Kotlin is for Android, React Native uses the Swift and Kotlin SDKs underneath, TypeScript is for desktop JavaScript runtimes, and WASM is the WebAssembly runtime family.
Capability checks return explicit errors when a feature is absent. Use them to show only the modes, controls, and workflows the installed SDK advertises for the target.
Read capabilities before enabling a workflow
Capabilities describe what the installed SDK and runtime advertise on this target.
Direct mode
one serialized sessionUse it when app code owns one embedded PostgreSQL root and latency matters.
Broker mode
helper-owned rootsUse it when a desktop app wants process ownership, recovery, or multiple roots.
Server mode
independent clientsUse it for pools, ORMs, psql, pg_dump, and PostgreSQL connection strings.
Extension artifacts
exact selectionUse selected SQL extension names to decide what enters the app artifact.
SDKs
| SDK | Primary use | Runtime owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| C ABI | Binding authors | liboliphaunt | Low-level raw protocol and lifecycle boundary |
| Rust | Tauri and native Rust apps | Rust SDK | Full direct, broker, and server model where supported |
| Swift | iOS and macOS apps | Swift SDK | Async Apple API over the native runtime |
| Kotlin | Android apps | Kotlin SDK | Coroutine Android API over the native runtime |
| React Native | Expo and New Architecture apps | Swift/Kotlin | TypeScript API, config plugin, TurboModule/JSI transport |
| TypeScript | Node.js, Bun, Deno | TypeScript SDK | Desktop JavaScript API over native helpers; direct Tauri JavaScript integration is planned |
| WASM | WebAssembly/WASIX apps | WASM SDK | Separate runtime family with WASM-owned assets |
Runtime Modes
| Mode | Best for | Session model | SDK availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native direct | Lowest-latency embedded database | One serialized physical session | Rust, Swift, Kotlin, React Native through Swift/Kotlin, C ABI |
| Native broker | Desktop apps that need process isolation or multiple roots | Helper process owns roots and sessions | Rust first; TypeScript via helper integration where supported |
| Native server | psql, pg_dump, ORMs, pools, independent clients | PostgreSQL-compatible server process | Rust first; other SDKs only when they advertise support |
| WASM | WebAssembly/WASIX deployments | WASM runtime session model | WASM SDK |
Mobile direct mode has one resident backend per app process and one physical session. It is same-root logically reopenable inside that process. Use server mode only where the SDK reports true server support. Mobile direct mode is not a broker/server alias; it is not a crash-isolated server and does not provide independent concurrent PostgreSQL client sessions.
Feature Support
| Feature | Rust | Swift | Kotlin | React Native | TypeScript | WASM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open persistent root | Yes | Yes | Yes | Via Swift/Kotlin | Yes | Yes |
| Temporary root | Yes | Yes | Yes | Via Swift/Kotlin | Yes | Yes |
| Simple SQL helpers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Raw protocol bytes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chunked protocol streaming | Yes | Yes where reported | Yes where reported | JSI ArrayBuffer stream where reported | Yes where reported | Yes where reported |
| Transactions | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Exact extension selection | Yes | Yes | Yes | Via Swift/Kotlin | Yes | Yes |
| Physical backup/restore | Yes | Yes | Yes | Via Swift/Kotlin | Yes | Yes |
| PostgreSQL-compatible server | Yes | Where advertised | Where advertised | Where advertised through Swift/Kotlin | Via supported helper path | WASM-specific |
| Independent concurrent clients | Server mode only | Server mode only where available | Server mode only where available | Server mode only where available | Server mode only where available | Runtime-specific |
Choosing A Mode
Choose native direct when app code owns one embedded database and latency is the priority.
Choose native broker when a desktop app needs stronger isolation, multiple database roots, crash recovery, or a long-lived helper process.
Choose native server when compatibility with existing PostgreSQL clients matters more than embedding latency.
Choose WASM when the deployment target is WASIX/WebAssembly. Choose a
native SDK when the app ships a liboliphaunt runtime.