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HeliosProxy

heliosdb.com

Free plan LinuxAPISelf-hosted
Visit heliosdb.com
Spec score 7.8 #8 of 31 in Database Proxy Software

What it is

HeliosProxy is a self-hosted, programmable PostgreSQL data-plane for routing connections, handling failover, replaying traffic, and supporting database upgrades. It provides session, transaction, and statement pooling, with multiplexing up to 100:1. Routing can account for replica lag, workload type, and failing backends through circuit breaking. Cache options include local memory, Redis-backed storage, and semantic tiers, with invalidation when writes occur. Transaction Replay can move sessions to a new primary and optionally replay reads or transactions when conditions permit, although prepared statements, temporary tables, open cursors, advisory locks, and extended-protocol SET statements are not restored. A WebAssembly plugin runtime offers five hook points, Ed25519 verification, and OCI distribution. The admin console includes topology, plugin, chaos, shadow-execution, and traffic-replay panels. Authentication supports JWT, OAuth 2.0, LDAP, and API keys. HeliosProxy works with PostgreSQL 12+ and compatible databases, and deployment documentation covers Docker, Kubernetes, and standalone setups. It is open source under Apache 2.0 and costs nothing.

Spec sheet

Product
HeliosProxy is a programmable PostgreSQL data-plane for connection routing, failover, traffic replay, and database upgrades.Read 9 Oct 2026 · heliosdb.com
Deployment
The maker documents Docker, Kubernetes, and standalone deployment options.Read 9 Oct 2026 · heliosdb.com
Integrations
It works with PostgreSQL 12+ and PostgreSQL-compatible backends including Amazon RDS, Aurora, Cloud SQL, Azure Database, CockroachDB, YugabyteDB, TimescaleDB, Citus, and AlloyDB.Read 9 Oct 2026 · heliosdb.com
Security
The proxy supports JWT, OAuth 2.0, LDAP, and API-key authentication, with identity claim-to-database-role mapping.Read 9 Oct 2026 · heliosdb.com
Support
The company lists a support contact at [email protected] and links to community support on Discord.Read 9 Oct 2026 · heliosdb.com
License
HeliosProxy is open source under the Apache 2.0 license.Read 9 Oct 2026 · heliosdb.com
Admin
A built-in admin web console provides topology, plugin, chaos, shadow-execution, and traffic-replay panels, using the proxy's JWT or API-key admin authentication.Read 9 Oct 2026 · heliosdb.com
Caching
Its cache has local-memory, Redis-backed, and semantic tiers, with cache invalidation on writes.Read 9 Oct 2026 · heliosdb.com
Failover
Transaction Replay can re-home sessions to a new primary and offers optional read or transaction replay when conditions allow.Read 9 Oct 2026 · heliosdb.com
Failover limits
SQL-level prepared statements, session temporary tables, open cursors, advisory locks, and extended-protocol SET statements are not restored across failover.Read 9 Oct 2026 · heliosdb.com
Plugins
The WASM plugin runtime has five hook points and supports Ed25519 signature verification and OCI artifact distribution.Read 9 Oct 2026 · heliosdb.com
Pooling
It offers session, transaction, and statement pooling modes, with up to 100:1 connection multiplexing.Read 9 Oct 2026 · heliosdb.com
Routing
It supports lag-aware replica routing, workload-based routing, and circuit breaking for failing backends.Read 9 Oct 2026 · heliosdb.com

Plans and prices

HeliosProxy Free Open source under Apache 2.0 · 46 feature modules · Works with PostgreSQL-wire-compatible databases Read 9 Oct 2026 · heliosdb.com

Every HeliosProxy plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Session, transaction, and statement pooling
  • Up to 100:1 connection multiplexing
  • Lag-aware and workload-based routing
  • Built-in topology and traffic-replay console
  • JWT, OAuth 2.0, LDAP, and API keys

Limits

  • Several session states are not restored after failover
  • Self-hosted deployment is required
  • Supports PostgreSQL-compatible backends only

Who it suits

HeliosProxy suits teams running PostgreSQL-compatible databases that need self-hosted pooling, routing, caching, and failover controls. It is also aimed at operators using Docker, Kubernetes, or standalone deployment.

Verdict

HeliosProxy combines pooling, routing, cache tiers, replay-based failover, and extensibility in one PostgreSQL data-plane. Its documented failover exclusions and self-hosted model should be checked against your operational requirements.

Where Specifiction places it

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