Volcano Documentation
Volcano is a serverless platform for building applications with functions, databases, and authentication.
Volcano is a serverless platform for building applications with functions, databases, and authentication. Deploy backend logic, provision PostgreSQL databases, and add user authentication—all through a unified API.
Quick start
New to Volcano? Start here:
- Quickstart guide — Deploy your first function in 5 minutes
- Core concepts — Understand how Volcano works
- Installation — Set up the SDK and CLI
Core features
Functions
Serverless functions that run your backend code. Supports Node.js, Python, and Ruby.
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Overview | What functions are and how they work |
| Creating functions | Deploy your first function |
| Invoking functions | Call functions from your app |
| User context | Access authenticated user data |
| Environment variables | Configure secrets and settings |
| Logs | View and filter function logs |
Databases
Serverless PostgreSQL with built-in authentication and row-level security.
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Overview | Database features and access methods |
| Quick start | Set up a database in 5 minutes |
| Query Builder API | Query from the browser with the SDK |
| REST API | HTTP endpoints for database operations |
| Direct connection | Connect from Lambda with user impersonation |
| Row-level security | Secure data with policies |
| Auth helpers | SQL functions for user context |
Authentication
User authentication with email/password, OAuth providers, and anonymous users.
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Overview | Authentication features and flow |
| Quickstart | Add auth to your app |
| Concepts | Users, tokens, and sessions |
| OAuth providers | Google, GitHub, Microsoft, Apple |
| Anonymous users | Guest access with upgrade path |
| Password reset | Forgot password flow |
| Configuration | Customize auth behavior |
Storage
S3-backed file storage with RLS-style access control policies.
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Overview | Storage features and quick start |
| JavaScript SDK | Complete SDK reference |
| Policies | RLS-style access control |
| Buckets | Creating and managing buckets |
Realtime
Live updates over WebSockets: Postgres changes, presence, and broadcast.
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Overview | Realtime features and the connection model |
| Postgres changes | Subscribe to database changes |
| Broadcast | Send messages between clients |
| Presence | Track who is online |
| JavaScript SDK | Client SDK reference |
| Security | Channel authorization and limits |
Frontends
Deploy static and server-rendered sites (Next.js) with build/runtime variables and custom domains.
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Overview | How frontends build, deploy, and serve |
| Deploy a frontend | Deploy a Next.js site with the CLI |
Security
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Anon keys | Public keys for frontend use |
| Service keys | Secret keys with admin access |
| Token types | Understanding different token types |
| Security checklist | Production security guide |
Projects
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Configuration manifest | Declarative volcano-config.yaml reference (config deploy/pull) |
CLI
The Volcano CLI lets you manage your projects from the terminal.
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Volcano CLI | CLI installation, authentication, and command reference — maintained in the volcano-cli repo (volcano <command> --help, volcano docs search) |
API reference
Complete REST API documentation for all Volcano endpoints.
| Reference | Description |
|---|---|
| Overview | API basics and authentication |
| Authentication | Auth headers and token types |
| Auth endpoints | Signup, signin, and user management |
| Projects | Project management endpoints |
| Functions | Function deployment and invocation |
| Databases | Database provisioning endpoints |
| Storage | Storage bucket and object endpoints |
| Errors | Error codes and handling |
Guides
Step-by-step guides for common tasks.
| Guide | Description |
|---|---|
| Deploy to production | Ship your project to the cloud |
| Plans and limits | Free vs Pro limits by resource |
| Database migrations | Manage schema changes with the CLI |
Examples
Working code examples in the examples/ directory:
- nodejs-hello/ — Simple Node.js function
- python-data/ — Python data processing
- frontend-auth-nextjs/ — Next.js frontend with authentication
- lambda-sdk-example/ — Using the SDK in Lambda functions
- realtime-chat/ — Real-time chat with presence tracking
Getting help
- GitHub Issues — Report bugs and request features
- API reference — REST API endpoints, authentication, and errors