ProgressDB is a fast, purpose-built, chat-native database for AI chat threads. The project includes a database service, backend SDKs (Node, Python), and frontend SDKs (TypeScript, React). This quickstart shows how to run the service locally, install the SDKs, and perform basic operations.

ProgressDB is in active development and not certified for production use. While extensively tested, breaking changes and incomplete features remain. The built-in Progressor handles automatic database migrations on model changes, though this currently applies only to the database layer—not the SDKs.

Why ProgressDB?

ProgressDB is purpose-built for chat applications, streamlining common workflows and performance requirements:

• Message lifecycle management - Built-in versioning, edits, and soft-deletes
• Optimized queries - Fast retrieval of threaded messages and common chat patterns
• Integrated security - Encryption and API-key based access controls
• Developer-friendly - Lightweight service with simple APIs and SDKs for Python, Node, TypeScript, and React
• Developer Delight - Send a message, the thread auto-creates.

ProgressDB eliminates the complexity of building chat infrastructure: fewer transformation layers, direct APIs for threads and messages, and the tooling to move from prototype to production with operational confidence.

Without ProgressDB, storing chat data becomes:

• Week 2: “Need message versions.”
• Week 4: “Need soft deletes + GDPR.”
• Week 6: “Need encryption.”
• Week 8: “Search is slow → add Elasticsearch.”
• Week 10: “Need real-time.”
• Week 12: “Encryption model is wrong.”
• Week 16: “Reads slow → add Redis.”
• Week 20: “Need encryption key rotation.”

Features

Available

• Messages - append-only storage, versioning (edits), replies, soft-delete
• Threads - metadata operations (create/update/list)
• Encryption & Key Management - (embedded KMS mode)
• Retention - policy-driven purge/run hooks
• Backend SDKs - node & python sdks published for ^v0.2.0
• Frontend SDKs - typescript & react sdks published for ^v0.2.0
• Reliability - (appWAL/buffering) are present & configurable
• Performance - sustains 3k RPS on 2 local CPU cores (3.49 GHz).

Planned

• Encryption - cloud-backed KMS, HSM integration, DEK rewrap features
• Backups - backups & tested restore of chat datas
• Realtime - realtime subscriptions (WebSocket / SSE) and webhook delivery
• Search - search API / indexed search experience
• Scaling - vertical or horizontal scaling features
• Metrics - Metrics are present, but need cleanup for prod

Explorer