1-file backend to ship fast

name: Pokemon app 🐣

entities:
  Pokemon 🐉:
    properties:
      - name
      - {
          name: type,
          type: choice,
          options: { values: [Fire, Water, Grass, Electric] }
        }
      - { name: level, type: number }
    belongsTo:
      - Trainer

  Trainer 🧑‍🎤:
    properties:
      - name
      - { name: isChampion, type: boolean }

Why Manifest?

Most backend platforms feel too heavy when all you want is to build something simple.

They come with dashboards, setup flows, forms to fill, and rules you didn’t ask for. Even for a prototype, you end up creating an account, switching between tabs, and learning how the tool works before your app even starts.

Manifest allows you to create a backend with data, storage, logic and an admin panel. All is defined in a single file of code. ✨

• Setup in seconds with no friction
• Get your backend live fast so you can focus on your app
• Simple for LLMs to create and edit
• Deploy and run anywhere

Use cases

Manifest fits great in those type of projects:

• 🛠️ Rapid prototyping: POCs and MVPs
• 🧩 Micro services: notification, payment, logging, file services...
• 🏭 CRUD apps: mobile apps, directories, PIMs, E-shops
• 🌐 Headless CMS: dynamic corporate websites, portfolios, blogs...

Key features

Auth | Validation | Storage | Image resizing | Admin panel | Dynamic endpoints | REST API | JS SDK | Webhooks

Getting started

Run this command to create a new project with Manifest:

npx create-manifest@latest

You can add a flag to set up rules for your AI code Editor:

• --cursor for Cursor
• --copilot for GitHub Copilot
• --windsurf for Windsurf

You can also use yarn create manifest.

Note

Manifest is currently in BETA, use it at your own risk. It is stable enough to power small projects, prototypes and MVPs but we do not recommend to use it on critical platforms.

Community & Resources

• Read the Docs to get started
• Chat with us on our Discord
• Report bugs on GitHub issues
• Suggest new features on GitHub Discussions

Want to help Manifest grow? 💗

Here is a few small things you can do:

• Star the Manifest repository (this one)
• Give us your feedback on Discord
• Sponsor Manifest through Github or OpenCollective

Contributors

We welcome contributions to Manifest, Please see our Contributing Guidelines to get started and join the journey.

Thanks to our wonderful contributors!

Sponsors

Manifest is an MIT-licensed open-source project. If you find it useful and want to support its development, consider becoming a sponsor.

Sponsors

Backed by

Partners

This project is tested with BrowserStack