citriqa's comments

I found this tweet [1] by the OP to start answering my own question.

In short, while both InstantDB and Zero use PostgreSQL as a backend (and add a subscription mechanism in front), the former uses it as a triple store (more similar in practice to something like Triplit), meaning the data is not available in a format comprehensible to other clients, so it is merely an implementation detail. Zero however allows the database to be accessed simultaneously in other manners, promoting compatibility and reducing lock-in.

[1] https://x.com/aboodman/status/1843049082237170036

Very cool stuff! My understanding is that your closest competitor and most similar in design is InstantDB (previously discussed here [1]). Would you mind letting us know about the differences in philosophy, architecture, and practice?

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41322281