RedwoodJS Technology Intelligence

What is RedwoodJS?

RedwoodJS is an opinionated, full-stack JavaScript framework for building startups. Created by Tom Preston-Werner (GitHub co-founder) and Peter Pistorius, Redwood brings together React, GraphQL, Prisma, and Jest into a cohesive, batteries-included development experience.

Redwood uses a unique "cells" architecture for data fetching, automatically handling loading, error, empty, and success states. The framework enforces a clear separation between the web side (React frontend) and api side (GraphQL backend), connected through auto-generated SDL and services.

Designed for rapid development, Redwood includes CLI generators for pages, components, layouts, cells, and entire CRUD scaffolds. It supports deployment to serverless platforms like Vercel, Netlify, and AWS Lambda, or traditional servers, making it flexible for various hosting needs.

RedwoodJS Features

Cells: Declarative data fetching. Automatic loading states. Error handling built-in. Empty state management. Query colocated with components.

GraphQL API: Auto-generated from SDL. Type-safe services. Resolver functions. Prisma integration. Real-time subscriptions.

Prisma ORM: Database abstraction. Migration system. Type-safe queries. Multiple database support. Seeding capabilities.

Authentication: Multiple auth providers. dbAuth built-in. OAuth support. Role-based access. Session management.

Generators: Page scaffolding. CRUD generation. Component creation. Layout templates. Cell generation.

Testing: Jest integration. Component testing. API testing. Mocking utilities. Storybook support.

RedwoodJS Use Cases

Startup MVPs: Rapid prototype development. Product validation. Quick market testing. Investor demos.

SaaS Applications: Subscription platforms. B2B software. Multi-tenant applications. Admin dashboards.

Content Platforms: Blogging platforms. CMS backends. Documentation sites. Knowledge bases.

E-commerce: Custom storefronts. Inventory management. Order processing. Customer portals.

Internal Tools: Admin interfaces. Data management tools. Reporting dashboards. Workflow applications.

API-First Products: GraphQL API backends. Headless applications. Mobile app backends. Third-party integrations.

RedwoodJS Code Examples

Cell Component

// ArticlesCell.js - Auto-handles loading, error, empty states
export const QUERY = gql`
  query ArticlesQuery {
    articles {
      id
      title
      body
      createdAt
    }
  }
`

export const Loading = () => <div>Loading articles...</div>
export const Empty = () => <div>No articles yet.</div>
export const Failure = ({ error }) => <div>Error: {error.message}</div>

export const Success = ({ articles }) => {
  return articles.map((article) => (
    <article key={article.id}>
      <h2>{article.title}</h2>
      <p>{article.body}</p>
    </article>
  ))
}

GraphQL SDL and Service

// articles.sdl.js
export const schema = gql`
  type Article {
    id: Int!
    title: String!
    body: String!
  }
  type Query {
    articles: [Article!]!
  }
  type Mutation {
    createArticle(input: CreateArticleInput!): Article!
  }
`

// articles.js service
import { db } from 'src/lib/db'

export const articles = () => db.article.findMany()

export const createArticle = ({ input }) => {
  return db.article.create({ data: input })
}

RedwoodJS Benefits

Full-Stack: Frontend and backend unified. Single codebase. Shared types. Cohesive development.

Developer Speed: Powerful generators. Convention over configuration. Less boilerplate. Rapid scaffolding.

Type Safety: TypeScript throughout. Generated types. Prisma type safety. GraphQL types.

Modern Stack: React 18 support. GraphQL native. Prisma ORM. Jest testing. Storybook integration.

Deploy Anywhere: Serverless ready. Traditional hosting. Edge deployment. Multiple providers supported.

Active Community: Growing ecosystem. Regular releases. Core team support. Discord community.