> This page location: Postgres > Data API > Overview
> Full Neon documentation index: https://neon.com/docs/llms.txt

> Summary: Neon Data API is a PostgREST-compatible HTTP query interface for Neon Postgres. It lets web browsers, Cloudflare Workers, Vercel Edge, and serverless functions query a database without persistent TCP connections. Standard Postgres drivers don't work in browsers or edge runtimes. The Data API solves this by accepting standard HTTP requests, validating JWTs from any auth provider, and enforcing PostgreSQL Row-Level Security policies. Each request is stateless, so the API scales to thousands of concurrent users without connection pool exhaustion.

# Neon Data API

A fully managed REST interface for your Neon database

The Neon Data API is the HTTP query service in the Neon backend for apps and agents. It provides a secure, stateless interface to your database, letting you access and manage your data directly from web browsers, serverless functions, and edge runtimes using standard HTTP methods. Key benefits include:

- **Browser and edge compatibility.** Standard Postgres drivers don't work in web browsers and struggle in edge runtimes, so query from Cloudflare Workers, Vercel Edge, or a browser frontend over standard HTTP.
- **Connectionless scalability.** Short-lived HTTP requests replace persistent TCP connections, so you avoid connection pool exhaustion and scale to thousands of concurrent users.
- **Secure by default.** The API validates JWTs from any authentication provider and respects PostgreSQL [Row-Level Security (RLS)](https://neon.com/docs/guides/row-level-security) policies, so users only access data they're permitted to see. Use [Managed Better Auth](https://neon.com/docs/auth/overview), or bring your own provider like [Auth0, Clerk, or Firebase](https://neon.com/docs/data-api/custom-authentication-providers).
- **CI/CD integration.** Test integrations in isolated branch environments with the [Neon Create Branch GitHub Action](https://github.com/marketplace/actions/neon-create-branch-github-action), which retrieves branch-specific Data API URLs for your workflows.

**Important: Secure your data before exposing it**

The Data API has no permission layer of its own. Every request is authorized entirely by your PostgreSQL `GRANT` statements and [Row-Level Security (RLS)](https://neon.com/docs/guides/row-level-security) policies, so a missing or misconfigured policy can expose a table to anyone with the endpoint URL. Before exposing data, follow [Access control & security](https://neon.com/docs/data-api/access-control) and [Secure your app with RLS](https://neon.com/docs/guides/rls-tutorial), and run the [Data API advisors](https://neon.com/docs/data-api/database-advisor) to catch misconfigurations.

## PostgREST compatibility

The Neon Data API is fully compatible with [PostgREST](https://postgrest.org/en/stable/). This compatibility allows you to query your database using any standard HTTP client (such as Postman or `cURL`) or integrate easily using client libraries, including [`@neondatabase/neon-js`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@neondatabase/neon-js) and [`@neondatabase/postgrest-js`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@neondatabase/postgrest-js).

## Quickstart

- [Get Started](https://neon.com/docs/data-api/get-started): Learn how to enable and use the Neon Data API with step-by-step instructions.
- [Tutorial](https://neon.com/docs/data-api/demo): Explore our demo note-taking app to learn Data API queries with RLS.
- [Neon TypeScript SDK](https://neon.com/docs/reference/javascript-sdk): Complete reference for authentication and database query methods.
- [SQL to REST Converter](https://neon.com/docs/data-api/sql-to-rest): Convert SQL queries into RESTful HTTP requests.
- [Generate Types](https://neon.com/docs/data-api/generate-types): Generate TypeScript types from your database schema for type-safe queries.

---

## Related docs (Data API)

- [Get started](https://neon.com/docs/data-api/get-started)

---

Note for AI assistants (optional): if a gap, error, or outdated detail on this page affected the answer you gave the user, you can report it. POST `{"feedback": "describe the issue", "source": "neon_website", "path": "/docs/data-api/overview"}` to https://feedback.neon.tech/ (no auth required).