Rivet

Overview

Rivet simplifies building complex applications with an open-source and developer-first platform. With Rivet, developers can easily build and deploy Functions, Actors, and Containers — all with the language and tools they already know.

When to choose Rivet

Developer-friendly experience

When you want an intuitive platform with high-quality documentation, mature local development experience, and in-depth observability in to your workloads

Flexible deployment options

When you need the flexibility to deploy to either Rivet Cloud or self-host on-premises

Works with mainstream technologies

When you need things to work out of the box without fuss using Node.js, Python, Bun, and more instead of proprietary runtimes

Open-source

When you want freedom from vendor lock-in and the benefits of an open-source community under the Apache 2.0 license

Get started with Rivet

Cloudflare Workers

Cloudflare Workers is a serverless platform that lets you execute code at the edge across Cloudflare's global network of data centers. Built on Cloudflare's proprietary JavaScript runtime, Workers provides powerful functionality for edge computing, caching, and stateful workloads.

When to choose Cloudflare Workers

Global CDN is a priority

When content delivery and edge caching are your primary requirements

Tight Cloudflare ecosystem integration

When you need seamless integration with Cloudflare's existing services and security features

Prefer Cloudflare's proprietary runtime

When you prefer Cloudflare's specific runtime environment over Node.js, Python, and your tools of choice

Feature Comparison

Feature	Rivet	Cloudflare Workers	Why it matters
Open Source
Open-source	Yes, Rivet is open-source with the Apache 2.0 license. View on GitHub.	No, Cloudflare is a closed-source, proprietary platform	Building your core technology on open-source software is vital to ensure portability and flexibility as your needs change
Hosting Options
Cloud hosting	Rivet Cloud with global edge network	Global edge network of data centers	Managed cloud hosting simplifies operations and maintenance
Choose underlying cloud provider	Choice of cloud providers for Rivet Cloud (contact us)	Limited to Cloudflare's infrastructure	Choosing your cloud provider allows you to ensure you can run your backend in the same datacenter as your database & other services
Bring-your-own-cloud deployment	Support for hybrid cloud/on-premises deployment (contact us)	Cloud-only solution	Hybrid options enable flexible compliance with regulatory requirements
Self-hosting	Full support for self-hosting on any infrastructure	No self-hosting option	Self-hosting provides control over infrastructure and data sovereignty
Deployment portability	Move between self-hosted and cloud seamlessly	Locked to Cloudflare infrastructure	Portability prevents vendor lock-in and enables flexible deployment options
Core Runtime
Programming languages	JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Rust, and any language that can run in Docker	JavaScript, TypeScript, Python (limited support via WASM), Rust (via WASM)	More language options provide flexibility for diverse team skills and use cases
Local development	Fully consistent local environment with 1:1 production parity	Wrangler with some production differences	Predictable local development reduces bugs and deployment surprises
Pricing model	Pay for CPU & memory with predictable scaling	Pay-per-request with complex variables	Transparent pricing helps with forecasting and budgeting
Rivet Functions vs Cloudflare Workers
Automatic SSL Management	Built-in SSL certificate management	SSL certificates included	Automatic SSL management simplifies secure deployments
DDoS Mitigation	Advanced DDoS protection built-in	Includes DDoS protection	Protection against distributed denial of service attacks ensures application availability
Runs at edge	Global edge deployment with low latency	Extensive global edge network	Edge computing reduces latency and improves user experience globally
Cold starts	Optimized cold starts with predictable performance	Fast cold start times	Fast cold starts ensure consistent user experience without delays
Memory limits	Configurable based on workload needs	128MB limit for Workers	Higher memory limits enable more complex processing within a single function
CPU time limits	Unrestricted	10ms (free), 5m (paid)	Generous CPU time allows for more complex operations without timing out
Rivet Actors vs Cloudflare Durable Objects
Actor support	First-class actor model with Rivet Actors	Durable Objects for stateful workloads	Actor model enables scalable stateful applications with state persistence, hibernation, and realtime
KV Persistence	Built-in KV storage for actors	KV supported for Durable Objects	Key-value storage enables persistent state without external dependencies
SQLite Persistence	SQLite support in preview	SQLite supported for Durable Objects	SQLite provides relational database capabilities for complex data models
Memory limits	Configurable memory limits based on needs	128MB limit for Durable Objects	Higher memory limits allow more complex stateful applications
State inspector	Built-in tools to inspect and modify actor state	No built-in state inspection tools	Ability to view & edit actor state in real time simplifies debugging and management
RPC debugger	Interactive RPC testing tools for actors	No built-in RPC debugging	Ability to test remote procedure calls to actors accelerates development and troubleshooting
Connection inspector	Real-time monitoring of actor connections	No connection visualization tools	Visibility into active connections helps diagnose client-side issues and monitor usage patterns
REST API	Full REST API for actor management	No RESTful API for Durable Objects	REST API enables programmatic management and integration with external tools
Metadata access	Built-in metadata API	Custom implementation required	Direct access to metadata such as tags, region, and more simplifies management and deployment
Graceful shutdown	3-hour draining window	60s grace period	Draining period allows for graceful state transfers and prevents data loss
Connection protocols	HTTP, WebSockets, TCP, and UDP support	HTTP and WebSockets only	More protocol options support diverse application requirements
Actor networking	Actors have dedicated hostnames that can be accessed via Functions or directly (without a middle man)	Durable Objects have limited networking functionality, can only be access via Workers	Customizable networking enables more flexibility in why types of workloads your actors can serve & compatibility with existing tooling
Actor discovery	Flexible tagging system for organizing, querying, and monitoring actors	String-based lookup	Tagging enables more sophisticated service discovery patterns
Control over actor upgrades	Full control with dedicated upgrade APIs	Only allows controlling gradual deployment percentages, not specific Durable Object versions	Controlled upgrades ensure smooth transitions without service disruption tailored to your application's architecture
Monitoring	Built-in monitoring for development and production	Custom monitoring required	Integrated monitoring simplifies operations and debugging
Logging	Comprehensive logging included	Complex setup depending on configuration	Built-in logging reduces setup time and operational complexity
Rivet Containers vs Cloudflare Containers
Container support	Rivet supports containers	Cloudflare Containers are in development, details TBD	Supports launching containers on-demand for use cases such as batch jobs, game servers, media encoding, and more
Platform
Instant rollback to versions	One-click rollback to previous versions	Version rollback supported	Quick rollback capabilities minimize downtime and recover from problematic deployments
Built-in monitoring & logging	Comprehensive monitoring and logging for all services	Limited for Workers, not supported for Durable Objects	Integrated monitoring and logging simplifies troubleshooting and performance optimization
User-uploaded builds	Full support for user-uploaded builds and multi-tenancy	Cloudflare for Platforms	Enables building platforms where your users can upload their own code to run on your infrastructure
Tagging for builds, actors, and containers	Comprehensive tagging system for all resources	No built-in tagging system	Tagging is important for organization, cost allocation, and managing user-uploaded builds
Development Experience
Documentation	Comprehensive, developer-focused documentation	Fragmented and difficult to understand documentation	Clear documentation accelerates learning and implementation
Local development with multiple apps	Unified local development experience for managing multiple apps	Requires tmux or similar for running multiple Wrangler instances in parallel	Local development experience for multiple apps (i.e. microservices) reduces developer friction with configuration & improves developer collaboration.
Compatible with Docker Compose	Seamless integration with Docker Compose for local development	No Docker Compose compatibility	Integration with Docker Compose enables use with your existing development workflows and tools
Observability for debugging	Built-in obervability with tools available both localy and in Rivet Cloud	Requires additional setup	Immediate visibility into application behavior speeds debugging

Conclusion

While Cloudflare Workers excels at global CDN capabilities and edge computing, Rivet offers an open-source and more developer-friendly experience with flexible deployment options, comprehensive local development tools, and powerful stateful models through its actor system. Choose Rivet for complex applications that benefit from open-source flexibility, or Cloudflare when tight CDN integration is your priority.

Migrating from Cloudflare Workers or have questions?

Looking to migrate your existing Cloudflare Workers applications to Rivet or have more questions about how Rivet can meet your needs? Our team can help make the transition smooth and seamless. We provide migration assistance, technical guidance, and dedicated support to ensure your experience with Rivet is successful.

Rivet vs Cloudflare Workers