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Requirements

  • Bun ≥ 1.0 (runs TypeScript functions + codegen)
  • Rust ≥ 1.85 (required to build the CLI from source — edition 2024)
  • Node.js ≥ 18 (optional, for client tooling)

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Skip the install — use Pylon Cloud

If you don’t want to manage a binary or a server, Pylon Cloud hosts the same backend you’d run yourself. Sign up at cloud.pylonsync.com, then: 
pylon login
pylon deploy --target cloud
You’ll still want the CLI for local development and deploys; install it below.

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Install the CLI

curl -fsSL https://pylonsync.com/install.sh | bash
The one-line installer downloads a prebuilt binary to ~/.local/bin. Linux and macOS, x86_64 and arm64. No Rust toolchain required. Verify: 
pylon --version
pylon doctor
pylon doctor checks that bun, node, and the supporting tooling are available.

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Install Bun

Pylon uses Bun to run TypeScript server functions and to bundle the client code generator. If you don’t have it: 
curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash

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Client SDKs

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Web (React, Next.js, Vite, vanilla JS)

bun add @pylonsync/sdk @pylonsync/react
For Next.js, also add @pylonsync/next. See Clients → React and Clients → Next.js.

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React Native (iOS + Android)

bun add @pylonsync/sdk @pylonsync/react @pylonsync/react-native
bun add @react-native-async-storage/async-storage expo-sqlite
See Clients → React Native.

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Swift (iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, Linux)

In your Package.swift: 
.package(url: "https://github.com/pylonsync/pylon-swift.git", from: "0.3.0"),
Then per target: 
.target(name: "MyApp", dependencies: [
    .product(name: "PylonClient",   package: "pylon-swift"),
    .product(name: "PylonSync",     package: "pylon-swift"),
    .product(name: "PylonSwiftUI",  package: "pylon-swift"),  // optional
])
Linux: apt-get install libsqlite3-dev for the SQLite-backed offline replica. See Clients → Swift.

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Directory conventions

A Pylon app usually looks like this: 
my-app/
  app.ts                 # schema + policies + manifest
  functions/             # server functions (*.ts)
  client/                # your React components
  web/                   # Vite app (or Next.js, etc.)
    package.json
    vite.config.ts
    src/main.tsx
  package.json
  pylon.manifest.json    # generated
  pylon.client.ts        # generated
pylon dev app.ts watches app.ts + functions/ and regenerates pylon.manifest.json + pylon.client.ts on every change.

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Environment variables

VariableDefaultPurpose
PYLON_DB_PATH.pylon/dev.dbSQLite file location (ignored if DATABASE_URL is set)
DATABASE_URL(unset)postgres://... connection string. When set, Pylon uses the Postgres adapter instead of SQLite
PYLON_FILES_DIR.pylon/uploadsFile upload storage
PYLON_CORS_ORIGINfrom manifest.auth.trustedOriginsCORS allowlist override (comma-separated). * only in dev. Loopback always auto-trusted.
PYLON_DEV_MODEtrueDev-only behavior (generous rate limits, CORS * fallback when neither manifest nor env is set)
PYLON_PORT4321HTTP port
PYLON_RATE_LIMIT_MAX100Max anonymous requests per window (per IP). Kept tight — anon traffic is the brute-force surface.
PYLON_RATE_LIMIT_MAX_AUTHED1000Max authenticated requests per window (per user id). Higher than anon because polling dashboards routinely exceed 100/min for a single legit user.
PYLON_RATE_LIMIT_WINDOW60Window in seconds (applies to both anon + authed limits).
PYLON_FN_RATE_LIMIT_MAX30Function calls per window
See Reference → CLI for the full list.