tRPC is an end-to-end typesafe API framework for TypeScript applications that eliminates the need for REST or GraphQL — instead allowing direct function calls between server and client with full TypeScript type inference across the boundary. In a tRPC application, backend procedures are called from the frontend as if they were local functions, with TypeScript automatically validating inputs and inferring return types. Popular in the T3 Stack (Next.js, Prisma, tRPC, Tailwind) for full-stack TypeScript applications, tRPC dramatically reduces the boilerplate and type errors common in REST API development.
End-to-end typesafe API for TypeScript full-stack apps.
Best for: TypeScript developers building full-stack Next.js applications who want end-to-end type safety without REST API boilerplate.
- Free plan
4.7/5 ratingEditorial score 93/100trpc.io
The editorial note
What to know about tRPC
Is it right for you?
Who tRPC suits
Choose it if
- TypeScript developers building full-stack Next.js applications who want end-to-end type safety without REST API boilerplate.
Look elsewhere if
- APIs that need to be consumed by external clients, mobile apps, or third-party services — REST and GraphQL are standard API protocols that non-TypeScript clients can consume, while tRPC is only accessible from TypeScript code
What you get
Key features
- End-to-end TypeScript type safety
- Router-based API structure
- Input validation with Zod
- React Query integration
- Subscription support (WebSockets)
- Middleware support
- Context and authentication helpers
- OpenAPI compatibility layer
Works with
Integrations8
What it costs
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | FreeBilled monthly | Open-source TypeScript RPC framework — free forever, MIT license, all features included |
Prices are recorded from the vendor's public pricing page and can change. Check before you buy.
The trade-off
Pros and cons
Pros
- Zero boilerplate for type-safe APIs — TypeScript infers all input/output types across server and client
- No code generation required — unlike GraphQL which requires schema files and codegen steps
- Batching support groups multiple requests into single HTTP calls for better performance
- Works seamlessly with React Query for client-side caching and data synchronization
- First-class support in the T3 Stack makes setup trivial for new Next.js projects
Cons
- TypeScript and JavaScript only — not suitable for non-TS/JS projects or multi-language architectures
- Tight coupling between frontend and backend — works best in full-stack TypeScript monorepos
- Not REST/GraphQL — third-party consumers, mobile apps, or public APIs need separate REST/GraphQL layer
- Debugging network requests is harder than REST because calls are batched and look non-standard
Quick read
At a glance
- Category
- Development & Coding
- Pricing model
- Free
- Entry plan
- Free
- Free plan
- Available
- Free trial
- Not listed
- Website
- trpc.io
The verdict
Our take on tRPC
The best TypeScript API layer for monorepos — calling server functions from the client with full type safety removing entire API documentation layers.
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