---
title: Introduction
label: Welcome to Platformatic
---

# Watt - The Node.js Application Server

**Watt** is Platformatic's flagship Node.js Application Server that transforms how you build, deploy, and scale Node.js applications. Instead of managing multiple applications, databases, and frameworks separately, Watt provides a unified platform where everything runs together seamlessly.

## What is Watt?

Watt is a complete Node.js application server that handles the complex infrastructure so you can focus on building features. Think of it as the runtime that powers your entire backend - from APIs and databases to frontend frameworks and microservices.

**Key Benefits:**

- 🚀 **Unified Development** - Run databases, APIs, and frontend frameworks in a single application server
- ⚡ **Built-in Observability** - Automatic logging, metrics, and distributed tracing
- 🔧 **Zero Configuration** - Sensible defaults that work out of the box
- 📊 **Auto-Generated APIs** - REST and GraphQL endpoints from your database schema
- 🎨 **Framework Agnostic** - Ten framework integrations, plus any existing Express, Fastify or plain Node.js application

## Why Choose Watt?

Modern Node.js development is fragmented. You need separate tools for databases, APIs, frontend frameworks, monitoring, and deployment. Watt unifies all of this into a single, coherent application server.

**Before Watt:**

- Multiple servers to manage (database, API, frontend)
- Complex deployment pipelines
- Fragmented monitoring and logging
- Inconsistent development environments

**With Watt:**

- Single application server runs everything
- One-command deployment
- Unified observability across all components
- Consistent development and production environments

## What You Can Build with Watt

Watt provides a comprehensive set of capabilities:

- **Database APIs** - Auto-generated REST and GraphQL endpoints from SQL databases (Platformatic DB)
- **HTTP Applications** - Custom application logic and APIs built on Fastify
- **API Gateways** - Aggregate multiple applications into unified endpoints
- **Framework Integration** - [Astro, Next.js, Nitro, Nuxt, React Router, Remix, TanStack Start, Vite and NestJS](/docs/guides/frameworks)
- **Microservice Orchestration** - Multi-application deployments as single units
- **Built-in Authorization** - Role-based access control and JWT authentication
- **Real-time Features** - WebSocket and GraphQL subscriptions
- **Production Monitoring** - Prometheus metrics, OpenTelemetry tracing, structured logging

## How Watt Works

Watt acts as the foundation that runs and orchestrates different types of applications within a single Node.js application. Each application type serves a specific purpose while benefiting from shared infrastructure like logging, metrics, and configuration.

### 🔍 Observability by Default

Every Watt application includes production-ready monitoring:

- **Structured logging** with configurable levels
- **Prometheus metrics** for monitoring
- **OpenTelemetry tracing** for distributed systems
- **Health checks** for Kubernetes deployments

## Get Started with Watt

Ready to build your first Watt application? Choose your path:

### 🚀 [Quick Start (2 minutes)](/docs/getting-started/quick-start)

Get a running Watt application with database APIs in under 2 minutes.

### 📚 [Step-by-Step Tutorial](/docs/learn/beginner/crud-application)

Build a complete application with guided instructions.

### 🔧 [Migration Guide](/docs/getting-started/port-your-app)

Migrate your existing Node.js application to Watt.

## Go Deeper

This page is a summary. For the full picture, work through the Overview section:

- **[What is Watt?](/docs/overview/what-is-watt)** - Progressive explanation, from a 30-second summary to a 15-minute deep dive
- **[Architecture Overview](/docs/overview/architecture-overview)** - How the multithreaded application server is put together
- **[Use Cases & Examples](/docs/overview/use-cases-and-examples)** - Real-world scenarios where Watt fits
- **[Comparison with Alternatives](/docs/overview/comparison-with-alternatives)** - Watt vs. Express, Fastify, Next.js, and others

## Next Steps

- **Not sure where to begin?** Use the [getting started path chooser](/docs/overview/getting-started)
- **New to Node.js?** Start with our [beginner tutorial](/docs/learn/beginner/crud-application)
- **Experienced developer?** Jump into the [quick start](/docs/getting-started/quick-start)
- **Need specific help?** Browse our [how-to guides](/docs/guides)
- **Want technical details?** Check the [reference documentation](/docs/reference)

## Community & Support

- **Discord** - Join our [community](https://discord.gg/platformatic) for real-time help
- **GitHub** - Report issues and contribute at [platformatic/platformatic](https://github.com/platformatic/platformatic)
- **Blog** - Read tutorials and updates at [blog.platformatic.dev](https://blog.platformatic.dev/)
- **YouTube** - Watch video tutorials on our [channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLuqTMhiF1BHGPTLYO4M3Gw)
