Overview

LoopBack is an award-winning, highly extensible, open-source Node.js and TypeScript framework based on Express. It enables you to quickly create APIs and microservices composed from backend systems such as databases and SOAP or REST services.

The diagram below demonstrates how LoopBack serves as a composition bridge between incoming requests and outgoing integrations. It also shows the different personas who are interested in various capabilities provided by LoopBack.

LoopBack 4 Overview

Built for API developers

  • Define your API endpoints and schemas using the OpenAPI standard.
  • Write your endpoints in modern JavaScript using ES2017, async / await, modules.
  • Use your defined endpoints and schemas as the source of truth without generating code.

Built for teams

  • Review changes to API endpoints without digging through JavaScript.
  • Maintain consistency by automating the validation of your endpoints and schemas.
  • First class support for TypeScript (strongly typed JavaScript).

Built for your platform

  • Use LoopBack as a starting point for your own framework or platform.
  • Build libraries of reusable components in a standardized way.
  • Integrate with databases, web services, and other platforms using connectors.

How is our documentation organized

We use the Diátaxis documentation authoring framework which organizes technical documentation into a system based on four quadrants:

  • Learning-oriented Tutorials provide hands-on lessons where users can learn the framework by doing.

  • Problem-oriented How-to Guides provide recipes to solve specific goals you may encounter while building a LoopBack project.

  • Understanding-oriented Concepts pages provide the explanation of architecture concepts, wider view and deeper knowledge about the framework.

  • Information-oriented Reference guides provide technical description of the machinery and how to use it.