FAQ

More about Meteor

What makes Meteor different from JavaScript frameworks like React or Vue.js?

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Meteor is a full-stack JavaScript App Platform that assembles all the pieces you need to build modern web, desktop, and mobile apps with a single JavaScript codebase. React and Vue.js are JavaScript UI frameworks that can be used in conjunction with Meteor. Think of React, Vue.js, Svelte and Blaze as the 'V' in MVC. Meteor automatically manages the data flow between cloud and client applications, as well as client UI state and rendering regardless of which UI framework you use. You can also use Meteor with GraphQL or REST if you prefer.

What mobile platforms and devices does Meteor support?

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Meteor makes it easy to create iOS apps that can be installed through the App Store as well as Android apps that can be installed through Google Play. Meteor compiles your apps using Apache Cordova so you don’t have to create separate codebases for iOS and Android. We also have integration with React Native.

How does Hot Code Push work with the App Store?

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Hot code pushes are loaded by client devices, e.g. phones, in the background while the app continues to run. Once the new code has been fully loaded, the device is able to switch over to the new code quickly. This reduces, or in some cases entirely eliminates the need to update code via the App Store and Google Play.

Which database can I use with Meteor?

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Any database with a Node.js driver is supported by Meteor as we are a Node.js application on the server. MongoDB is usually the most used in Meteor community as it has more integrations with Meteor as well as a subscriptions model implemented on top of it.

We use Meteor to build apps, how do we get involved with the project?

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You can get involved with Meteor’s community in a number of ways. Some of these include reporting bugs, triaging issues, or maintaining a community package. If you have any questions or would like to chat with like-minded developers, we recommend you check out our Slack community, Meteor Forums or GitHub. In these channels, you'll be able to collaborate with developers, learn best practices and even answer questions yourself.

Does Meteor work on Windows?

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Yes, you can install Meteor on Windows, Unix or MacOS. Click here to know more.

How do I get started?

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To get started with Meteor, install the latest version of Meteor onto your computer. Once you have Meteor installed, you can complete a tutorial using any of our supported UI frameworks: React, Vue.js, Svelte and Blaze. Once your app is ready to deploy, we recommend that you create a free Meteor Cloud account and deploy for free. Learn how here. Our suite of features allows you to monitor your app in real-time, download packages from our open source community and host your app with ease, all within one centralized dashboard. We also encourage you to visit our Slack channel, Meteor Forums and GitHub for more information as well as to chat with like-minded developers!

How much does it cost to use Meteor?

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Meteor.js is an open source project and is free to download and use. Meteor Cloud (our commercial product for deploying, hosting and managing your app,) has several different plan options based on your monthly GB usage. Our free Meteor Cloud plan allows you to deploy your app for free, then choose an appropriate plan as you scale. We also offer 20% off in savings plans when you prepay for 1 year. Check out our documentation for more info.

What open source license does Meteor use?

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Meteor is available under the MIT license. Learn more.