We built a developer-first open-source Zapier alternative
For the past few months we’ve been building Trigger.dev and can now share our beta with you: https://github.com/triggerdotdev/trigger.dev. Trigger.dev is an open source platform that makes it easy for developers to create event-driven background tasks directly in their code. You write workflows using our SDK, and can view all the runs in our web app. Why we built this: - We found current workflow / automation tools like Zapier and n8n are good for simple tasks, but not for more advanced use cases. - Dropping down into code in these tools is just not a great…
In plain words
Trigger.dev is an open-source platform that enables developers to build event-driven background tasks directly in code using an SDK, with workflow runs viewable in a web app. Designed for developers who need more complex automation than traditional tools like Zapier, it allows teams to work in their own IDEs, maintain version control, and keep sensitive data private rather than sending it to third parties. The platform handles advanced use cases beyond simple workflow automation.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
For the past few months we’ve been building Trigger.dev and can now share our beta with you: https://github.com/triggerdotdev/trigger.dev. Trigger.dev is an open source platform that makes it easy for developers to create event-driven background tasks directly in their code. You write workflows using our SDK, and can view all the runs in our web app. Why we built this: - We found current workflow / automation tools like Zapier and n8n are good for simple tasks, but not for more advanced use cases. - Dropping down into code in these tools is just not a great experience. We prefer using our own IDEs, version control, and having access to GitHub Copilot etc. - Sometimes, a workflow requires us to query a database or handle some sensitive information. It would be great if this data wasn’t sent to a third party. Our beta version lets you: - Trigger workflows from webhooks, custom events or schedules (CRON) - Use API integrations with Slack, GitHub, Shopify and Resend. We’re adding more of these each week. - Add delays of up to 1 year. Workflows will resume where they left off, even if your server has gone down. - Support for Fetch and subscribing to generic webhooks. - Observe every workflow run in the app (great for debugging). - Open source MIT license so anyone can self-host the platform. We’re still early so would love your feedback and opinions. Feel free to try us out for free – and if you want a specific API integrated, just let us know. Main website: https://trigger.dev Github: https://github.com/triggerdotdev/trigger.dev
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