# Budibase — Open Source Low-Code App Builder

> Budibase is an open-source low-code platform for building internal tools, admin panels, dashboards, and workflow apps in minutes. Connect any database and deploy instantly.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

## Quick Use

```bash
docker run -d --name budibase -p 10000:80 budibase/budibase:latest
```

Open `http://localhost:10000` — register and start building your first app with drag-and-drop.

## Intro

**Budibase** is an open-source low-code platform for building internal tools, admin panels, dashboards, and workflow applications. It provides a visual builder to design UIs, connect data sources, automate workflows, and deploy apps — all without writing extensive code.

With 27.8K+ GitHub stars, Budibase has become a popular alternative to Retool, Appsmith, and Tooljet for teams that want to build internal tools quickly while maintaining full control over their data and infrastructure.

## What Budibase Does

- **Visual App Builder**: Drag-and-drop UI builder with 40+ pre-built components
- **Data Connectors**: Connect to PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, REST APIs, Google Sheets, Airtable, and more
- **Internal Database**: Built-in database (BudibaseDB) for quick prototyping without external DB
- **Automations**: Visual workflow builder with triggers, conditions, and actions
- **RBAC**: Role-based access control with custom roles and per-component permissions
- **Self-Hosting**: Deploy on your own infrastructure with Docker or Kubernetes
- **AI Features**: AI-powered app generation, data queries, and component configuration
- **Responsive Design**: Apps automatically adapt to mobile, tablet, and desktop

## Architecture

```
┌──────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐
│  App Users   │────▶│  Budibase    │────▶│  Your Data   │
│  (Browser)   │     │  Platform    │     │  Sources     │
└──────────────┘     │  ┌────────┐  │     │  PostgreSQL  │
                     │  │Builder │  │     │  MySQL       │
┌──────────────┐     │  │Apps    │  │     │  MongoDB     │
│  Builders    │────▶│  │Workers │  │     │  REST API    │
│  (Low-code)  │     │  └────────┘  │     │  Google Sheets│
└──────────────┘     └──────────────┘     └──────────────┘
```

## Self-Hosting

### Docker (Single Container)

```bash
docker run -d 
  --name budibase 
  -p 10000:80 
  -v budibase-data:/data 
  budibase/budibase:latest
```

### Docker Compose (Production)

```yaml
services:
  budibase:
    image: budibase/budibase:latest
    ports:
      - "10000:80"
    environment:
      JWT_SECRET: your-jwt-secret
      MINIO_ACCESS_KEY: budibase
      MINIO_SECRET_KEY: budibase-secret
      INTERNAL_API_KEY: your-internal-api-key
    volumes:
      - budibase-data:/data
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  budibase-data:
```

## Building an App

### 1. Connect Data Source

```
Supported data sources:
├── SQL Databases
│   ├── PostgreSQL
│   ├── MySQL / MariaDB
│   ├── Microsoft SQL Server
│   └── Oracle
├── NoSQL
│   ├── MongoDB
│   └── CouchDB
├── APIs
│   ├── REST API
│   └── GraphQL
├── Spreadsheets
│   ├── Google Sheets
│   └── Airtable
└── Built-in
    └── BudibaseDB (internal)
```

### 2. Design UI

Drag-and-drop components:
- **Layout**: Container, Section, Repeater, Modal
- **Data Display**: Table, Cards, Chart, Stat, Map
- **Forms**: Text Input, Select, Date, File Upload, Rich Text
- **Navigation**: Button, Link, Breadcrumb, Sidebar
- **Media**: Image, Video, Embed

### 3. Add Automations

```
Trigger: New row in "Orders" table
  → Filter: order.total > 100
  → Action: Send email to sales team
  → Action: Create Slack notification
  → Action: Update CRM via REST API
```

Available automation triggers:
- Row created/updated/deleted
- Webhook received
- Cron schedule
- App action (button click)

### 4. Deploy & Share

One-click publish with role-based access:
- **Admin**: Full access to builder and app
- **Power**: Can edit data, run actions
- **Basic**: View-only access
- **Public**: No login required

## Example Apps You Can Build

| App | Components Used | Time to Build |
|-----|----------------|---------------|
| Customer Portal | Table, Form, Charts | 30 min |
| Inventory Manager | CRUD Table, Search, Filters | 1 hour |
| Approval Workflow | Form, Automations, Email | 45 min |
| Dashboard | Charts, Stats, Data Provider | 20 min |
| Employee Directory | Cards, Search, Profile View | 30 min |

## Budibase vs Alternatives

| Feature | Budibase | Retool | Appsmith | Tooljet |
|---------|----------|--------|----------|---------|
| Open Source | Yes | No | Yes (AGPL) | Yes (AGPL) |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Enterprise only | Yes | Yes |
| Internal DB | Yes (BudibaseDB) | No | No | Yes |
| AI features | Yes | Yes | Limited | Limited |
| Automations | Visual builder | Workflows | Limited | Workflows |
| Mobile responsive | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | Free (self-host) | $10/user/mo | Free (self-host) | Free (self-host) |

## 常见问题

**Q: Budibase 适合什么场景？**
A: 最适合内部工具：管理后台、仪表盘、审批流程、数据录入表单、客户门户等。不适合面向消费者的高流量公开应用。

**Q: 需要会编程吗？**
A: 基本操作不需要。拖拽组件、连接数据库、配置自动化都是可视化操作。高级定制（如自定义 JavaScript 逻辑和复杂数据转换）需要基本的 JS 知识。

**Q: 可以导出代码吗？**
A: Budibase 应用运行在 Budibase 平台上，不能导出为独立的前端代码。如果你需要代码可导出性，可能需要考虑传统的前端框架。

## 来源与致谢

- GitHub: [Budibase/budibase](https://github.com/Budibase/budibase) — 27.8K+ ⭐
- 官网: [budibase.com](https://budibase.com)

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/ed9cefd6-34ae-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: Script Depot