Table of contents

Baserow is an open-source online database tool. Users can use this no-code platform to create a database without any technical experience. It lowers the barriers to app creation so that anyone who can work with a spreadsheet can also create a database. The interface looks a lot like a spreadsheet. Our goal is to provide a perfect and fast user experience while keeping it easy for developers to write plugins and maintain the codebase. The developer documentation contains several topics you might need as a developer.

Installation

We provide a hosted version of Baserow which you can sign up and start using immediately at https://baserow.io. Alternatively you can easily self-host Baserow by following one the guides below:

• Install with Docker: A step-by-step guide to install Baserow using docker.
• Install with Docker Compose: A step-by-step guide to install Baserow using Docker Compose.
• Install using Standalone images: A general overview on how to run the Baserow standalone service images with your own container orchestration software.
• Install on Cloudron: Instructions to manually install Baserow on Cloudron.
• Install on Heroku: A step-by-step guide to install Baserow using Heroku.
• Install on Ubuntu: Instructions on how to install Docker and use it to install Baserow on a fresh ubuntu install.
• DEPRECATED: Install on Ubuntu: A deprecated and now unsupported guide on how to manually install Baserow and its required services on a fresh Ubuntu install. Please use the guides above instead.

Baserow Tutorials

• Understanding Baserow Formulas: A tutorial explaining how to use the formula field in Baserow.
• Debugging Connection Issues: A tutorial explaining how to use the formula field in Baserow.

API Usage

Baserow provides various APIs detailed below:

• REST API: An introduction to the REST API and information about API resources.
• WebSocket API: An introduction to the WebSockets API which is used to broadcast real time updates.

Technical Overviews

• Introduction: An introduction to some important technical concepts in Baserow.
• Database plugin An introduction to the database plugin which is installed by default.
• Formula Technical Guide: A more technical guide about formulas aimed at developers who want to understand and work with internals of Baserow formulas.

• Undo Redo Technical Guide: How Baserow implements undo redo technically.

Development

Everything related to contributing and developing for Baserow.

• Development environment: More detailed information on baserow’s local development environment.
• Running the Dev Environment: A step-by-step guide to run Baserow for development.
• Directory structure: The structure of all the directories in the Baserow repository explained.
• Tools: The tools (flake8, pytest, eslint, etc) and how to use them.
• Code quality: More information about the code style, quality, choices we made, and how we enforce them.
• Debugging: Debugging tools and how to use them.
• Create a template: Create a template that can be previewed and installed by others.
• dev.sh: Further details on how to use Baserow’s ./dev.sh helper script.
• IntelliJ setup: How to configure Intellij to work well with Baserow for development purposes.

• Feature flags: How Baserow uses basic feature flags for optionally enabling unfinished or unready features.

Plugins

Everything related to custom plugin development.

• Plugin basics: An introduction into Baserow plugins.
• Plugin boilerplate: Don’t reinvent the wheel, use the boilerplate for quick plugin development.
• Create application: Want to create an application type? Learn how to do that here.
• Create database table view: Display table data like a calendar, Kanban board or however you like by creating a view type.
• Create database table view filter: Filter the rows of a view with custom conditions.
• Create database table field: You can store data in a custom format by creating a field type.
• Creata a field converter: Converters alter a field and convert the related data for specific field changes.

Other

• External resources related to Baserow: A list of external third party resources.