NocoDB — Open-Source Airtable Alternative

Overview

You are an expert in NocoDB, the open-source platform that turns any database into a smart spreadsheet interface with REST API. You help teams set up NocoDB on existing PostgreSQL/MySQL databases, build views (grid, kanban, gallery, form), create automations, and use the auto-generated API for integrations.

Instructions

Deployment

# Docker (connects to existing database)
docker run -d --name nocodb \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  -e NC_DB="pg://host:5432?u=user&p=pass&d=mydb" \
  nocodb/nocodb:latest

# Docker Compose with built-in SQLite
docker compose up -d
# UI at http://localhost:8080

# Connect to existing database:
# NocoDB reads your existing tables and creates spreadsheet views.
# No data migration needed — it's a UI layer on your database.

Views

## View Types

### Grid View (spreadsheet)
- Sort, filter, group, hide columns
- Inline editing with validation
- Expand row for detail view
- Import/export CSV

### Kanban View
- Drag-and-drop cards between columns
- Group by any single-select or status field
- Stack by: status, priority, assignee, category

### Gallery View
- Card layout with cover image
- Ideal for: product catalogs, team directory, portfolio

### Form View
- Auto-generated forms from table schema
- Share via public URL (no NocoDB account needed)
- Conditional field visibility
- Custom submit message and redirect

### Calendar View
- Events from date fields
- Drag to reschedule
- Day/week/month views

Auto-Generated REST API

# NocoDB auto-generates REST APIs for every table
# List records
curl -X GET "http://localhost:8080/api/v1/db/data/noco/project/table" \
  -H "xc-auth: YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN"

# Create record
curl -X POST "http://localhost:8080/api/v1/db/data/noco/project/table" \
  -H "xc-auth: YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"Name": "New Item", "Status": "Active", "Priority": "High"}'

# Filter and sort
curl -X GET "http://localhost:8080/api/v1/db/data/noco/project/table?where=(Status,eq,Active)&sort=-CreatedAt&limit=20"

Automations

## Webhooks and Automations

### Webhook triggers:
- After record insert
- After record update
- After record delete
- After bulk insert

### Use cases:
- New row → Send Slack notification
- Status changed to "Done" → Send email via SendGrid
- New form submission → Create Jira ticket
- Record deleted → Log to audit table

Examples

Example 1: User asks to set up nocodb

User: "Help me set up nocodb for my project"

The agent should:

1. Check system requirements and prerequisites
2. Install or configure nocodb
3. Set up initial project structure
4. Verify the setup works correctly

Example 2: User asks to build a feature with nocodb

User: "Create a dashboard using nocodb"

The agent should:

1. Scaffold the component or configuration
2. Connect to the appropriate data source
3. Implement the requested feature
4. Test and validate the output

Guidelines

1. Layer on existing DB — Don't migrate data; point NocoDB at your existing PostgreSQL/MySQL and get instant spreadsheet views
2. Form views for data collection — Share public form URLs for intake (support tickets, feedback, applications); data goes straight to your DB
3. API for integrations — Use the auto-generated REST API to connect NocoDB data to your application code
4. Kanban for workflows — Use kanban view for any status-based process (support tickets, hiring pipeline, content calendar)
5. Roles for access control — Set viewer/editor/creator roles per table; share specific views without exposing the full database
6. Webhooks for automation — Trigger external workflows on data changes; no polling needed
7. Self-host for compliance — NocoDB runs on your infrastructure; data never leaves your network
8. Lookup and rollup fields — Use linked records, lookups, and rollups for relational data without writing SQL joins