As the nocode universe expands, more and more solutions are born. Most of the more popular platforms use proprietary software, a distinction that limits the potential and the freedom for coders who want to develop apps and tools for commercial use. Luckily, as the horizons of nocode development broaden, a few good open source solutions see the light of day; here’s a quick overview of our selection…
Baserow
Let's start with Baserow, a Dutch startup, having received €5 million in funding for its No Code open-source development solution alternative to Airtable.
⇒ If you want to know more about Airtable click here to read our article on the tool.
Baserow can be installed initially on your own servers. Baserow is targeted at public sector actors who need to handle sensitive data or who cannot risk losing their developments as rules become more restrictive every year. The interface adapts and integrates easily with other software. The tool features real-time collaboration and supports custom plugins.
Appsmith
Create, share and optimize your internal tools with Appsmith. The tool is an open-source and low-code platform. With it, you will be able to develop dashboards simply and quickly. The tool is powerful and has nice customizable widgets. This open-source tool offers many features such as : connection to any data source, creation of a user interface with predefined but customizable widgets, the possibility to code freely with an integrated JavaScript editor…
The tool is also secure, with single sign-on, customized role-based access control and regular auditing to ensure compliance and facilitate collaboration with your team. The platform allows you to deploy your tool in a simple 1-click way by hosting it on-premises or using Appsmith Cloud, but also with version control and application synchronization with Git.
NocoDB
NocoDB, also presents itself soberly as an open-source alternative to Airtable. For those of you not yet familiar with Airtable, it is simply one of the best tools for creating, editing, connecting and converting databases to use up-to-date data in your applications.
This open-source version offers various options and features similar to the database giant, with self-hosting capabilities, display customizations, collaboration and sharing options, automations and API integration. A great free alternative for all your database needs!
Here is an overview of the interface:
Draftbit
Draftbit is a collaborative and open-source mobile application builder in Low code. This tool is based on React Native and is already well evolved and complete. You can build everything from already implemented blocks to adding custom code. The code can be directly displayed in the builder and can be downloaded in its entirety.
Draftbit also gives direct access to APIs and integrations, and is linked to Airtable. Its use is very technical and is rather reserved for expert developers.
N8N
Proposed as a counterpart to workflow optimization titans such as Zapier or Make, N8N is rising as the best alternative to create automated and synchronized processes, to streamline your teams’ efforts.
Compatible with more than 200 apps, you’ll be able to draw out the potential of all your solutions and services by creating intuitive and powerful workflows, by adding JavaScript functions, conditional logic and custom http requests quickly and efficiently thanks to a hands-on interface. The big plus for independent companies is that the platform offers custom integration features, allowing you to link your in-house CRM, endpoints and software, to give more freedom to your team.
Three solutions are proposed, with a browser cloud platform and a desktop app to have your data managed by N8N, or a self-host solution so that your data stays within your organization, for more security and privacy.
Let’s see how it works:
Budibase
We’ll finish our tour of great open source nocode tools with the polyvalent Budibase, which is intended to be a direct alternative to the Retool platform. Wrestling with the basic building blocks of your app is something of the past with this multifaceted app designer!
Incredibly intuitive and simple to use, Budibase offers the opportunity to convert almost anything into a working, enjoyable app. From basic tables and data displays to responsive forms and complex javascript modules, you’ll be able to design an enjoyable experience for your users. In its toolbox, you’ll find secure connections to a great array of data sources, as well as the option to design an app from scratch by creating a database, a Rest API integrator to communicate between APIs, and automation and scaling features. Hosting is also a breeze, being compatible with Kubernetes, Docker, and Digital Ocean, and also proposing their own hosting solution.
A very practical option for multi sourced apps like dashboards, and with a very responsive support team, Budibase is sure to satisfy all your app creation needs, all the while remaining free, secure and open source.
Below, you’ll find a little preview on what to expect in terms of interface:
This concludes our little tour of open source nocode tools. Hope we helped you get a sense of what these alternatives have to offer, and that you’ll find their free and open approach to nocode fitting to your needs!
