Linked tables in a spreadsheet grid, over SQLite or Postgres
NocoDB is a relational database you work with like a spreadsheet. Tables link to each other, fields have types such as link, lookup, rollup, formula or attachment, and several views sit on the same records. It runs as a hosted service, NocoDB Cloud, or on your own server. The project calls itself the fair-code, self-hostable Airtable alternative, claims to match Airtable building block for building block, and ships an importer that brings over a complete Airtable base.
All six views free, plus REST, webhooks and MCP
- Every view type in the free edition: grid, kanban, gallery, form, calendar and map, with no cap on records, storage or seats. Bases and views can be shared through a public link or behind a password.
- An existing database as a source: NocoDB connects to a PostgreSQL or MySQL database instead of copying the data in. Out of the box, users can edit rows from the UI but not the schema.
- REST API, SDK and webhooks: requests are signed with a token. Webhooks fire when a record is created, updated or deleted, can be conditional, and send a custom JSON payload.
- An MCP server on every edition: Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any other MCP client can query and edit the instance's records.
- Attachments on object storage: S3, MinIO, Google Cloud Storage and Scaleway Object Storage are among the Community Edition integrations.
Fair-code license, Postgres and Redis, capped Community plan
NocoDB left AGPL-3.0 on January 9, 2026. The code now ships under the Sustainable Use License, the same text n8n uses. It allows use for an organization's internal business purposes, whatever its size, and personal or non-commercial use; redistribution has to be free and non-commercial. A commercial license is required to offer NocoDB as a hosted or managed service, give external customers direct access, resell it, or embed it in a platform where customers work in NocoDB itself.
Production means PostgreSQL plus Redis. With nothing configured, NocoDB creates a local SQLite file, and the README says the standalone binaries are for quick local testing only. The environment variable reference marks the main database (NC_DB, PostgreSQL recommended) and the Redis cache (NC_CACHE_REDIS_URL) as mandatory for production. The Auto-upstall script sets up both, plus Traefik, through Docker Compose. A paid license only activates on PostgreSQL, so an instance started on SQLite or MySQL has to migrate first. The recommended production server has 4 vCPUs, 8 GB of RAM and 50 GB of disk.
The Community Edition caps automation and access control. It allows two workflows per base and two interfaces per workspace (interfaces were renamed "classic apps" in October 2026). SAML SSO, table and field permissions and teams start at the Business plan, audit logs and row-level security at Scale. Its MCP server sticks to records and cannot manage tables, views or workflows. SQL Server and Oracle connections are Enterprise add-ons.
Releases are named after their month: 2026.10.0 shipped on October 23, 2026. Ten releases came out between June 4 and October 23, 2026, none flagged as a pre-release on GitHub, and the develop branch was still taking commits on October 27. Apps, the AI app builder, is in private beta for self-hosted instances. Release 2026.10.0 makes grids, inputs and the month calendar work properly on iPhone and Android.