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Home/Categories/No-Code & Low-Code/ToolJet
icon of ToolJet

ToolJet

Open source alternative to Retool, Microsoft Power Apps, Superblocks and Airtable

ToolJet is an open source Retool alternative for building internal tools with a drag-and-drop builder, 50+ data source connectors, and JavaScript support. AGPL licensed; self-host or use ToolJet Cloud.

38K starsJavaScriptAGPL-3.0
image of ToolJet
Contents
  1. 01Who ToolJet is for
  2. 02The problem it solves

Repository

Stars
38K
Forks
5.1K
License
AGPL-3.0
Latest
v3.20.170-lts
Last commit
3 days ago
Last verified
Jun 2, 2026
Repo
ToolJet/ToolJet ↗
Active this week
Visit websiteGitHub repo
03
How it solves it
  • 04Strengths and trade-offs
  • 05ToolJet vs alternatives
  • 06Install and self-host
  • 07Tech stack
  • 08FAQ
  • 09Similar open-source tools
    • TL;DR

    ToolJet is an open source internal tool builder for dashboards, admin panels, workflows, and AI-assisted business apps. It replaces Retool for teams that want a visual builder, 80+ data sources, JavaScript and Python scripting, and self-hosted control.AGPL-3.0 · JavaScript · 38K stars · Active this week

    who it's for

    Who ToolJet is for#

    Engineering teams building admin panels

    Use ToolJet to ship database-backed internal interfaces without spending weeks on UI scaffolding.

    Skip if:

    Skip if your app requires a heavily custom customer-facing frontend.

    Operations teams replacing spreadsheets

    Use forms, tables, connectors, and built-in database features to move recurring workflows out of shared sheets.

    Skip if:

    Skip if the workflow needs no database, approval, or API integration.

    the problem

    The problem it solves#

    how ToolJet solves it

    How it solves it#

    Visual app builder

    ToolJet CE includes 60+ responsive components for tables, charts, forms, lists, progress bars, and other admin UI patterns.

    80+ data sources

    The README lists connections to databases, APIs, SaaS apps, object storage, and other backends, so teams can build tools over existing data.

    Code inside apps

    JavaScript and Python can run inside ToolJet apps, giving engineers an escape hatch when visual configuration is not enough.

    strengths · trade-offs

    Strengths and trade-offs#

    Strengths

    • Self-hosted Retool alternativeAGPL-3.0 licensing and Docker deployment make ToolJet a strong fit for teams avoiding per-seat internal tool pricing.
    • Built-in database optionToolJet Database gives smaller teams a no-code data store when they do not already have a database or API behind the workflow.

    Trade-offs

    • -Advanced AI and enterprise controls are paidThe README separates Community Edition from ToolJet AI features such as AI app generation, audit logs, GitSync, and advanced access controls.
    versus alternatives

    ToolJet vs alternatives#

    install · self-host

    Install and self-host#

    bash
    docker run \
  --name tooljet \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -p 80:80 \
  --platform linux/amd64 \
  -v tooljet_data:/var/lib/postgresql/13/main \
  tooljet/try:ee-lts-latest
    tech stack · detected from GitHub

    What it's built on#

    Languages
    JavaScriptTypeScript
    Frameworks
    React
    Databases
    PostgreSQL
    Runtimes
    Node.js
    Infrastructure
    DockerKubernetes
    frequently asked

    FAQ#

    Is ToolJet self-hostable?

    Yes. ToolJet documents Docker, Kubernetes, and cloud deployment options for self-hosting.

    What does ToolJet replace?

    ToolJet is most often compared with Retool for internal tool and admin panel development.

    Can ToolJet connect to databases?
    also worth a look

    Similar open-source tools#

    Appsmith

    Appsmith

    Build internal tools with a low-code drag-and-drop UI

    39.8KTypeScriptApache-2.0
    Budibase

    Budibase

    Low-code platform for building internal apps, self-hosted

    27.9KTypeScriptGPL-3.0
    Totum

    Totum

    Self-hosted low-code platform for internal business tools

    983PHPMIT
    Windmill

    Windmill

    Developer platform for scripts, automations, and internal tools

    16.6KHTML
    AFFiNE

    AFFiNE

    Local-first workspace combining docs, whiteboards, and notes

    68.3KTypeScriptMIT
    AITable

    AITable

    Airtable alternative with an AI chatbot builder, self-hostable

    15.3KTypeScriptAGPL-3.0

    Additional details

    Language
    JavaScript
    Open issues
    990
    Contributors
    676
    First release
    2021

    Categories

    No-Code & Low-CodeBusiness & ProductivityDeveloper Tools

    Tags

    Low-codeNo CodeSelf HostedWorkflow AutomationDeveloper ToolsAPI InfrastructureKubernetesDocker Management

    Internal tools become expensive when every support, ops, finance, and engineering user needs a paid seat. Building those tools from scratch also burns frontend time on tables, forms, filters, access controls, and API glue.

    ToolJet vs Retool

    ToolJet is the better choice when teams want a self-hosted internal tool builder with an AGPL-licensed community edition and no automatic per-seat SaaS bill. Retool is still stronger for buyers who want a polished managed service, enterprise support, and broad marketplace maturity without running infrastructure.

    Yes. The README describes 80+ data sources, including databases, APIs, cloud storage, and SaaS apps.