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| 1 | +# Openblocks.dev |
| 2 | +## Build internal tools fast, with no limitations. The open-source alternative to Retool. |
| 3 | +<img src="https://3434528005-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FpL1Hcv4CAzkEXttydyWt%2Fuploads%2FrNzTjsVNjZzTutAYC7Md%2Fimg_v2_34465665-d081-43bd-9513-24b05755198g.gif?alt=media&token=a850499f-e6f4-4ef2-97db-8f08eaf66477"/> |
| 4 | + |
| 5 | +## Use Openblocks in 3 steps |
| 6 | +* Connect to any datasource or api. |
| 7 | +* Build UI with 50+ components. |
| 8 | +* Share with collegues and customers. |
| 9 | + |
| 10 | +## Why Openblocks |
| 11 | +It is cumbersome to create a single app, you have to design user interfaces, write code in multiple languages and frameworks, understand how all of that code works together. |
| 12 | + |
| 13 | +Low-code/No-code platforms are fast to get started with, but quickly become unmaintainable and inflexible. This creates more problems than it solves. |
| 14 | + |
| 15 | +Retool-like solutions are great for their simplicity and flexibility, but they can also be limited in different ways compared to frameworks like React/Vue. |
| 16 | + |
| 17 | +Openblocks wants to take it forward. More specifically, Openblocks is |
| 18 | +* An all-in-one IDE to create internal or customer-facing apps. |
| 19 | +* A place to create, build and share building blocks of web applications. |
| 20 | +* A domain specific language that UI-configurable block is the first class citizen. |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | +## Features |
| 23 | +* Visual UI builder with 50+ built-in components. |
| 24 | +* Native connection to PostgresSQL, MongoDB, Mysql, Redis, Elasticsearch, RestAPI, SMTP etc. |
| 25 | +* Write Javascript everywhere, use Javascript to transform data, control components etc. |
| 26 | +* Module and Query library, create reusable components/queries using the UI builder. |
| 27 | +* Create and share custom components using react and openblocks-sdk(instead of iFrame). (pre-alpha). |
| 28 | +* Embed openblocks pages as a react component(instead of iFrame). |
| 29 | +* RBAC based access management |
| 30 | +* Theme support |
| 31 | +* auto-save and rollback to history |
| 32 | +* Audit logs |
| 33 | + |
| 34 | +## Comparisons |
| 35 | +### Openblocks vs Retool |
| 36 | +* Openblocks is open-source. You don't have to worry about vendor lockin or being stuck with an outdated version of the software. |
| 37 | +* In Openblocks, developers can create and use their own components instead of depending on offical updates. |
| 38 | +* Openblocks supports left menu navigation (like most sites do). Retool has header navigation only. |
| 39 | + |
| 40 | +### Openblocks vs Appsmith, Tooljet |
| 41 | +* Openblocks has more components and richer configuration than Appsmith and Tooljet. |
| 42 | +* In Openblocks, you can choose between auto-height or fixed-height mode for your components, while Appsmith supports fixed-height mode only. |
| 43 | +* In Openblocks, you can reuse common structures when building apps using module and query library features. |
| 44 | + |
| 45 | + |
| 46 | +### Contributing |
| 47 | +* Language support: If you have experience with a language that isn't currently supported by our product, send us a pull request. |
| 48 | +* Create and share components/demos: If you've created something that might be useful to others, add the link here. |
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