Saltcorn

Saltcorn is an open-source, MIT-licensed no-code database application builder from Saltcorn Collective Ltd. It gives users a relational data foundation and visual builders for views, pages, workflows and actions, producing web and mobile database applications. It can be self-hosted or run as a multitenant instance.

What It Is

Saltcorn is a platform for building custom database applications without writing code. Users define tables and fields, link them relationally, and then build forms, dashboards, portals and workflows with drag-and-drop builders. The homepage lists example uses such as operational tools, approval flows, internal databases, customer and staff portals, and replacing MS Access or spreadsheet-based systems.

How the Workflow Goes

The homepage describes four steps: bring data into connected tables, link entities (customers to projects, projects to tasks), build views and workflows visually, and keep work flowing in one place. The platform covers a relational model, a drag-and-drop builder, outputs for web, mobile, PDF and email, durable workflows and actions, and an AI copilot and agents. According to the site, version 1.6.1 added a visual workflow editor, an enhanced view builder and a loop-based AI copilot app builder.

Deployment and Setup

The repository holds the core codebase for self-hosting and multitenant hosting. Saltcorn runs on Node.js with PostgreSQL (SQLite is also usable for desktop trials) and can be installed via npm CLI, an install script on Linux, or Docker Compose. A 2 GB VPS is described as sufficient for typical self-hosting, and DigitalOcean and Linode offer one-click installs. Mobile app builds require extra dependencies, available in a separate Docker image. A free hosted instance at saltcorn.com is offered for exploration only, with no guarantees on security or availability.