Backend / database recommendation

App Building
1

I have been divulging retool tutorial and documentations last couple days, and have come to the concluding it's a brilliant platform to use for our business operations

Initially I'm only planning to build a standalone internal job card / task manager, phase 2 to expand the function to link with our CRM orders.

I'm hopping to have the back end setup right from get go, but couldn't find a right solution that fits my situation, so hoping to get some suggestion here.

Use case

  • 5-10 internal users
  • 100k-200k new records a year at most, heavy on relationship
  • CRM, ERP, inventory type of function
  • 5-10GB of new files a year, mostly photo uploaded from mobile

2x Criteria to consider

1st Intuitive GUI interface for management. I have no experience dealing with database from scratch. While I'm not shy of coding or learning new skills, I'd rather spend more time building in retool. A spreadsheet like GUI to manage tables and create new fields/relationship would speed things up a lot for me.

So far I managed to setup Postgres in AWS RDS, but got stunned with all the data types in pgAdmin, and setting relationship seems not that intuitive either. Again, I'd rather spend time build app in retool rather then learning Postgres 101

2nd try to avoid penitential limit. Unless doing raw code, there will always be limits with platforms.

My research so far:

  1. Google Sheet seems like very easy backend, and upto 10-20million rows which is plenty. But retool can only read 26 columns, the A1 column workaround documentation is missing. Also I'm not too sure how relationships especially many to many suppose to work in google sheet

  2. Mysql doesn't support array & json data types, I think there is workaround but hasn't researched yet. Also I believe I'm likely to run into similar headache like Postgres as long as I'm setting up raw database from scratch.

  3. Retool build in database is certainly very intuitive, I can start using it without looking up any documentation. But there's 5G space limit with no option to buy more, and the only option to relocate seems to be raw SQL coding.

Lastly, if the cost can be less than $20-30/month, that would be ideal, otherwise in our use case Retool + backend will cost more than CRM + task management SaaS

2

Have to happen to hear EdgeDB?

It is based on postgres with a clear schema, link properties, custom function, you not need the foreign key any more. Using it, I not need to write many logistic to front js code anymore, almost all was done in the schema and its query language - edgeql.

EdgeDB is a new kind of database
that takes the best parts of
relational databases, graph
databases, and ORMs. We call it
a graph-relational database.


EdgeDB is a next-generation graph-relational database designed as a spiritual successor to the relational database.

It inherits the strengths of SQL databases: type safety, performance, reliability, and transactionality. But instead of modeling data in a relational (tabular) way, EdgeDB represents data with object types containing properties and links to other objects. It leverages this object-oriented model to provide a superpowered query language that solves some of SQL’s biggest usability problems.
3

Thanks for the hint, I looked into EdgeDB, sounds very powerful but still a bit out of my scope.

To sum up in one line, I'm basically searching for a "Retool" alike for the backend.

Some service that handles database hosting, optimisation/indexing etc. And create fields more like a spreadsheet rather than sql

this official retool youtube video sums up exactly what I'm looking for

The power and scalability of postgres database, with the speed and convenience of spreadsheet

Is there any retool team member can comment on if any plans or add-on for additional storage?

4

I have found Supabase to be a great platform. Hosted postgres db with the management and ui convenience you are looking for.

1 Like
5

5-10 internal users
100k-200k new records a year at most, heavy on relationship
CRM, ERP, inventory type of function
5-10GB of new files a year, mostly photo uploaded from mobile

If you have data that is heavily relational and especially if it is critical data for CRM and ERP I would really recommend you to jump into database basics to have a reliable data model, referential integrity and so on.
Also I wouldn't store the files in the database, rather store them on e.g. S3 and just keep the link to the file in the database.

Mysql doesn't support array & json data types, I think there is workaround but hasn't researched yet. Also I believe I'm likely to run into similar headache like Postgres as long as I'm setting up raw database from scratch.

Actually both postgres and mysql support json and array datatypes.

My advice would be to use a postgres db and really get an understanding for the basics. As for which hoster to use, I have no clue. Supabase seems to be one of the cheaper ones.

6

Thanks for the info, I think you are right that I have to crack database 101 eventually.

Supabase do seems much easier than RDS+pgadmin...