Should I use the retoolDB for an external app DB or connect retool and app to a hosted postgreSQL?

Is it better to connect an external app like Medusa.js to retool’s DB or connect retoolDB to a shared external postgreSQL database that connects to Medusa.js?

I’d like to take advantage of retoolDB’s spreadsheet like interface for our app but wanted to avoid creating two separate PostgreSQL DB’s. If everything is in one DB it offers the opportunity to tightly integrate our e-commerce tables with the rest of our app.

I wasn’t sure what the potential roadblocks or limitations were with either approach. Can I use all the spreadsheet features with an external postgreSQL? Will I run into compatibility issues with retool’sDB or is this a standard postgreSQL DB. Wondering what will give me the least headache in the short and near term.

For background I’m working on a construction app that integrates a Medusa.js e-commerce marketplace with other buisness logic hosted in AWS lambda to help with take-offs and procurement.

Hi @benjaminfortunato - welcome to the forums!

All of the Retool App components work perfectly well with an external Postgres DB, so if you have one already, I would suggest adding it as a resource from the get-go and building your apps from there. You can also integrate AWS Lambda into your app, which it sounds like you want to do.

However, perhaps your question is whether you are able to use the Retool DB interface itself (i.e., not a Retool App) for your database? The Retool DB interface is specific to the Retool DB (AFAIK), and you cannot use it on top of a database hosted elsewhere. If you are looking for an interface to manage DB administration (table creates, modifications, etc.), that would be something else (like pgAdmin or some other similar tool).

That said, you can use tables (and other components) in a Retool Web App that you build that directly integrate with your hosted DB and would give you much of the same data entry functionality as the Retool DB interface as well as additional functionality for more complex use cases.

I hope that helps - let us know if you have follow-up questions, or if you get stuck while building, please post a new question on the specific issue (after searching for answers - there are many!).

Thank you for the response, very helpful. Do you know if I can use the retool DB with third party apps? Is it just a postgreSQL database with a web based DB Managment tool or something proprietary? I could use pgadmin or another tool, but the simpler I can keep things the better, less time setting up and managing a bunch of different tool.

Right now I’m migrating a data schema we sketched out in Airtable so we are open to choosing whatever works best, retool DB or a separate postgreSQL.

Medusa.js is critical. There is no way I’m building an e-commerce app from scratch. That’s a project in and of itself, and there is a lot of work to be done adding our unique construction based logic.

Retool DB is just a Postgres DB - I hook up to it with pgAdmin when I'm putting together something quick (the interface is fine as well for quick builds). Otherwise, I use a hosted DB for larger projects. There is some good info here that could help you make your decision: Retool Database usage and limits on Retool Cloud | Retool Docs.