How do I log in for the first time?

On the first visit, Budibase shows a setup wizard to create the administrator account. Enter an email and a password — that account is stored locally and is valid immediately. No email confirmation is required.

How much RAM does Budibase need?

Budibase bundles the app server, CouchDB, Redis and MinIO in a single container. RAM usage at idle is around 3 GB, so a VPS with at least 4 GB RAM is recommended. For production use with multiple users, 8 GB is a more comfortable target.

Can I connect Budibase to an external database?

Yes. Budibase supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, MongoDB, Airtable, REST APIs, Google Sheets and more as data sources. From the builder, click Add data source and enter the connection string. For databases running on the same VPS, use 127.0.0.1 as the host.

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Budibase

Open-source low-code platform to build internal tools, dashboards and business apps on your VPS — no per-seat pricing, ~3 GB RAM.

~3 GB idle (4 GB recommended) RAM 2 vCPU Port 8060 In validation

In validation

Automatic installation for this solution is ready and currently going through our tests on a real server. Ordering will open as soon as validation is complete.

Tech stack

DockerNode.jsCouchDBRedisMinIO

Minimum RAM~3 GB idle (4 GB recommended)

Minimum CPU2 vCPU

Default port8060

Compatible OSChoice of Linux distributions

Budibase is an open-source low-code platform (GPL-3.0, 28 000+ GitHub stars) built for developers and teams who need internal tools fast — without writing a full application from scratch. It gives you a visual builder to design forms, tables, dashboards and automations, backed by your own databases or APIs.

Where NocoBase is data-model-first, Budibase is interface-first: you start from a data source (PostgreSQL, MySQL, REST API, Google Sheets…), then compose screens with a drag-and-drop UI builder. Automation rules trigger actions when data changes. The self-hosted edition runs in a single Docker container bundling the app server, CouchDB, Redis and MinIO — all secrets are generated on first boot and stored in the persistent volume. RAM footprint at idle is around 3 GB.

On a ServOrbit VPS, Budibase gives your team a permanent, self-hosted alternative to Retool, Appsmith or Bubble — without cloud lock-in, without per-seat SaaS pricing, without your business data leaving your infrastructure.

Key features

Visual drag-and-drop UI builder — compose forms, tables, charts and action buttons without writing code.

Multi-source connector — connect PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, REST APIs, Google Sheets and more.

Built-in automation engine — trigger database writes, email sends or API calls when data changes.

Role-based access control — restrict who can view, create or edit each table and each app.

Single Docker container — app server, CouchDB, Redis and MinIO bundled, all secrets auto-generated on first boot.

GPL-3.0 licence — no seat limits, no telemetry agreements, deploy as many instances as you need.

When to use this solution?

1

Internal admin panels and CRUD apps

Connect Budibase to your PostgreSQL database and build a data management panel in minutes: search, filter, create, update and delete records through a clean UI without exposing your database directly. Add role-based access so support agents see only the rows they need.

2

Automated approval workflows

Design a leave-request or purchase-approval form in Budibase. When a user submits, an automation rule notifies the manager by email and updates a status column in your database. The whole workflow — form, notification, status tracking — is configured through the visual builder, no backend code needed.

3

Operations dashboards

Pull data from your REST API or database and display real-time KPIs on a Budibase dashboard. Charts, tables and stat cards update automatically. Share the dashboard URL with your team — each member sees only the data their role permits.

Deploy Budibase on your VPS

Guide optimized for ServOrbit Cloud VPS.

01

Provision your VPS

A VPS with 4 GB RAM and 2 vCPUs is the recommended minimum for Budibase. Ubuntu 24.04 is the recommended OS — it matches the tested template.

02

Access the interface

Budibase does not require a domain to run. Open an SSH tunnel: ssh -L 8060:127.0.0.1:8060 root@<your-vps-ip> then open http://localhost:8060 in your browser. To make Budibase accessible over HTTPS, attach a domain from your ServOrbit dashboard — the host nginx will reverse-proxy to the container.

03

Create your administrator account

The first time you open Budibase, a setup wizard prompts you to enter an email address and a password for the administrator account. This account is stored in the local CouchDB database and is the only account until you invite other users.

04

Connect a data source

From the Budibase builder, click Add data source and choose PostgreSQL, MySQL, REST API, or any other connector. Enter the connection details — Budibase connects directly from the server, so use internal hostnames for databases running on the same VPS.

05

Build your first app

Drag tables, forms and buttons onto the canvas. Set visibility rules per role, add automation rules to send email or update data on form submit, and publish the app. Team members access it through a separate /apps URL with their own login.

Frequently asked questions

No. Budibase works without a domain via SSH tunnel: ssh -L 8060:127.0.0.1:8060 root@<ip> then http://localhost:8060. If you want HTTPS access from any browser, attach a domain from your ServOrbit dashboard — or use the free {app}.{dns_slug}.servorbit-dns.com subdomain included with every VPS.

All data is stored in the named Docker volume budibase-data mounted at /data. Back it up with docker run --rm -v budibase-data:/data -v $(pwd):/backup alpine tar czf /backup/budibase-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz /data. Restore by extracting into a fresh volume before starting the container.

Complementary solutions

Development

Budibase isn't orderable yet.