ToolJet is a free, open source frameworks & platforms project written in JavaScript and released under AGPL-3.0. It has 40,936 GitHub stars, 5,448 forks and 1,204 open issues, and was last pushed 7 hours ago. On this registry it ranks #4 of 28 tracked projects in Frameworks & Platforms, and is listed as an open source replacement for 1 paid product, with 5 head-to-head comparisons available. It gained 44 stars over the last 6 tracked days.

What is ToolJet?

What it is

ToolJet is an open-source low-code platform for building internal tools—admin panels, dashboards, and operational applications—by connecting to existing databases, APIs, and SaaS systems. It lives in the JavaScript ecosystem and is licensed under AGPL-3.0.

It solves the problem of slow, custom-coded internal tool development by enabling teams to build and iterate on internal applications visually, via natural language prompts, or through AI coding agents using the Model Context Protocol (MCP). This removes the need to handwrite boilerplate frontend and backend logic while maintaining full control over deployment and data.

Key capabilities

  • Visual app builder with 80+ responsive UI components including tables, charts, forms, lists, and progress bars
  • Built-in no-code database (ToolJet Database) for lightweight data storage and querying
  • Support for 90+ data sources: relational and NoSQL databases, REST/GraphQL APIs, cloud storage, and SaaS integrations
  • Multi-page app creation with multiplayer editing, inline comments, and granular access control
  • Native MCP server integration enabling Claude Code, Codex, Grok Build, and Cursor to generate and modify apps programmatically
  • Self-hosted or cloud-deployed options with support for Docker, Kubernetes, and major cloud providers
  • Version history and environment separation for production-safe collaboration

Who uses it and how

Engineering teams deploy ToolJet to replace custom admin panels by connecting directly to their production databases and APIs, reducing reliance on backend developers for internal tooling.
Product and operations teams use the visual builder and prompt-to-app workflow to rapidly prototype and ship dashboards and workflows without writing code.
AI engineering teams integrate ToolJet’s MCP server into their agent workflows to generate production-grade internal tools from natural language instructions, using their own model subscriptions.

Getting started

Deploy ToolJet Cloud for a hosted option, or self-host using docker run tooljet/try:ee-lts-latest for local evaluation, or follow the full deployment docs for Kubernetes or cloud environments.

When to use it — and when not to

Use ToolJet when you need to build internal tools quickly, require full control over data and infrastructure, or want to leverage AI agents without vendor lock-in. Avoid it if you need only simple static pages, lack PostgreSQL for self-hosting, or require enterprise SLAs without self-managing infrastructure (database, SMTP, object storage). Unlike Retool, it offers open-source freedom but trades managed support and some premium integrations for self-hosting complexity.

project readme (upstream, from github) — read inline

ToolJet is an open-source platform for building internal tools: admin panels, dashboards, and operational apps that run on your existing databases, APIs, and SaaS systems.

Build them by prompting. ToolJet AI turns a description into pages, queries, and components, and the coding agent you already use can do the same through ToolJet's MCP server. Agents build against ToolJet's real component and data contracts rather than emitting free-form code, so what you get is an actual ToolJet app: one your team keeps editing in the visual builder, under the same permissions, environments, and version history as everything else.

Self-host it, or use ToolJet Cloud.

:star: If you find ToolJet useful, please consider giving us a star on GitHub! Your support helps us continue to innovate and deliver exciting features.

Docker Cloud Build Status Number of GitHub contributors Number of GitHub issues that are open Number of GitHub stars Number of GitHub closed issues Number of GitHub pull requests that are open GitHub release; latest by date GitHub commit activity GitHub license which is AGPL license Follow us on X, formerly Twitter

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Build with your coding agent

ToolJet ships a Model Context Protocol server, so the coding agent you already use can build ToolJet apps directly: generating pages, queries, and components from a prompt, and modifying existing apps in place.

Works with Claude Code, Codex, and Grok Build as plugins that bundle ToolJet's app-builder skill, and with Cursor or any other MCP-compatible client over the MCP server alone. Agents build against ToolJet's governed first-party contracts, so they work from the platform's real schemas instead of guessing at them, and operations run on your own model subscription rather than drawing down ToolJet AI credits.

ToolJet MCP is currently in beta. See the ToolJet MCP guide to set it up.


Quickstart

The easiest way to get started with ToolJet is by creating a ToolJet Cloud account. ToolJet Cloud offers a hosted solution of ToolJet. If you want to self-host ToolJet, kindly proceed to deployment documentation.

Try using Docker

Want to give ToolJet a quick spin on your local machine? You can run the following command from your terminal to have ToolJet up and running right away.

docker run \
  --name tooljet \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -p 80:80 \
  --platform linux/amd64 \
  -v tooljet_data:/var/lib/postgresql/13/main \
  tooljet/try:ee-lts-latest

For users upgrading their ToolJet version, we recommend choosing the LTS version over the latest version. The LTS version ensures stability with production bug fixes, security patches, and performance enhancements.

Features

Community Edition (CE)

  • Visual App Builder: 80+ responsive components (Tables, Charts, Forms, Lists, Progress Bars, and more).
  • ToolJet Database: Built-in no-code database.
  • Multi-page Apps & Multiplayer Editing: Build complex apps collaboratively.
  • 90+ Data Sources: Connect to databases, APIs, cloud storage, and SaaS tools.
  • Flexible Deployment: Self-host with Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, GCP, Azure, and more.
  • Collaboration Tools: Inline comments, mentions, and granular access control.
  • Extensibility: Create plugins and connectors with the ToolJet CLI.
  • Code Anywhere: Run JavaScript and Python inside your apps.
  • Secure by Design: AES-256-GCM encryption, proxy-only data flow, SSO support.

ToolJet AI (Enterprise)

Everything in CE, plus:

  • AI App Generation: Create apps instantly from natural language prompts.
  • AI Query Builder: Generate and transform queries with AI assistance.
  • AI Debugging: Identify and fix issues with one click.
  • Agent Builder: Create intelligent agents to automate workflows and orchestrate processes.
  • Workflows: Automate multi-step processes with branching logic, on a schedule or triggered by webhook.
  • Modules: Build reusable units of UI and logic once, then use them across multiple apps.
  • Enterprise-grade Security & Compliance: SOC 2 and GDPR readiness, audit logs, and advanced access control.
  • User Management: Role-based access (RBAC), custom groups, SCIM provisioning, and granular app/data permissions.
  • Multi-environment Management: Seamless dev/stage/prod environments.
  • GitSync & CI/CD: Integrate with GitHub/GitLab for version control, app version history, and streamlined deployments.
  • Branding & Customization: White-labeling, custom domains, and custom theming for organizational branding.
  • Fine-Grained Access Control: Secure data and actions at the row, component, page, and query levels.
  • Embedded Apps: Embed ToolJet apps securely within other applications or portals.
  • Enterprise Support: SLAs, priority bug fixes, and onboarding assistance.

Tutorials and examples

Time Tracker Application
Build your own CMS using low-code
AWS S3 Browser

Documentation

Documentation is available at https://docs.tooljet.com.

Self-hosted

You can use ToolJet Cloud for a fully managed solution. If you want to self-host ToolJet, we have guides on deploying ToolJet on Kubernetes, AWS EC2, Docker, and more.

Provider Documentation
Digital Ocean Link
Docker Link
AWS EC2 Link
AWS ECS Link
OpenShift Link
Helm Link
AWS EKS (Kubernetes) Link
GCP GKE (Kubernetes) Link
Azure AKS (Kubernetes) Link
Azure Container Link
Google Cloud Run Link
Deploying ToolJet client Link
Deploying ToolJet on a Subpath Link

Marketplace

ToolJet can now be found on both AWS and Azure Marketplaces, making it simpler than ever to access and deploy our app-building platform.

Find ToolJet on AWS Marketplace here and explore seamless integration on Azure Marketplace here.

Community support

For general help using ToolJet, please refer to the official documentation. For additional help, you can use one of these channels to ask a question:

  • Slack - Discussions with the community and the team.
  • GitHub - For bug reports and feature requests.
  • 𝕏 (Twitter) - Get the product updates quickly.

Roadmap

Check out our roadmap to stay updated on recently released features and learn about wh

readme truncated — read the full docs on github

Frequently asked questions

Is ToolJet free to use?

ToolJet is open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence. There is no licence fee and no seat count — you can self-host it or, where the project offers one, pay a vendor for a managed version instead.

What does ToolJet do?

Build internal tools rapidly without coding

What is ToolJet written in?

ToolJet is primarily written in JavaScript. Its source is publicly available at https://github.com/tooljet/tooljet, and it has 40,936 GitHub stars.

What is a good open source alternative to Retool?

ToolJet is one of the open source options listed as an alternative to Retool. Compare licences, stars and activity side by side on the ToolJet profile.