pocketbase/pocketbase

PocketBase is a complete backend for web and mobile applications that ships as a single executable file. The problem it solves is that building the back-end infrastructure for an app typically requires setting up multiple separate services: a database, user authentication, file storage, an API server, and an admin panel. PocketBase bundles all of these into one small program you can run anywhere. You get a database powered by SQLite, built-in user account management, file upload and storage, real-time data subscriptions so your app can react to changes instantly, a REST API for interacting with all of the above, and an admin dashboard to manage data visually, all in one download. Because SQLite is an embedded database that stores everything in a single file on disk, PocketBase has no external database dependency, making setup extremely simple: you download the binary, run it, and your backend is live. It supports real-time subscriptions, meaning your frontend application can listen for changes to records and get notified immediately when data is updated by another user. In addition to using it as a standalone application, you can also import PocketBase as a Go library and embed it into your own custom Go application, allowing you to add your own routes and business logic while keeping all the included features. Official SDK clients are available for JavaScript and Dart, making it accessible for web, mobile, and desktop app development. PocketBase is written in Go and licensed under MIT. You would choose it when you want to rapidly prototype an app or build a small-to-medium production service without managing complex server infrastructure, particularly for personal projects or small teams.