The BEST Airtable Alternative for n8n - Open Source & FREE (Full Setup + Demo)

The BEST Airtable Alternative for n8n - Open Source & FREE (Full Setup + Demo)

AI Summary
Setting Up Base Row

Prerequisites: Ensure Docker is installed.

Environment: Can be set up on Digital Ocean or locally.

Note: Windows instructions given, macOS may vary.

Docker Command to Run Base Row
Use the command:
docker run -d --name base_row_temp \  
-e BASE_ROW_URL=host.docker.internal:86 \  
-v /path/to/data:/base_row_data \  
-p 86:8080 \  
base_row_image  
Steps:

Run the above command in Docker.

Wait for setup to complete.

Access the URL provided by Docker.

Creating an Admin Account

Follow the on-screen instructions to create an admin account (e.g., email: ben@gmail, password: your_password).

Skip onboarding if preferred.

Database Creation and Importing Data

Create a new database (e.g., Company XYZ).

Import data from a CSV file containing customer information (e.g., 10,000 records).

Using Grids and Filters

Create views (grids) to filter data, similar to Airtable.

Example: Filter customers from Norway.

Connecting to Nan

Use a manual trigger and select “base row” to connect.

Enter connection details using the format: host.docker.internal:86 for the URL.

Basic Operations in Nan

Perform GET and POST requests on data.

Example: Fetch all rows or create a new row.

Adjust search terms for efficient data retrieval (e.g., searching for records by first name).

Creating an AI Agent

Basic AI agent can be set up to interact with the database, allowing search functionalities.

Keep the system prompts simple for clarity.

Conclusion

The setup process is straightforward. Optional advanced functionalities can be explored further via Nan and Base Row integration.