NocoDB is an alternative of table-based low code platform, an alternative to SeaTable / Airtable. Most importantly, it is open source.
If you are technical enough to setup own server with docker, NocoDB will be your handy tool, or else, you can always get IT department’s help on this. In fact, NocoDB provide plenty of installation / deployment options. See here for more detail.
Compared with SeaTable / Airtable, functions in NocoDB are relatively limited – at least for now, but it is still a handy tool, especially you don’t need to worry about the budget for license.
Pre-requisite check
Initial requirement
Let’s look at how it started, as well as the initial design
URL
https://www.nocodb.com/
Platform
NocoDB is an open source project, you will be able to find a lot of options for platform at here.
Email
Same as WordPress, you may need to make sure SMTP is working, as you are on your own server.
What? You don’t know what is SMTP? Ok, it is time to get to your friendly IT department again…
Cost
It is an open source project, hence technically no cost to use the software, but you will have to pay for the cost of the infrastructure – server hosting.
Let's get started
New Project
NocoDB organized tables by project, so you will need to start by creating a new Project
Configure the table
1. Start by creating a table, let’s call it “Contact Us”
2. Create the necessary fields, with proper data type according to initial requirements
Configure the form
1. Click on Form link at the left panel to add a form
2. Let’s call it “Contact Us Form”
3. The form should auto generated based on the table you created
Let's try it out
1. To get the form link, click on the “Share view” under the form
2. You will get the form link from here
3. You can test the form immediately
4. Upon successful submission, go back to the table, you shall see the data is recorded immediately
5. Voilà! You just created a simple contact us form
