{"slug": "gpui-based-database-client-built-for-teams-and-ai-agents", "title": "Gpui based database client built for teams and AI agents", "summary": "A new database client called based, built on the Rust and GPUI framework used by Zed, stores connections and saved queries as TOML files in a git-committed .based/ folder so teams can review them in pull requests while secrets stay in a gitignored .env file. The client supports Postgres, SQLite, and MongoDB connections side by side, requires no account or backend, and is versioned v2026.8.1. based runs entirely on the user's machine, connecting directly to databases with no proxy or telemetry pipeline.", "body_md": "### Connections trapped on one laptop\n\nEvery teammate re-enters the same hosts, ports, and databases by hand. Onboarding a new dev means a Slack thread of screenshots.\n\nLocal-first database client\n\nThe database client your whole team can commit to git.\n\nVersion-controlled connections and queries. Native Rust and GPUI. Postgres, SQLite, and MongoDB — no accounts, no backend.\n\nv2026.8.1\n\nDatabase clients treat connections and queries as private, machine-local state. So teams keep re-sharing the same things by hand.\n\nPasswords live inside a GUI's private config, never reviewed, never rotated together, impossible to audit.\n\nThe useful report you wrote last week is stuck in your client's history. Nobody else can find it, run it, or improve it.\n\nbased puts all of it in a .based/ folder you commit to git — and keeps the secrets out.\n\nbased reads a .based/ directory in your repo.\n      Connections and saved queries are small TOML files your team reviews in\n      pull requests. Secrets go in a gitignored .env —\n      never committed. [Read the docs](https://based.pavi2410.com/docs).\n\n```\nschema_version = 1\n\nname = \"based\"\ndescription = \"A new Based project\"\n\n[settings]\nquery_timeout = 30_000 # ms\nmax_result_rows = 1_000\nenable_query_cache = true\ncache_ttl = 3_600 # seconds\nschema_version = 1\n\nname = \"Churn by Geography\"\ndescription = \"Customer exit rate by country\"\ntags = [\"churn\", \"reports\"]\n\n[target]\n# ↓ refers to connections/local.toml\nconnection = \"local/postgres\"\n\n[sql]\nquery = \"\"\"\nSELECT\n    Geography,\n    COUNT(*) AS customers,\n    SUM(CASE WHEN Exited = 1 THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) AS exited\nFROM demo.customer_churn\nGROUP BY Geography\nORDER BY customers DESC;\n\"\"\"\nschema_version = 1\nlabel = \"Local PostgreSQL (Docker)\"\nengine = \"postgres\"\ntags = [\"local\", \"dev\"]\n\nhost = \"localhost\"\nport = 5432\ndatabase = \"based\"\nusername = \"based\"\npassword = { env = \"LOCAL_PG_PASSWORD\" } # ← secret lives in .env\nssl = false\n# Copy to .env and fill in real values.\n# This file is committed — .env is gitignored.\n\n# Referenced by connections/local.toml\nLOCAL_PG_PASSWORD=supersecret\n\n# Referenced by connections/mongo.toml\nMONGO_URL=mongodb://localhost:27017\n```\n\nPostgres-first depth for the things you actually touch every day — connect, explore, query, edit, and reuse.\n\nMulti-tab editor with syntax highlighting, one-key formatting, and autocomplete. Run the selection, the current statement, or the whole script — and cancel long runs.\n\nParameterize queries with user variables and built-in {{$…}} injection, so the same query works across environments without edits.\n\nBrowse schemas, tables, views, indexes, and functions in a responsive tree. Search across objects and open data or DDL instantly.\n\nInline-edit rows with an explicit dirty state and save/discard. No silent commits — writes never happen behind your back.\n\nEvery run is saved to a searchable local history. Pin the queries you reach for and rerun a past one in seconds.\n\nDrive everything from the keyboard — new query, connect, refresh, format, run, history — without hunting through menus.\n\nPostgres, SQLite, and MongoDB connections live side by side in the same .based/ folder — pick the engine per connection file.\n\nThe primary engine. Schemas, SSL modes, test-before-connect, and deep daily-driver parity for local, staging, and prod.\n\nFile-backed databases with connection-time PRAGMA control — journal mode, synchronous, and foreign keys, right in the connection file.\n\nCollections and aggregations alongside your SQL connections, in the same version-controlled project.\n\nbased is a native desktop app that keeps you in control of your data and your setup — by design.\n\nThere's no service to sign up for. based runs entirely on your machine — nothing to provision, nothing to trust.\n\nConnections go straight from the app to your database. No proxy, no telemetry pipeline, no cloud in the middle.\n\nBuilt on the same GPU-accelerated UI framework as Zed. It launches fast and stays responsive on large schemas and result sets.\n\nThe whole client is MIT-licensed and developed in the open. Read it, fork it, ship it.\n\nGrab the latest stable release for your platform. Free and open source — no sign-up required.\n\nApple Silicon\n\n`fa722158…9562f062`   `brew tap pavi2410/tap && brew install --cask based`  x86-64\n\n`45718494…fef25bd3`  `91930754…5d5e8ff8`  x86-64 · Windows 10 & 11\n\n`507d159e…cc89fffd`  `winget install pavi2410.Based`  based is free and MIT-licensed. Sponsorship funds time for features, fixes, and releases across macOS, Windows, and Linux.\n\nNo. based has no backend and no telemetry. The app connects directly from your machine to your databases — nothing is routed through a server in between.\n\nConnection files store hosts and non-secret config only. Passwords and connection URLs reference environment variables (for example { env = \"LOCAL_PG_PASSWORD\" }), and the actual values live in a gitignored .env. A committed .env.example documents which vars teammates need.\n\nNo accounts, no sign-up, no license keys. Download it and connect.\n\nbased is free and open source under the MIT license — no license keys or subscriptions. If it saves you time, you can [sponsor development on GitHub](https://github.com/sponsors/pavi2410) to help fund ongoing work.\n\nmacOS (Apple Silicon), Windows, and Linux (.deb and .AppImage).", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gpui-based-database-client-built-for-teams-and-ai-agents", "canonical_source": "https://based.pavi2410.com/", "published_at": "2026-10-02 20:42:58+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-10-02 21:06:35.132303+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["developer-tools", "ai-agents"], "entities": ["based", "GPUI", "Zed", "Postgres", "SQLite", "MongoDB", "Rust"], "also_reported_by": [], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gpui-based-database-client-built-for-teams-and-ai-agents", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gpui-based-database-client-built-for-teams-and-ai-agents.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gpui-based-database-client-built-for-teams-and-ai-agents.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/gpui-based-database-client-built-for-teams-and-ai-agents.jsonld"}}