Retool Platform

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A Retool Platform is a low-code development platform designed to help developers build custom internal tools and business applications more efficiently.

  • Context:
    • It can (typically) support the development of web applications through a combination of pre-built UI components, custom JavaScript, and API integrations.
    • It can (often) be used to build internal tools for businesses, such as dashboards, admin panels, and data management interfaces.
    • ...
    • It can range from being a Basic Low-Code Tool for simple data visualization to being an Enterprise-Grade Platform for complex business applications with automation and workflow management.
    • ...
    • It can offer a blend of drag-and-drop components and code, allowing for rapid development while maintaining flexibility for complex business logic and data handling.
    • It can include components for creating web apps, mobile apps, workflows, and external apps for use cases beyond internal tools.
    • It can provide integration libraries to connect with various databases and external APIs, including SQL databases, REST APIs, and GraphQL APIs.
    • It can enable advanced UI customizations through frontend JavaScript, allowing developers to manipulate component behavior and data logic.
    • It can offer granular permissions and access control to manage who can build, edit, and use applications within an organization.
    • It can facilitate deployment options for both cloud-hosted and self-hosted setups, enabling flexibility based on an organization's infrastructure requirements.
    • It can support building automated processes and custom logic through its workflow components, replacing traditional scripts or cron jobs.
    • It can provide a comprehensive component library, featuring elements such as tables, forms, buttons, and charts to accelerate the development process.
    • It can leverage built-in AI functionalities, such as an AI assistant, to assist developers in writing code and automating repetitive tasks.
    • It can be structured to support multi-team environments through features like Spaces for organizing and managing different teams within a single Retool instance.
    • It can be used in scenarios where rapid development and deployment are essential, making it ideal for agile teams and DevOps environments.
    • It can be part of a broader low-code development ecosystem, interacting with other platforms and services to extend its capabilities.
    • It can include deployment and scaling options that support large-scale enterprise usage, ensuring stability and reliability for mission-critical applications.
    • It can be part of a hub and spoke model, separating responsibilities between central administrators and individual developers.
    • It can offer APIs for automating provisioning, managing deployment, and integrating with external automation tools.
    • ...
  • Example(s):
  • Counter-Example(s):
    • a Bubble Platform, which focuses more on building consumer-facing web applications with complex UI and less on internal business tools.
    • a Power BI Platform, which is primarily a business intelligence tool for data visualization rather than a low-code development environment.
    • a ServiceNow Platform, which is a low-code platform for large-scale IT service management and operations rather than custom internal tool development.
    • a Webflow Platform, a visual web design tool that lacks Retool’s capabilities for backend integrations and data manipulation.
  • See: Low-Code Development Platform, Internal Tool Builder, Business Application Development, Web Application Development Platform, API Integration.

References

2024

  • Perplexity
    • Retool is a low-code platform designed to help developers build custom internal tools and business applications more efficiently. The Retool Platform consists of several key components and features:
    1. Core Offerings

1. Web Apps: Retool's primary product allows developers to build custom web applications using a drag-and-drop interface combined with code[2].

2. Workflows: Enables the creation of automated processes and custom logic to replace scripts or cron jobs[2].

3. Mobile Apps: Supports building native mobile applications for iOS and Android[1].

4. External Apps: Allows creation of apps for external users[1].

5. Databases: Provides database management capabilities[2].

    1. Key Features

- **Component Library**: Offers pre-built UI components for rapid development[2]. - **Integration Library**: Provides extensive integrations with databases and APIs[2]. - **Frontend JavaScript**: Allows customization of component behavior and data manipulation[2]. - **AI Capabilities**: Includes native AI functionality and an AI assistant for pair programming[2]. - **Granular Permissions**: Supports role-based access controls[2].

    1. Development Process

Developers can build applications in Retool by:

1. Dragging and dropping components onto a canvas 2. Connecting these components to databases and APIs 3. Writing frontend JavaScript to process data and customize app behavior[2]

    1. Deployment Options

Retool offers both cloud-hosted and self-hosted deployment options:

- **Cloud-hosted**: Managed by Retool - **Self-hosted**: Can be deployed on-premises within an organization's VPC/VPN[2]

    1. Architecture (Self-hosted):

For self-hosted deployments, Retool uses a distributed set of containers with services for different functions:

- api container: Manages core functionality - jobs-runner container: Handles scheduled tasks - workflows-worker container: Executes workflow tasks - workflows-backend container: Manages workflow logic - code-executor container: Executes code for workflows[4]

    1. Scaling and Management: Retool provides features to help organizations scale their usage:

- **Spaces**: Allows management of multiple independent teams within a single instance[6] - **Hub and Spoke Model**: Separates responsibilities between administrators (hub) and developers (spoke)[6] - **API and Automation**: Offers APIs and events for automating provisioning and management tasks[6]

    1. Learning and Development: Retool provides learning resources for different roles:

- Retool Platform Fundamentals course - Retool Platform Developer course[8]

    • Citations:
[1] https://retool.com/pricing
[2] https://www.superblocks.com/compare/what-is-retool
[3] https://docs.retool.com/center-of-excellence/customer-journey
[4] https://docs.retool.com/self-hosted/concepts/architecture
[5] https://docs.retool.com/center-of-excellence/onboarding/personas
[6] https://docs.retool.com/center-of-excellence/well-architected/operations
[7] https://retool.com/partners
[8] https://retool.com/blog/developer-learning-platform-retool
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