The Curious AI Guy

Library / Developer tools

PocketBase

A whole backend in one file.

LicenseMIT
GitHub stars61.4k
Last code update12 October 2026
SetupIntermediate about 10 minOur estimate

New to this? What open source means and how to read this page.

What it is

An open-source backend in a single executable: a database, authentication, file storage and an admin screen.

Good for

Small apps and prototypes that need a backend fast.

The catch

It is aimed at small to medium apps and is still pre-1.0, so expect changes between versions. Plan your backups.

Install it with an AI assistant

Paste this into Claude, ChatGPT or another assistant that can work on your computer (Claude Code or Claude Desktop, for example). It is written from the project's official repository and tells the assistant to show you every command first. Setup time is our estimate: about 10 min.

I want to install and try PocketBase on my own computer.

Official repository: https://github.com/pocketbase/pocketbase
Official site: https://pocketbase.io
License: MIT

Before you do anything:
1. Read the README and install notes in the official repository above, and nothing else. Do not follow third-party tutorials or mirrors.
2. Tell me in plain words what will be installed, what it needs (operating system, memory, graphics card, disk space, accounts) and what it will cost me, if anything.
3. Check my computer against those needs and tell me honestly if it will not work well.

Install it in an isolated environment so it does not touch the rest of my system (a virtual environment, pipx, or the official install script after I have seen what it does). Use the official install command from the README.

Rules:
- Show me each command before you run it, and say what it does.
- Ask before anything that deletes files, changes system settings, opens a network port or needs an administrator password.
- Never put my passwords or keys on a command line, or in a file I did not choose.
- When it is installed, help me check it with one small test, and tell me how to start and stop it.
- If something goes wrong, explain it in plain words and do not guess your way around it.

Good to know before you start: It is aimed at small to medium apps and is still pre-1.0, so expect changes between versions. Plan your backups.

We have not run this prompt ourselves yet. Read what the assistant plans to do before you say yes.

Facts checked on 12 October 2026. We have not yet run a hands-on test of this tool. When we do, it gets a "Tested" mark here. Approximate US list prices for an individual plan, from third-party price trackers checked on 12 Oct 2026. Monthly billing where it exists. Regions, taxes and promotions change them. Confirm at the vendor before you decide.

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