Internal tools and admin panels
Internal tools and admin panels
Build internal tools, admin panels, and database-backed UIs on a self-hosted Appsmith Community Edition instance. You operate apps, datasources, and access; Quake AI provides the Compute instance, network, and block storage the platform runs on.
What this is for#
Teams that need an admin panel, an internal dashboard, or a database-backed UI without writing a frontend from scratch use a low-code builder. Appsmith Community Edition (a self-hosted alternative to Retool) gives a team that builder, running on infrastructure you own instead of a per-seat SaaS. The outcome is a low-code platform for internal tools, deployable from a validated OpenTofu template and its companion tutorial.
Reference architecture#
Download diagram: SVG, PNG, and PDF.
The base is a single validated template: Appsmith internal tools provisions the instance, network, and volume Appsmith runs on.
-
Team members. Developers build apps in Appsmith's UI; end users interact with the published internal tools and admin panels.
-
Reverse proxy (optional). For production use, the edge reverse proxy template terminates HTTPS on a floating IP in front of Appsmith. Appsmith is reachable immediately after boot without one.
-
Appsmith app. The Appsmith internal tools template runs Appsmith Community Edition's single container, bundling the app server, an embedded MongoDB, and an embedded Redis, on a Compute instance.
-
Datasources you connect. Appsmith queries the databases and APIs you configure as datasources (Postgres, MySQL, REST APIs, and others) from inside your apps; those datasources are not provisioned by this template.
Services involved#
| Service | Role in this architecture | Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Compute | Hosts Appsmith's app server and its embedded MongoDB and Redis | Compute |
| Network | Private network, security group, and floating IP for public access | Network |
| Block Storage | Volume backing the /appsmith-stacks persistent state | Block Storage |
Get started#
- Appsmith internal tools template: OpenTofu pattern that provisions the instance, network, and volume, and generates
APPSMITH_ENCRYPTION_PASSWORDandAPPSMITH_ENCRYPTION_SALTon first boot. - OpenTofu template library: browse validated IaC starting points for other self-hosted team tools.
Estimate the cost#
Monthly cost estimate
Pricing calculator ↗Sized as a custom package on shared vCPU.
Monthly total for the required template above. Use the configurator below to add optional pieces and see the total update.
What each resource is for
Appsmith internal-tools host
s1a.medium · 4 shared vCPU, 4 GiB RAM, 0.5 Gbps
Runs Appsmith Community Edition's single fat container (app server, embedded MongoDB, and embedded Redis in one image), with all persistent state under the /appsmith-stacks bind mount on an attached volume.
Appsmith's fat container runs on 4 vCPU and 4 GiB RAM. Size up for many concurrent users or large datasource query volume.
Compute shown per role at custom-package rates ($29/dedicated vCPU, $7.25/shared vCPU, $1/GiB RAM). The headline above is the billed total: the cheaper of a named plan and the custom package, plus add-ons.
Included in baseline
s1a.medium
4 shared vCPU, 4 GiB RAM, 0.5 Gbps
Compute + RAM rate basis
4 vCPU + 4 GiB RAM at $29/dedicated vCPU, $7.25/shared vCPU, $1/GiB RAM (regular). Totals apply the flat −$5/mo package promotion.
Block storage (50 GiB)
50 GiB at $0.08/GiB/mo
Public IP (included)
1 included with the custom package
Package promotional discount
Flat −$5.00/mo on the custom package (same promotion as named plans).
Included at no charge
These line items are zero on Quake AI. Many other providers meter them separately.
Data transfer (inbound and outbound)
Unlimited data transfer on every plan; Quake AI does not meter per-GB egress.
AWS, GCP, and Azure meter outbound transfer per GB. DigitalOcean and Hetzner include an allowance on compute plans, then charge overage.
Learn morePrivate networking
Private networks, subnets, Neutron routers, and security groups are included with the plan.
VPC objects are usually free to create elsewhere, but NAT gateways bill hourly plus per-GB processed. Quake AI uses router SNAT with no separate NAT line item.
Control-plane API requests
OpenStack API calls for provisioning and management are included.
Some managed services on other clouds meter API calls or charge for premium control-plane features.
Pricing data last validated: . For current rates, check quake.ai/pricing.
Considerations and limits#
- You operate app and datasource access. Quake AI provisions the instance; app permissions, datasource credentials, and audit review are yours under the shared responsibility model.
- Back up the encryption password and salt.
APPSMITH_ENCRYPTION_PASSWORDandAPPSMITH_ENCRYPTION_SALTencrypt stored datasource credentials at rest. Losing them makes stored datasource credentials unrecoverable. Copy/opt/appsmith/.envto a secure location before you connect any real datasource. - All persistent state lives on one volume. There is no separate datastore to point elsewhere: everything, including the embedded database, lives under
/appsmith-stackson the attached volume. - Flat egress. Quake AI applies a no-egress-fee policy for outbound transfer.
- Three US regions. All current regions are in the United States.
- Compliance posture. Quake AI holds SOC 2 Type I and Type II attestations and SOC 3. See Compliance and certifications for the platform scope.