# PocketBase

A whole backend in one Go binary: SQLite, auth, realtime, files and an admin dashboard.

HTML: https://softbests.com/software/pocketbase
Markdown: https://softbests.com/software/pocketbase.md
Website: https://pocketbase.io

- Category: [Developer utilities](https://softbests.com/category/developer-tools)
- Pricing: Open source
- Platforms: Self-hosted, macOS, Windows, Linux, CLI
- Underrated

## Best for

Solo developers and small teams who want a backend without a cluster to babysit.

## Why it deserves attention

PocketBase ships as a single executable that embeds SQLite and includes a schema builder, REST API, realtime subscriptions, email and OAuth2 authentication, file storage with thumbnails, an admin dashboard and hooks in JavaScript or Go. You can run it on a small VPS, back it up by copying one file, and talk to it from official JavaScript, Dart and Go SDKs. It is MIT licensed, free, and its 61,000-plus stars reflect how often it is the pragmatic choice. The limits: SQLite means one writer at a time, so write-heavy multi-node workloads need care, and it is still pre-1.0, so upgrades occasionally require reading release notes.

## Can replace

- Firebase

## Related and alternatives

- [Supabase](https://softbests.com/software/supabase)
- [Gitea](https://softbests.com/software/gitea)