Early thoughts, depending on take-up, to migrate from wordpress (which is good for proto-typing features, latout, many pther things
AI query, front end from SQL backEnd [as in 4GL type stuff, obviate/obliterate need for wireframes 🙂 ]
App builders SQL
Great question — short answer first: yes — there are several mature open-source tools in 2025 that do exactly what you described (create/add tables & columns in a GUI, drag fields into forms/layouts, and support lookup/relational fields). Which one is “best” depends on your stack (Postgres/MySQL vs Firestore), whether you want a data-first backend or a low-code front-end, and how much custom logic you need.
Below I’ve boiled it down to the best picks for your requirements and a quick “when to use which” guide.
Top open-source tools (with why they match your requirements)
1) NocoDB — “Airtable for your SQL database”
What it is: Turns MySQL/Postgres/other SQL DBs into an Airtable-like GUI. You can create tables & columns from the UI, use grid/form/kanban/calendar views, and define lookup & rollup fields. It’s very close to the spreadsheet + schema editing experience you asked for. (GitHub)
Best when: You want quick spreadsheets + draggy UI on top of an existing SQL database and easy relational/lookups.
2) Directus — “Data model + admin app / headless CMS”
What it is: Data-first headless CMS that connects to your SQL DB and provides a rich admin UI for designing schemas (tables, fields, relations) and custom layouts. It supports relational/lookup fields and custom interfaces for fields. Great when you need production APIs + admin UI + data modelling. (directus.io)
Best when: You need robust schema control, a configurable admin UI, and APIs for multiple front ends.
3) Budibase — “Low-code app builder with drag-and-drop forms”
What it is: Open-source low-code platform that connects to databases (or its own DB) and provides drag-and-drop page/form builders, CRUD scaffolding, and field mapping. Very usable to assemble front-end screens and place fields wherever you want. (Budibase)
Best when: You want to visually build the front-end UI/forms and wire them to your DB without writing lots of code.
4) Appsmith — “Open UI builder for dashboards & internal apps”
What it is: Open-source UI/dashboard builder where you drag widgets, bind to DB queries, and create forms & tables. It’s focused on front-end building rather than schema modelling — excellent for admin panels and dashboards. (The CTO Club)
Best when: You already have a database schema but want a quick internal UI with drag-and-drop widgets and powerful data binding.
5) Supabase (Studio) — “Postgres + GUI”
What it is: Hosted/self-hostable Postgres + auth + storage platform. Supabase Studio includes a Table Editor that lets you create tables and columns in the GUI and generate migrations — good if you want DB-first approach plus managed backend services. (Supabase)
Best when: You want a modern Postgres backend with GUI table editing and first-class developer tools.
6) Rowy — “Spreadsheet UI + Firestore backend”
What it is: Airtable-like spreadsheet admin for Firestore with the ability to add tables/columns, complex fields, and run cloud functions. If your DB is Firestore this is a top choice. (rowy.io)
Best when: Your data lives in Firebase/Firestore and you want spreadsheet UX + serverless function hooks.
Quick feature map vs your checklist
- Add tables & fields easily (GUI): NocoDB, Directus, Supabase Studio, Rowy — all support creating tables/columns from the UI. (GitHub)
- Drag & drop fields into position (forms/layouts): Budibase & Appsmith lead on front-end drag/drop; Directus has customizable field layouts for admin UI. (Budibase)
- Lookup / relational fields (option choices): NocoDB and Directus explicitly support lookups/relations and rollups; Rowy supports complex field types for Firestore. (GitHub)
Typical combos I recommend
- SQL + quick spreadsheet-style admin: NocoDB alone. (Fast to install, immediate Airtable-like UX.) (GitHub)
- SQL + robust APIs + admin UI + front-end: Directus (backend/modeling) + Budibase or Appsmith (for bespoke front-end UIs). (directus.io)
- Postgres as a full stack platform: Supabase (DB + auth + storage + GUI) combined with Appsmith/Budibase for drag-and-drop front ends. (Supabase)
- Firestore projects: Rowy (data model + spreadsheet UI) + custom front end if needed. (rowy.io)
Migration & practical notes
- If you already have SQL tables: NocoDB and Directus connect to your existing DB and will surface it — so migration can be minimal (no copy) — just connect and tweak field settings. (GitHub)
- For complex UIs (drag fields into precise positions), Budibase and Appsmith give the most intuitive WYSIWYG control; they’re designed for building forms and dashboards rather than schema design. (Budibase)
- Consider backups & permissions: when letting a GUI edit schema you should have DB backups & role/account controls in place (Supabase, Directus and NocoDB provide role/auth features).
If you want a fast recommendation
- If your DB = Postgres/MySQL and you want the Airtable + lookup fields experience: try NocoDB first. (Connect your DB, create a table + column, create a lookup column — you’ll see it instantly.) (GitHub)
- If you need API + content admin + relational modeling: try Directus. Connect your DB and use the “Data Model” UI to add fields & relationships. (directus.io)
- If you want to drag-and-drop build forms/pages for the web app itself: evaluate Budibase (open-source) or Appsmith. (Budibase)
Want me to do one of the following next (I’ll do it right here):
- Spin up a quick comparison matrix (NocoDB / Directus / Budibase) with checklist results for your exact DB (Postgres vs MySQL vs Firestore).
- Give step-by-step install + “connect existing DB + create lookup field” instructions for NocoDB or Directus.
- Produce a short Docker-compose you can paste to test one of them locally and a tiny sample workflow (create table → add lookup → build a small form).
Which of those would be most useful?