NocoBase 2 No-code, NocoBase 2 AI Portal, and NocoBase 3

These three approaches differ in where business logic lives: configuration in a database, or source code in your own repository.

Provided by NocoBase
Your source code
Database configuration
Runtime boundary
New in this step

NocoBase 2 No-code · Runtime plus configuration

Tables, pages, permissions, and workflows live in the database. The platform reads configuration to render the interface. AI also works by calling APIs to write configuration.

Release individual modulesAll modules share configuration in one database, making it difficult to release just one of them.
Workflows and permissionsConfiguration is difficult and inflexible for complex requirements; changes cannot be reviewed like code.
Limited AI developmentAI can only call configuration APIs and cannot build capabilities the platform does not provide.

NocoBase 2 AI Portal · A customizable frontend

AI Portal is a frontend project written by AI. Its interface can be fully customized for your business without being limited to platform components; NocoBase 2 still provides sign-in, permissions, and data APIs.

Customizable frontendAI writes React source directly, building pages and interactions around your business without platform component constraints.
Independent development and deploymentFrontends can be developed and deployed independently; backend configuration remains shared.
Workflows and permissionsIt still uses NocoBase 2 configuration, so these issues remain.

NocoBase 3

NocoBase 3 Core · The entire application is source code

Pages, APIs, schemas, permissions, and workflows live in your repository and are written by AI. NocoBase provides the framework, common capabilities, and libraries as npm packages.

Develop independently, release by moduleModules are developed in parallel on branches. Release what you merge; unfinished work stays separate.
Workflows and permissionsCode can express complex rules, with configuration interfaces added when business users need to make adjustments. Every change can be reviewed and reverted.
Multiple applications, shared dataOne application maintains the master data. Others connect to its database as an external data source, with read-only or read/write access as needed and permissions enforced on the server.

UI Library · Business componentsSign-in, approvals, permission editors, inboxes, boards, diagrams, rich text, and more. Copy source into your project with one command, then customize it freely. More components are being added. ui.nocobase.com →

NocoBase 3 Solutions · Business applications built on Core Coming soon

Complete business application source, ready to use or further customized by AI for your own system.

NocoCRM overview — **NocoCRM**Leads, opportunities, companies, contacts, and approvals; built-in sales AI assistants and Agent teams automate follow-ups and draft emails.

ERP operations overview — **ERP**Weighbridge operations, daily production reports, inventory, sales orders, and disposal contracts, with a clear view across multiple sites.

NocoReach insights — **NocoReach**Combines search, traffic, community, and GitHub data. AI identifies growth opportunities daily, and Agents implement changes in the repository and open PRs.

NocoBase 3 Studio · Continuous development, testing, integration, and deployment across applications In development

Studio manages multiple applications, each with its own repository and environments, moving through development, testing, integration, and deployment at its own pace. Agents write code on runners hosted on team servers or development computers; people step in for decisions, acceptance, and releases.

Each application moves at its own paceOne application can be in development while another is deploying, without blocking each other.
Every change is testedRun CI checks, review with another model, then deploy to a preview environment dedicated to the PR.
Controlled releasesMerge after human acceptance. Staging deploys automatically; production requires another person's approval and supports rollback.

Why choose NocoBase 3

For AI-built business systems, NocoBase 3 provides a stronger starting point and more reliable delivery.

Compared with building from scratch

The foundations are ready

Authentication, permissions, state machines, notifications, files, databases, localization, and deployment tools are ready. AI focuses on business logic instead of rebuilding the foundations for every project.

Compared with other frameworks

Business capabilities are packaged

More than a technical framework: permission sets, sharing and restriction rules, approvals, inboxes, Agents, and business components for sign-in, boards, and diagrams are ready to use.

Compared with ready-made solutions

Ready to use and customize

Solutions such as CRM and ERP work out of the box, support private deployment, and provide full source code for AI to extend around your business.

Built on experience serving NocoBase 2 customers

Businesses, governments, and universities worldwide use NocoBase 2 to build business systems. This experience informs NocoBase 3 capabilities and Solutions.

NocoBase customer logos: ISUZU, YAMAHA, SONY, NXP, Lenovo, BOE, DAIKIN, Bank of China, Peking University, and more

Comparison

Compare how the three approaches address common concerns.

Where business logic lives

ConfigurationNocoBase 2 No-code

Tables, pages, permissions, and workflows are database configuration, read and executed by the platform.

Configuration + sourceNocoBase 2 AI Portal

Pages become React source; APIs, schemas, permissions, and workflows remain configuration.

Source codeNocoBase 3

Everything lives in your code repository. NocoBase is used only through dependencies:

client/: pages, routes, and layouts with React · Vite
server/: APIs, services, and permission rules with Hono
database/: schema migrations and seed data
Dependencies: framework, capability packages, and libraries
Business components: copy source from UI Library into your project

Independent development and modular releases

NocoBase 2 No-code

All modules share configuration in one database. Migrations select by table, making it difficult to release a single module.

NocoBase 2 AI Portal

Frontends can be developed and deployed independently; the backend configuration issues remain.

NocoBase 3

Each module is developed on its own branch. Release what you merge:

Branch development: one branch and one PR per task
Automated checks: CI runs linting, type checks, and tests
Preview acceptance: a dedicated preview environment for each PR
Release merged changes: unfinished work stays on branches without affecting releases
Multiple applications: Studio manages each application's environments and releases

Workflows

NocoBase 2 No-code

Visual configuration offers many nodes and versioning, but complex flows are difficult and inflexible to configure, and changes cannot be reviewed like code.

NocoBase 2 AI Portal

The same as NocoBase 2: still configuration.

NocoBase 3

Describe business processes as state machines in code:

States and transitions: each record stores its current state and transitions according to rules.
Triggers: automatically handle a record when its time in a state exceeds a timeout.
Side effects: execute after commit with retries and idempotency; continue transitions after success or failure.
Waiting: wait for human actions, external callbacks, or polling results.
Recovery: resume unfinished work after a service restart.

The approval plugin provides multilevel approvals, countersigning, and additional approvers.

Permissions

NocoBase 2 No-code

Roles, data scopes, and field permissions are configurable, but complex rules are difficult to configure and changes are hard to review.

NocoBase 2 AI Portal

The same as NocoBase 2: still configuration.

NocoBase 3

Rules are written in code; assignments are managed centrally in the application:

Permission sets: similar to roles, assigned to users or teams.
Record level: records I own, records I created, or custom conditions.
Field level: separate control over readable and writable fields.
Default access: broaden the scope for everyone with permission to perform the action.
Sharing: broaden the scope for specific people or teams.
Restrictions: narrow the scope regardless of where permission comes from.
Permission origins: explain where a permission comes from.

Multiple applications, shared data

NocoBase 2 No-code

Multiple entry points in one application share data directly. Across applications, an External NocoBase data source can read and write another application's data.

NocoBase 2 AI Portal

Multiple Portals within the same application share data directly.

NocoBase 3

One application maintains master data; others connect to it:

Primary database: SQLite, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, Dameng, KingbaseES, OceanBase
External data sources: connect databases from other applications or existing systems
Read/write scope: read-only access, or write access to selected tables and fields
Access permissions: enforced on the server
Synchronization: write synchronization tasks when needed

Integrating existing systems

NocoBase 2 No-code

Call external APIs through workflow HTTP request nodes; complex integrations are limited by node capabilities.

NocoBase 2 AI Portal

The same as NocoBase 2.

NocoBase 3

Write integration logic directly in code:

Call external APIs: use state machine side effects with retries and idempotency
Receive callbacks: define your own API routes
Scheduled tasks: scheduling, queues, and background jobs
External databases: connect as external data sources
Expose APIs: access business APIs using API keys

AI-assisted business operations

NocoBase 2 No-code

AI employees embedded in pages help users query data, fill forms, and analyze content. Local Agents can call APIs through nb api, but these are generic API calls.

NocoBase 2 AI Portal

The same as NocoBase 2.

NocoBase 3

The agents plugin connects to both models and runners:

Online Agents: connect directly to models, run on the server, and use the application's business commands as tools
Worker Agents: drive Claude Code, Codex, and other tools on runners
Application-specific CLI: package business APIs into a CLI in one step for users' local Agents
The user's own permissions: after CLI sign-in, execute with the user's permissions
Records: inspect conversations, run records, and usage

Version control and delivery

NocoBase 2 No-code

Version snapshots, backup and restore, and migration-based releases.

NocoBase 2 AI Portal

Frontend source can be stored in Git and pushed and deployed with nb portal.

NocoBase 3

Manage and deliver it like conventional software:

Git: version the entire project and review code
CI/CD: use any platform to build a deployment archive
Deployment: deploy locally with app-installer, or over SSH to an offline Linux server
Upgrades and rollbacks: handled by app-installer
Containers: templates include a Dockerfile

SupportedPartially supportedNot supported