The BEST Airtable Alternative for n8n - Open Source & FREE (Full Setup + Demo)



AI Summary

Setup Overview

  • Objective: Setting up Base Row, an Airtable alternative, on Digital Ocean or locally (Windows assumed).

Prerequisites

  • Docker must be installed.

Steps to Configure Base Row

  1. Docker Command: Run the following command:
    docker run -d --name base_row_temp -e BASE_ROW_URL=http://host.docker.internal:86 -v C:\docker\base_row\base_row_data_temp:/data -p 86:8080 base_row_image  
    • Parameters Explained:
      • -d: Detached mode.
      • --name: Name of the container.
      • -e: Environment variable for Base Row URL.
      • -v: Volume for data storage.
      • -p: Port mapping (change to 86 if needed).
  2. Access the Base Row:
    • URL: http://host.docker.internal:86 once the setup is complete.
    • Create an admin account during onboarding.
  3. Create Database:
    • Import CSV data or create a new database in Base Row.
    • Example commands for importing data and manipulating fields.

N8 Integration

  1. Connect to N8: Use base row node for operations (get, create, delete records).
  2. Setting Up Credentials:
    • When prompted, use the Base Row URL and credentials created earlier.

Example Operations

  • Get Many Rows: Utilize filters for efficient querying (e.g., get customers from Norway).
  • Create Row: Add records dynamically by defining fields in the operation setup.

Building an AI Agent

  1. Create AI Integration: Using Open Router for querying Base Row data.
  2. Keep System Prompts Simple: Enable the model to search efficiently based on provided queries.