WWW… Wednesday! Rowy

There’s no doubt that being a full-stack developer increases your value on the job market. That being said, learning to manage databases is no easy task and for the budding frontend developer, it may feel like a goal reserved for a far distant future. If that sounds like you, then good news—things just got a whole lot easier.

Rowy is a tool for visually building and managing Google Firestore databases. Based on spreadsheet layout, a format everyone is familiar with, it makes intimidating backend development approachable for even the greenest of horns. That weekend you spent building a database to house your collection of future and past binge-worthy content in Notion is finally going to pay off.

Rowy, like the name suggests, makes database management as simple as adding rows and columns. Tables can be made as simple or complex as you need them to be, with over 30 different types of fields you can add to customize your data. From the basics like text fields, images, and URLs, to sliders, toggles, and percentages that give your data additional fidelity, Rowy offers a wide selection of options. Similar to Notion, the database can be cycled through different views offering users multiple ways to view their data.

That’s not all though—Rowy can also manage more complex data types like rich text, files, and actions. For additional flexibility, Rowy also supports users, JSON, and derivatives. With the ability to build subtables and connect cells between multiple tables, Rowy gives users a nearly endless number of possibilities for building their databases. If you’re using Rowy for the first time and looking to import pre-existing work, all you need to do is upload the CSV or JSON file. Export from Rowy works the same way, making it a great way to get the ball rolling with a prototype.

Rowy is built with collaboration in mind. Because users can control CRUD operations with permission controls, there’s no need for a CMS or custom portal. Permissions can be granted selectively as well, so whether you want to allow edits to the table as a whole or restrict them to individual fields you’ve got the tools to do so. Now you can hand over the keys and share responsibilities with a little peace of mind knowing that any future fires you’ll need to put out will at least be someone mitigated in scale.

Users can also quickly build cloud functions by selecting triggers and outputs and adding code for any NPM or API. Once you’re ready to go live, Rowy’s automation makes deploying changes as simple as clicking “update”.

At the time of writing, Rowy only works with Google Firestore, but there are plans to expand support to additional databases in the future. You can learn more about Rowy here.