Hi, this is Steven Han, cofounder of Openblocks.

As a newcomer in this crowded space, we take a code-first approach. We’re focusing more on reusability, compatibility with the existing tech stack, and how we can solve problems without introducing new ones.

Have you checked Openblocks yet? https://github.com/openblocks-dev/openblocks

not yet. it looks great. Will try it out. However, it seems like it is using Java for server. It is the one language that I don't want to work in when i need to extend new features

Thanks for your comment. co-founder of Openblocks here.

To provide some background info, there are 19 files containing code from Appsmith currently, all of them are about data source integration and have been added the corresponding apache license text.

I'm a super fan of open-source software. Nowadays no software can be built without the dependency on open-source projects. Openblocks have a direct dependency on dozens of open source projects, I'm grateful to all of them and I don't think using them harms the reputation of open source, instead, this is what makes OSS prosperous.

I was an Appsmith user and the project helped me a lot on building tools, I really appreciate that you maintain such a great project. But building web apps has a big scope, I don't think the story ends here. One of the things that makes Retool/Appsmith stand out is their developer-friendly nature, but there are also many limitations compared to developer-first frameworks like React/Vue. We start a new project because there are so many potentials and possibilities that need to be explored.

Speaking of shared libraries, I think it's a fantastic idea. It will be amazing if we can maintain a common data source/integration library together. There are so many platforms out there that need integration features. Though, finding the right abstraction for integration is a little tricky. We are working on an protocol and will provide all the integration source codes of Openblocks with a more permissive license. Hopefully, other platforms can benefit from it and be able to spend more time on innovation instead of repetitive work.

I really appreciate you taking the time to share! The inclusion of the Appsmith name and license on the code used is a great example of how we can be more transparent and ensure proper attribution. Clearly, your team has given careful thought to this topic as well.

There are always so many ways to solve problems, and lots of approaches that are optimized for specific users, tech stacks, industries, etc. Personally, I find so much more value in the exploration of new ideas and different decisions (as you have done) than simply being a "clone" of another tool.

As we move more into this new space, the ability to share libraries and integration patterns could be super useful for us all. I'll be sure to highlight that internally!

It's free for early adopters. We don't have pricing plan yet.

It's AGPL so might be bit hard to adapt outside of homelab (unless that's the intention for the free version).

How does the AGPL apply in this case, does it apply to the apps you build?

That's awesome, I think I'll definitely be using it for ove of my open source projects

Thanks for your appreciation. It's stable. We write a lot of tests to make sure everything works.