FAQ

What happens to my data if I rebuild?

A rebuild drops and recreates the database schema. Any data that exists in the database (but not in Airtable) will be lost. This is expected behavior for test/branch bases. Never rebuild a production base that has app data in it — use Sync instead.

Can I have multiple branches?

Yes. You can create multiple branches from a production base, each as a separate database. This is useful if you're working on multiple schema experiments in parallel.

How do I connect my app to the database?

After a build, you'll receive a connection string in the format:

postgresql://username:password@host:port/dbname

Use this with any PostgreSQL-compatible client or ORM (e.g. Prisma, Drizzle, SQLAlchemy, psycopg2, pg in Node.js).

What Airtable plan do I need?

Any Airtable plan works, but the free plan has strict API rate limits. If you build frequently or have a large base, you'll likely hit the limit. A paid Airtable plan (Team or higher) is recommended for active use.

What field types does Airtable support that map to PostgreSQL?

Effortless Bases maps all standard Airtable field types to appropriate PostgreSQL types — text, numbers, dates, checkboxes (booleans), linked records (foreign keys), and more.

Can I query the database directly with SQL?

Yes. The database is a standard PostgreSQL database. You can connect with any SQL client (psql, TablePlus, DBeaver, etc.) using your admin credentials.

What is row-level security (RLS)?

RLS is a PostgreSQL feature that controls which rows a user can read or write, based on the authenticated user's identity. Effortless Bases sets up RLS automatically. Your app passes a JWT token when connecting, and the database enforces access rules based on that token.

I lost my credentials — what do I do?

Go to your base's settings and use the Regenerate Credentials option. This will create new credentials and invalidate the old ones. Update your app's connection string with the new values.

Can I use Effortless Bases with any app framework?

Yes. The output is a standard PostgreSQL database. Any language or framework that can connect to PostgreSQL will work.