Install
Please be sure of your agent type and version and pick the right documentation accordingly.
This is the documentation of the forest-express-sequelize and forest-express-mongoose Node.js agents that will soon reach end-of-support.
forest-express-sequelize v9 and forest-express-mongoose v9 are replaced by @forestadmin/agent v1.
Please check your agent type and version and read on or switch to the right documentation.
This is still the latest Ruby on Rails documentation of the forest_liana agent, you’re at the right place, please read on.
This is the documentation of the django-forestadmin Django agent that will soon reach end-of-support.
If you’re using a Django agent, notice that django-forestadmin v1 is replaced by forestadmin-agent-django v1.
If you’re using a Flask agent, go to the forestadmin-agent-flask v1 documentation.
Please check your agent type and version and read on or switch to the right documentation.
This is the documentation of the forestadmin/laravel-forestadmin Laravel agent that will soon reach end-of-support.
If you’re using a Laravel agent, notice that forestadmin/laravel-forestadmin v1 is replaced by forestadmin/laravel-forestadmin v3.
If you’re using a Symfony agent, go to the forestadmin/symfony-forestadmin v1 documentation.
Please check your agent type and version and read on or switch to the right documentation.
Install
Forest Admin is a low-code internal tool solution that scales with your project. With 30+ out-of-the-box tools and pre-built UI components, you can ship an admin panel in a few minutes, and then easily customize it to meet your specific business logic. Thanks to the layout editor, non-technical team members can adjust the UI to their needs.
Forest Admin has a unique hybrid architecture - only the frontend is managed on Forest Admin servers, which gives you the flexibility of a SaaS tool without compromising on data security.
Requirements
A local or remote working database (non empty)
or
An existing app (Django, Rails or Express with Sequelize and Mongoose)
NPM or Docker installed
Browser Support: we highly recommend Google Chrome or Firefox
Once you start creating a project, you will be able to choose a datasource, the source of the data your admin panel will use.
Forest Admin can be implemented in two very different ways :
Using an existing app: integrate Forest Admin into your Ruby on Rails, Django, Node.js app with Express (and Sequelize ORM or Mongoose ORM).
As a dedicated app: create a dedicated app directly linked to your PostgreSQL, MySQL / MariaDB, Microsoft SQL Server or MongoDB database.
At Forest Admin, if you have the choice, we recommend integrating in an existing app as it is easier to maintain.
Install Forest Admin using an existing app
At the moment, we are supporting:
Ruby on Rails app
Django project
Node.js app with Express and Sequelize ORM
Node.js app with Express and Mongoose ORM
Install Forest Admin using an existing Ruby on Rails app
Requirements: Your Rails app must be version 4 or above.
You are asked to provide the URL of your application that runs locally. When you follow the steps and integrate the gems, you should automatically be redirected to your admin panel!
Install Forest Admin using an existing Django app
Requirements:
Python version should be between 3.6 and 3.10.
Django version must be 3.2 or higher.
You are asked to provide the URL of your project that runs locally. When you follow the steps, add our app to your installed apps, and set up your agent, you should automatically be redirected to your admin panel!
Install Forest Admin using an existing Node.js app with Express
Requirements:
Using Sequelize or Mongoose ORM
Sequelize version must be 5.21 or higher
Mongoose version must be 5 or higher
Express version must be 4.17.3 or higher
You are asked to provide the URL of your application that runs locally. When you follow the steps, you should automatically be redirected to your admin panel!
Troubleshooting
In case of an error, you can consult the troubleshooting page or ask in the Community forum.
Install using a database as your datasource
At the moment, we are supporting:
PostgreSQL
MySQL / MariaDB
Microsoft SQL Server
MongoDB
When choosing one of these databases, you will be prompted to enter your database credentials. Your database credentials never leave the browser, they are only used to generate the environment variables in the setup instructions for the next step.
It is possible to use a local or remote database, but note that this database will be used with your Development environment.
It is possible to skip the authentication in the browser and use directly the CLI to authenticate.
Then, you will be able to create and connect your admin backend, with the following options.
-c, --connection-url
The database credentials with a connection URL.
-S, --ssl
Use SSL for database connection (true | false).
-s, --schema
Your database schema.
-H, --application-host
Hostname of your admin backend application.
-p, --application-port
Port of your admin backend application.
-h, --help
Output usage information.
APPLICATION_HOST
Hostname of your admin backend application.
APPLICATION_PORT
Port of your admin backend application.
DATABASE_SSL
Use SSL for database connection (true | false).
DATABASE_SCHEMA
Your database schema.
DATABASE_URL
The database credentials with a connection URL.
FOREST_EMAIL
Your Forest Admin account email.
FOREST_TOKEN
Your Forest Admin account token.
FOREST_PASSWORD
Your Forest Admin account password. Although not recommended, you can use this instead of FOREST_TOKEN. Wrap it in double quotes if it contains special characters.
Help us get better!
Finally, when your local server is started, you should be automatically redirected to a satisfaction form. Rate us so we can improve, then go to your newly created admin panel 🎉
Next up, we suggest you go through our Quick start.
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