Based is a local-first desktop database client written in Rust. Connection configs and saved queries live in a committed .based/ folder — no backend service, data stays on your machine.
Website:based.pavi2410.com
- Native GPUI desktop app (
apps/desktop) - Git-friendly project format:
project.toml,connections/, andqueries/under.based/ - PostgreSQL, SQLite, and MongoDB workflows
- In-app updates on release builds (signed updater manifests)
- No backend service — connections and queries run locally
See The .based project format for the full specification.
based/
├── apps/
│ ├── desktop/ # Main native app (Rust + GPUI)
│ └── web/ # Marketing site (Astro + Cloudflare)
├── crates/ # Shared libraries (project format, engines, query layer)
├── docs/ # Project format spec
├── .based/ # Example project config for this repo
├── Cargo.toml
└── mise.toml # Task runner
For architecture details, see ARCHITECTURE.md.
- Rust (latest stable)
- mise task runner
On Linux, run Zed's script/linux once for GPUI build dependencies.
Optional — local databases for development:
docker compose up -d # Postgres → localhost:15432, MongoDB → localhost:37017| Task | Command |
|---|---|
| Run (dev) | mise run dev |
| Release build | mise run build |
| Fast check | mise run check |
| Lint | mise run lint |
| Format | mise run format |
| Test | mise run test |
| Clean | mise run clean |
| Package installers | mise run package |
Download the latest stable release from GitHub Releases. Stable builds are the latest non-prerelease; release candidates are tagged with -rc.N and marked as prereleases.
| Platform | Artifact | Package manager |
|---|---|---|
| macOS (Apple Silicon) | .dmg | brew tap pavi2410/tap && brew install --cask based |
| Linux | .deb or .AppImage | — |
| Windows | .exe NSIS installer | winget install pavi2410.Based |
Each release asset shows a SHA-256 digest on the GitHub Releases page (and in the API as assets[].digest). After downloading an installer, compare your local hash:
shasum -a 256 Based_2026.5.0_aarch64.dmgmacOS builds are ad-hoc signed (not Apple Developer ID). First launch may show an unverified-developer prompt — right-click the app and choose Open, or use System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway. Windows SmartScreen may warn on first run — choose More info → Run anyway.
Homebrew and winget install the same GitHub Release binaries — see packaging/README.md for maintainer details.
If Based is useful to you, consider sponsoring development on GitHub.
See CONTRIBUTING.md for development setup, local packaging, and the release workflow.