ChartBrew is an open-source web platform designed for developers and data teams to create interactive, real-time dashboards without writing code. It connects directly to databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Firestore, as well as external APIs, enabling users to visualize data through customizable charts and embeddable widgets. Built with React, Node.js, and Redux, ChartBrew eliminates the need for complex data pipelines by offering an intuitive interface to query, visualize, and share live data. This tool is ideal for teams that need fast, self-service analytics without relying on BI tools or data engineers.
Whether you’re monitoring application metrics, tracking user behavior from Firebase, or visualizing sales data from MySQL, ChartBrew provides a complete dashboarding solution that can be self-hosted or deployed via Docker and DigitalOcean. Its focus on ease of use, real-time data updates, and team collaboration makes it a practical alternative to proprietary SaaS analytics platforms.
What You Get
- Live data dashboards - Connect to MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Firestore, and APIs to create real-time visualizations that update automatically as data changes.
- Drag-and-drop chart builder - Build charts using Chart.js with a visual editor—no code required to configure axes, colors, or data mappings.
- Editable and embeddable dashboards - Customize dashboard layouts with resizable widgets and embed individual charts into external websites using iframes.
- Query and API request editor - Write SQL queries or configure HTTP requests to fetch data from databases and APIs directly within the interface.
- Team collaboration features - Share dashboards with team members, manage user roles, and collaborate on data visualizations in a shared workspace.
- Self-hosted deployment options - Deploy using Docker or DigitalOcean 1-click install, giving full control over data privacy and infrastructure.
Common Use Cases
- Building a real-time operations dashboard - A DevOps team uses ChartBrew to monitor server metrics from PostgreSQL and API health checks, displaying live uptime stats and error rates on a shared screen.
- Creating a multi-tenant SaaS analytics panel - A startup connects ChartBrew to Firebase Firestore to show each customer their usage metrics, with data isolation per tenant and embedded dashboards in their app.
- Replacing proprietary BI tools for internal reporting - A marketing team replaces Tableau with ChartBrew to pull data from MySQL and Google Analytics API, reducing monthly SaaS costs while retaining full control.
- Team workflow for data analysts and engineers - Analysts write SQL queries in ChartBrew to explore datasets, while engineers set up data pipelines and manage API connections—all within a single collaborative interface.
Under The Hood
Chartbrew is a modern data visualization platform that empowers users to create, manage, and analyze charts with integrated AI capabilities. It unifies chart rendering, data connection, and intelligent analytics into a cohesive environment designed for both developers and non-technical users.
Architecture
Chartbrew adopts a monolithic architecture with distinct client-server boundaries, enabling a unified user experience through well-defined modules and component-based UI design.
- Clear separation between frontend and backend components with modular organization
- Use of controller-patterns for API handling and component-based UI construction
- Integration of AI orchestration within the chart-building workflow for automation
Tech Stack
Built with JavaScript, Chartbrew leverages modern frameworks and tools to support scalable frontend and backend development.
- React-based frontend with Express.js backend in a monorepo structure
- Extensive use of Sequelize, BullMQ, and Socket.IO for data and real-time operations
- Vite, Tailwind CSS, and PostCSS for build processes and styling
- Vitest and GitHub Actions for testing and CI/CD integration
Code Quality
The project maintains a structured approach to testing and error handling, with consistent patterns across modules.
- Comprehensive test suite covering authentication, database interactions, and API flows
- Widespread use of try/catch blocks and explicit error propagation for robustness
- Consistent naming conventions and modular organization support code maintainability
- Presence of type annotations and linting tools enhances code clarity and quality
What Makes It Unique
Chartbrew distinguishes itself through its unique fusion of visualization tools with AI-driven insights and extensible data integration.
- AI-powered analytics embedded directly into the chart creation process for automated exploration
- Extensible architecture that supports diverse data sources and seamless chart embedding
- Unified platform combining charting, dataset management, and AI orchestration in one toolset