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Glossary

SQLite

A file-based app database. On Croft it is continuously backed up off-site so your team data lasts.

Definition

SQLite is a widely used database that stores data in a single file with the app, rather than requiring a separate database server process. For many small and mid-size internal tools it is the app database: the place invoices, form submissions, forecasts, and checklist state actually live after someone closes the browser. When people ask where an AI-built app “puts the numbers,” they are asking about the app database. On Croft that database is SQLite-backed, tied to the app on your private server, and treated as something that must survive mistakes and hardware failure, not a throwaway chat preview.

Why it matters

Chat previews and static HTML files forget. Business tools must remember. Without an app database, every teammate has a different copy or data vanishes when the session ends. Choosing hosting that includes a real database is as important as the AI that wrote the UI. Just as important: that database needs continuous backups. A one-off export or “we will back it up later” is not enough once the app holds invoices, forecasts, or client lists your team relies on.

How Croft fits

Croft runs SQLite-backed apps on your private server so vibe-coded tools can store shared data safely. The app database is continuously backed up: every change streams as encrypted off-site replication of the SQLite file (Croft uses Litestream under the hood for that constant replication), with nightly full snapshots as a second layer and one-click rollback on deploys for the app itself. You host and share the tool; you do not stand up Postgres or wire backup jobs yourself. See Under the hood, Security, and the guide on giving an AI-generated app a database.

Related terms

  • Backups Continuous encrypted copies of your app data so you can recover after mistakes or failures.
  • Rollback Restoring a previous working version of your app after a change goes wrong.
  • AI-built app An app whose code was written by an AI assistant from your prompts, then run as real software.
  • App hosting Running your app on a server with a URL people can open in a browser.
  • Private app hosting Hosting where only invited people can open the app, not the open internet.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is SQLite?

A database that lives as a file with the app instead of as a separate always-on database server. It is a common choice for small business and internal apps.

What is an app database?

The lasting storage behind an app: the tables that keep submissions, records, and settings after you close the tab. On Croft that is typically SQLite for your AI-built apps.

Does Croft back up the SQLite app database continuously?

Yes. Croft keeps constant encrypted off-site backups of the app database, plus nightly snapshots. Deploy rollback covers the app version; backups cover the data.

Do I have to manage a database server to use Croft?

No. Croft provides the app database with the private server. You focus on describing and sharing the tool.

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