AdminJS

AdminJS is an open-source Node.js library that automatically generates a full admin panel UI from your database models, giving you and trusted users CRUD management and custom business actions without building a back-office from scratch.

What is AdminJS?

AdminJS is an automatic admin interface that plugs into a Node.js application: you provide your database models (posts, products, orders, etc.) and it generates a web-based management UI. It runs inside your existing Node.js server and is developed by rst.software (formerly SoftwareBrothers), with the source available on GitHub. The generated interface includes list views, edit forms, dashboards, and custom actions, all derived from your resource schemas.

Key Features

• Automatic CRUD — AdminJS creates create, read, update, and delete screens for every resource you define from your models.
• Custom actions — You can add business actions (e.g. approve, archive, export) that operate on selected objects directly from the admin UI.
• Schema-based form validation — Forms validate input according to the schema defined in your resources, so invalid submissions are caught before saving.
• Dashboard with widgets — The panel includes a full-featured dashboard; the project even runs a stats dashboard at https://stats.adminjs.co showing library metrics.
• Resource decorators — Customize how each resource appears in the list, how its edit form is laid out, and which actions are available.
• Framework integration — The page cites Hapi.js as an example web framework, and Mongoose as an example database connector for MongoDB.
• Open source and community — AdminJS is free software copyrighted 2023 by rst.software, with a contribution guide, a Kanban board for issues, and a Discord community.

Who should use AdminJS?

• Node.js developers — Add an instant admin interface to an existing API or service instead of hand-building CRUD routes and views.
• Product teams — Give non-programming team members a UI to view, edit, and take actions on production data.
• Startup founders — Quickly bootstrap a back-office for managing content during MVP development with a few lines of code.
• Agencies delivering client apps — Include a maintainable admin panel in Node.js projects built with frameworks like Hapi.js.

What can you do with AdminJS?

• View all data — Browse every record in any resource through automatically generated list views with pagination and search.
• Run business actions — Perform custom operations on database objects, such as changing statuses or triggering workflows.
• Bootstrap initial tables — Use the generated forms to seed tables with initial data before launch.
• Build custom report pages — Create dashboard widgets and report pages that summarize database statistics.
• Empower non-programmers — Let content editors and managers update data without writing SQL or touching code.

How does AdminJS work?

AdminJS plugs into your existing Node.js application: connect it to your models, configure a few options, and it takes over handling the admin routes. According to the page, adding a couple of lines of code gives you a running admin interface. A live demo is available at https://demo.adminjs.co (login: [email protected], password: password) so you can test the generated UI before integrating.

Pricing

AdminJS is free software. It is copyrighted 2023 by rst.software and can be redistributed under the terms specified in the LICENSE file in its repository. There are no paid tiers mentioned on the page.

Alternatives

If you are not on Node.js, AdminJS was inspired by Django Admin (Python/Django), Rails Admin, and Active Admin (both for Ruby on Rails). Those tools generate similar admin interfaces but for their respective web frameworks.

FAQ

Is AdminJS free?

Yes, AdminJS is free software released under a license specified in the repository. It is open source, and the project welcomes contributions via its contribution guide and Kanban board.

What Node.js frameworks and databases does AdminJS support?

The page specifically mentions Hapi.js as an example web framework and Mongoose as an example database connector for MongoDB. The documentation at https://docs.adminjs.co covers supported setups.

Does AdminJS include a dashboard?

Yes, AdminJS includes a full-featured dashboard with widgets. The project maintains a stats dashboard at https://stats.adminjs.co that shows various library statistics.

How do I get help with AdminJS?

You can read the documentation at https://docs.adminjs.co, try the live demo, and join the community on Discord via https://adminjs.page.link/discord.

Can I customize the admin panel?

Yes, AdminJS provides custom resource decorators that let you control list columns, form layouts, and actions per resource, so you can adapt the generated UI to your workflow.