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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

📚 Quick Answers to Common Questions​

General · Installation · Features · Security · Development · Deployment

📋 Table of Contents​

General Questions​

Q: What is Jet Admin?​

A: Jet Admin is an open-source analytics platform and internal tools builder that helps teams connect data sources, build workflows, create dashboards, and automate business processes—all through a visual interface.

Q: Who should use Jet Admin?​

A: Jet Admin is designed for:

  • Developers building internal tools faster
  • Data teams creating analytics dashboards
  • Operations teams automating workflows
  • Business users who need self-service analytics
  • Organizations needing multi-tenant internal tooling

Q: Is Jet Admin free?​

A: Yes! Jet Admin is open-source under the MIT License. You can:

  • Use it for free (personal or commercial)
  • Self-host without licensing fees
  • Modify and extend the codebase
  • Contribute improvements back

Q: What's the difference between Jet Admin and similar tools?​

A: Jet Admin stands out with:

  • Complete open-source - No feature gates or paywalls
  • Visual workflow builder - Automate complex business logic
  • Multi-tenancy - Built-in tenant isolation and RBAC
  • Self-hosted - Full control over your data
  • Extensible - Add custom datasources, widgets, and workflow nodes
  • Real-time - WebSocket-based live updates

Q: Can I use Jet Admin for commercial projects?​

A: Absolutely! The MIT License allows commercial use without restrictions. You can use Jet Admin internally, offer it as a service, or build commercial products on top of it.

Q: What companies use Jet Admin?​

A: Jet Admin is used by startups, enterprises, and agencies worldwide for:

  • Internal admin panels
  • Business intelligence dashboards
  • Data pipeline automation
  • Customer support tools
  • Operations management

Installation & Setup​

Q: What are the system requirements?​

A: Minimum requirements:

  • CPU: 2 cores (4+ recommended)
  • RAM: 2GB (4GB+ recommended)
  • Storage: 10GB for application + database space
  • Network: Stable internet connection for setup

Q: How do I install Jet Admin?​

A: Quick installation with Docker:

git clone https://github.com/Jet-labs/jet-admin.git
cd jet-admin
docker-compose -f docker-compose.cloud.yml up -d

Access at http://localhost:3000

See Docker Deployment Guide for details.

Q: Can I install without Docker?​

A: Yes! You can run Jet Admin manually:

  1. Install Node.js 18+ and PostgreSQL 14+
  2. Clone the repository
  3. Install dependencies: npm install
  4. Configure environment variables
  5. Run migrations: npx prisma migrate dev
  6. Start backend: npm run start:b
  7. Start frontend: npm run start:f

Q: How long does installation take?​

A:

  • Docker installation: 5-10 minutes
  • Manual installation: 15-30 minutes
  • Production deployment: 30-60 minutes (including SSL, monitoring, etc.)

Q: Do I need Firebase?​

A: Yes, Jet Admin uses Firebase Authentication for user management. You'll need to:

  1. Create a Firebase project (free tier available)
  2. Enable authentication providers
  3. Generate an admin SDK key for the backend
  4. Configure Firebase client SDK for the frontend

Q: What database does Jet Admin use?​

A: Jet Admin uses PostgreSQL (14+) for storing application metadata. You can connect to other databases (MySQL, MongoDB, etc.) as datasources for your queries and workflows.

Q: Can I use an existing PostgreSQL database?​

A: Yes! Jet Admin will create its own schema/tables in your PostgreSQL database. Just provide the connection string in the DATABASE_URL environment variable.

Features & Capabilities​

Q: How many datasources can I connect?​

A: Unlimited! You can connect as many datasources as your infrastructure supports. Jet Admin supports 25+ datasource types including PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, REST APIs, and more.

Q: Can I connect to multiple databases simultaneously?​

A: Yes! You can connect multiple databases of the same or different types. Each datasource is independent and can be used in queries, workflows, and dashboards.

Q: What chart types are supported?​

A: Jet Admin includes:

  • Basic charts: Bar, Line, Area, Pie, Donut
  • Advanced charts: Scatter, Bubble, Radar, Polar Area
  • Data displays: Tables, Text, Markdown, Custom HTML, iFrames

More chart types can be added via custom widgets.

Q: Can I schedule workflows to run automatically?​

A: Yes! Jet Admin supports cron-based scheduling for workflows. You can configure workflows to run:

  • At specific times (e.g., daily at 9 AM)
  • At intervals (e.g., every 5 minutes)
  • Based on complex cron expressions

Q: Do workflows support error handling?​

A: Yes! Workflows include:

  • Automatic retry with exponential backoff
  • Conditional error handling branches
  • Dead letter queue for failed executions
  • Alert notifications on failures

Q: Can I version control my workflows?​

A: Jet Admin tracks workflow versions automatically. You can:

  • View workflow history
  • Revert to previous versions
  • Compare versions
  • Export/import workflow definitions

Q: Is there a limit to workflow complexity?​

A: Workflows can have unlimited nodes and execution depth. However, for maintainability, we recommend:

  • Maximum 20-25 nodes per workflow
  • Break complex logic into sub-workflows
  • Document workflows with comments

Q: Can I embed Jet Admin dashboards in other applications?​

A: Yes! You can:

  • Export dashboards as PDF reports
  • Embed individual widgets via iFrame
  • Use the API to fetch data for custom visualizations
  • White-label Jet Admin for your organization

Q: Does Jet Admin support real-time data?​

A: Yes! Real-time features include:

  • Live workflow execution updates via WebSocket
  • Real-time widget data refresh
  • Live dashboard updates
  • Collaborative editing indicators

Q: Can I create custom widgets?​

A: Absolutely! Jet Admin provides a widget SDK for creating custom widgets. You can:

  • Build custom visualizations
  • Integrate third-party libraries
  • Share widgets across your organization
  • Contribute to the community

Security & Authentication​

Q: Is Jet Admin secure?​

A: Yes! Security features include:

  • Firebase Authentication for user identity
  • Role-based access control (RBAC)
  • Multi-tenant data isolation
  • Encrypted credentials at rest
  • HTTPS/TLS support
  • Audit logging
  • API key authentication

Q: How is data isolated between tenants?​

A: Jet Admin uses logical isolation:

  • All database queries include tenant ID filtering
  • Foreign key constraints enforce tenant scoping
  • Middleware validates tenant context on every request
  • Socket.IO rooms are tenant-isolated

Q: Can users belong to multiple tenants?​

A: Yes! A single user can be a member of multiple tenants with different roles in each. Users can switch between tenants seamlessly.

Q: What authentication providers are supported?​

A: Jet Admin uses Firebase Auth, which supports:

  • Google Sign-In
  • Email/Password
  • Phone authentication
  • Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter, GitHub
  • SAML/OIDC (enterprise)
  • Custom authentication systems

Q: Does Jet Admin support SSO?​

A: Yes! Through Firebase Enterprise, you can configure SAML or OIDC-based single sign-on for your organization.

Q: Are API keys secure?​

A: Yes! API keys are:

  • Hashed before storage (bcrypt)
  • Shown only once during creation
  • Can be set to expire
  • Can be revoked at any time
  • Scoped to specific permissions

Q: Is data encrypted at rest?​

A: Yes! Sensitive data is encrypted:

  • Datasource credentials (AES-256)
  • API keys (bcrypt hash)
  • Database can use native encryption
  • Backups can be encrypted

Q: Does Jet Admin comply with GDPR?​

A: Jet Admin provides features to support GDPR compliance:

  • Data export capabilities
  • User data deletion
  • Audit logging
  • Access controls
  • Data processing agreements available

However, compliance depends on your specific implementation and usage.

Q: Where is my data stored?​

A: With self-hosted Jet Admin, you control where data is stored. Your data resides in:

  • Your PostgreSQL database (you choose the location)
  • Your Firebase project (you choose the region)
  • Your server infrastructure

Jet Labs does not have access to your data.

Development​

Q: What programming languages are used?​

A: Jet Admin is built with:

  • Frontend: JavaScript/JSX (React 18)
  • Backend: JavaScript/Node.js (Express)
  • Database: PostgreSQL with Prisma ORM
  • Shared packages: JavaScript/TypeScript

Q: Can I contribute to Jet Admin?​

A: Yes! Contributions are welcome! You can:

  • Report bugs and suggest features
  • Submit pull requests
  • Improve documentation
  • Build custom datasources or widgets
  • Help other users in discussions

See the Contributing Guide for details.

Q: How do I add a new datasource type?​

A: Creating a new datasource involves:

  1. Define the schema in packages/datasource-types
  2. Implement connection logic in packages/datasources-logic
  3. Create the UI form in packages/datasources-ui
  4. Register in backend and frontend

See Creating a Datasource for a step-by-step guide.

Q: Can I customize the UI/branding?​

A: Yes! You can:

  • Modify the React components
  • Change colors and themes via TailwindCSS
  • Replace the logo and favicon
  • Customize layouts and navigation
  • White-label for your organization

Q: Is there a TypeScript version?​

A: The codebase is primarily JavaScript, but TypeScript definitions are available for some packages. You can:

  • Use TypeScript in your custom code
  • Contribute TypeScript migrations
  • Add JSDoc type annotations

Q: How do I test my changes?​

A: Jet Admin includes:

  • Unit tests for critical functions
  • Integration tests for API endpoints
  • E2E tests for key workflows
  • Manual testing guides

Run tests with: npm test

Q: What IDE should I use?​

A: Any modern IDE works, but we recommend:

  • VS Code (most common among contributors)
  • WebStorm
  • Any editor with JavaScript/React support

VS Code extensions recommended:

  • ESLint
  • Prettier
  • React Developer Tools
  • Prisma

Deployment & Infrastructure​

Q: Can I self-host Jet Admin?​

A: Yes! Self-hosting is the primary deployment method. You can deploy on:

  • Your own servers
  • Cloud VMs (AWS EC2, DigitalOcean, etc.)
  • Container platforms (Kubernetes, ECS)
  • PaaS providers (Heroku, Railway, etc.)

Q: Do you offer cloud hosting?​

A: Jet Labs is working on a managed cloud offering. Join the waitlist or contact us for early access.

Q: How do I scale Jet Admin?​

A: Scaling strategies:

  • Vertical: Increase server resources (CPU, RAM)
  • Horizontal: Run multiple backend instances behind a load balancer
  • Database: Use read replicas, connection pooling
  • Caching: Add Redis for session/cache
  • CDN: Serve frontend from CDN

See Scaling Guide for details.

A: For production:

  1. Use Docker Compose or Kubernetes
  2. Deploy backend and frontend separately
  3. Use managed PostgreSQL (RDS, Cloud SQL)
  4. Configure SSL/TLS
  5. Set up monitoring and alerting
  6. Enable automated backups

See Production Checklist.

Q: How do I backup my data?​

A: Backup strategies:

# PostgreSQL backup
pg_dump -U jetadmin jetadmin > backup.sql

# Automated daily backups
0 2 * * * pg_dump -U jetadmin jetadmin | gzip > backup_$(date +\%F).sql.gz

See Backup & Recovery for comprehensive guidance.

Q: Can I deploy to Kubernetes?​

A: Yes! Kubernetes manifests are available. Deployment includes:

  • Frontend Deployment + Service
  • Backend Deployment + Service
  • PostgreSQL StatefulSet (or use managed DB)
  • ConfigMaps for configuration
  • Secrets for sensitive data

Q: What ports need to be open?​

A: Required ports:

  • 80/443: Frontend (HTTP/HTTPS)
  • 8090: Backend API (internal, or exposed directly)
  • 5432: PostgreSQL (internal only, not exposed)

Q: How do I configure SSL/HTTPS?​

A: SSL configuration with Nginx:

server {
  listen 443 ssl;
  ssl_certificate /path/to/cert.pem;
  ssl_certificate_key /path/to/key.pem;
  
  location / {
    proxy_pass http://frontend:80;
  }
  
  location /api/ {
    proxy_pass http://backend:8090;
  }
}

Use Let's Encrypt for free SSL certificates.

Q: Can I use a custom domain?​

A: Yes! Configure your DNS to point to your server and update your Nginx/Apache configuration with the domain name.

Troubleshooting​

Q: Why am I getting a 401 error?​

A: 401 errors indicate authentication issues:

  • Firebase token expired → Refresh page or re-login
  • Invalid Firebase configuration → Check Firebase settings
  • Time synchronization issue → Sync server clock

See Authentication Troubleshooting.

Q: Why can't I connect to my database?​

A: Common causes:

  • Incorrect connection details (host, port, credentials)
  • Firewall blocking connections
  • Database not running
  • Network connectivity issues

See Datasource Troubleshooting.

Q: Why are workflows not executing?​

A: Check:

  • Backend logs for errors
  • Workflow queue is running
  • Node handlers are registered
  • Required datasources are configured

Q: How do I view logs?​

A:

# Docker logs
docker logs jet-admin-backend --tail=100
docker logs jet-admin-frontend --tail=100

# Or view log files
tail -f apps/backend/logs/error.log

Q: Where can I get help?​

A: Support channels:

  • Documentation: Comprehensive guides and references
  • GitHub Issues: Bug reports and feature requests
  • GitHub Discussions: Community Q&A
  • Email Support: For enterprise customers

Licensing & Support​

Q: What license is Jet Admin under?​

A: Jet Admin is licensed under the MIT License, which allows:

  • Commercial use
  • Modification and distribution
  • Private use
  • No warranty or liability

Q: Can I use Jet Admin in a commercial product?​

A: Yes! The MIT License allows commercial use without restrictions. You can:

  • Use it internally for your business
  • Offer it as a managed service
  • Build commercial products on top of it
  • White-label it for clients

Q: Do you offer enterprise support?​

A: Yes! Enterprise support includes:

  • Priority support response
  • Dedicated support channel
  • Custom feature development
  • On-premise deployment assistance
  • Training and onboarding

Contact us for enterprise pricing.

Q: What's included in the free version?​

A: Everything! Jet Admin is fully open-source with:

  • All features unlocked
  • No user limits
  • No datasource limits
  • No workflow limits
  • Community support

Q: How can I support the project?​

A: You can support Jet Admin by:

  • ⭐ Starring the GitHub repository
  • 🐛 Reporting bugs and suggesting features
  • 💻 Contributing code or documentation
  • 📖 Helping others in discussions
  • 📢 Sharing with your network

Still Have Questions?​

Contact Us​