I’ve been building web applications for years, and I keep coming back to a simple truth: the best tools are the ones that get out of your way. They let you focus on what matters—your idea, your user, your feature—instead of the plumbing. Recently, I found myself wrestling with a common problem. I had a solid concept for a small application, but the thought of setting up a database, an API layer, and an authentication system felt like a week of work before I could even start. That’s when I decided to try a new approach: putting Vue.js together with Pocketbase. The result was so fast and smooth that I had to share it.
Think about the last time you started a project. How much time did you spend on backend setup before writing your first real feature? For me, it was often half the battle. Pocketbase changes that. It’s a single file you run. Inside that file is a database, a ready-to-use API, user management, and even a place to store files. You don’t need to install separate services or write endless configuration files. You just run it. Then, you point your Vue.js frontend at it. Vue is fantastic for this because it’s built to react to data changes. When your data in Pocketbase updates, your Vue interface can update instantly. It feels like magic, but it’s just smart tooling.
Let’s get practical. How do you start? First, you’d get the Pocketbase executable from their website and run it. It creates a local database file and opens an admin panel in your browser. Here, you can visually create your data tables, which Pocketbase calls “collections.” Let’s say we’re making a simple task manager. You’d create a tasks collection with fields like title (text), completed (boolean), and user (a relation to the users collection). The moment you save this, your API is live. No code required.
Now, the Vue side. You create a new Vue project. To talk to Pocketbase, you’ll need its JavaScript SDK. You can add it to your project with a package manager. Once installed, you initialize it with the address of your running Pocketbase instance. This client is your gateway to everything: data, users, and real-time updates.
Here’s a basic setup in a Vue component. We’ll fetch a list of tasks.
// In your Vue component script setup
import { ref, onMounted } from 'vue';
import PocketBase from 'pocketbase';
const pb = new PocketBase('http://127.0.0.1:8090');
const tasks = ref([]);
const isLoading = ref(true);
const fetchTasks = async () => {
isLoading.value = true;
// This fetches all records from the 'tasks' collection.
// You can add filters, sort, and paginate easily.
const records = await pb.collection('tasks').getFullList();
tasks.value = records;
isLoading.value = false;
};
onMounted(() => {
fetchTasks();
});See how straightforward that is? The pb.collection('tasks') part directly mirrors what you created in the admin UI. You’re querying your database with one line of code. But what about creating a new task? It’s just as simple. You might have a form in your template. When submitted, the handler would look like this:
const newTaskTitle = ref('');
const handleSubmit = async () => {
if (!newTaskTitle.value.trim()) return;
// Create a new record in the 'tasks' collection
const data = {
"title": newTaskTitle.value,
"completed": false,
"user": pb.authStore.model.id // Assign to the logged-in user
};
await pb.collection('tasks').create(data);
newTaskTitle.value = ''; // Clear the input
await fetchTasks(); // Refresh the list
};This is where the combination starts to feel powerful. You have a full create, read, update, and delete (CRUD) backend operating through a clean, simple JavaScript interface. But we’re just scratching the surface. What if you want the task list to update the second someone else adds a task, without refreshing the page? This is the real-time part, and it’s a game-changer for features like live notifications or collaborative apps.
Pocketbase lets you subscribe to changes in a collection. When something changes—a new record, an update, a deletion—your Vue app can know immediately. Here’s how you might set up a subscription in the same component:
onMounted(() => {
fetchTasks();
// Subscribe to real-time updates in the 'tasks' collection
pb.collection('tasks').subscribe('*', function (e) {
console.log('Real-time event:', e.action, e.record);
// e.action can be 'create', 'update', or 'delete'
// Based on the action, update your local `tasks` array reactively
fetchTasks(); // A simple way: re-fetch. For better performance, you'd update the specific item.
});
});
// Don't forget to unsubscribe when the component is destroyed
onUnmounted(() => {
pb.collection('tasks').unsubscribe('*');
});With this in place, your task list is alive. If you open another browser tab and add a task, it appears in the first tab instantly. Vue’s reactive system (tasks.value) handles the UI update for you. You’ve built a real-time feature with a handful of lines. Isn’t it interesting how much complexity is handled for you?
User authentication is another area where this stack shines. Pocketbase has a built-in auth system. In your Vue app, logging a user in is a single function call:
const login = async (email, password) => {
try {
const authData = await pb.collection('users').authWithPassword(email, password);
// User is now logged in. pb.authStore contains the token and user model.
console.log('Logged in as:', pb.authStore.model.email);
return authData;
} catch (error) {
console.error('Login failed:', error);
return null;
}
};After this, the Pocketbase client will automatically send the authentication token with every subsequent API request. You can protect your API rules right inside the Pocketbase admin UI, controlling who can see or edit data. This means you can secure your application’s data without writing a single line of backend auth logic.
So, what are you giving up for this speed? Pocketbase uses SQLite, which is incredibly robust but may not scale horizontally like a distributed NoSQL database for millions of concurrent users. For prototypes, internal tools, small SaaS products, and even mid-sized applications, it’s more than capable. The benefit is the incredible development speed and the reduction in mental overhead. You’re not managing servers, containers, or complex cloud services. You build your Vue frontend and run your Pocketbase backend. Deployment can be as simple as putting these two pieces on a single virtual server.
I moved from thinking about infrastructure to building features in an afternoon. The feeling of momentum is incredible. This combination proves that you don’t need the most complex stack to build a modern, reactive, and full-featured application. You just need the right tools that work together simply.
Have you tried a similar approach? What kind of app could you build if the backend setup took minutes instead of days? I’d love to hear your thoughts. If this perspective on streamlined development resonated with you, please share it with someone else who might be stuck in setup hell. Let me know in the comments what you’re planning to build.
As a best-selling author, I invite you to explore my books on Amazon. Don’t forget to follow me on Medium and show your support. Thank you! Your support means the world!
101 Books
101 Books is an AI-driven publishing company co-founded by author Aarav Joshi. By leveraging advanced AI technology, we keep our publishing costs incredibly low—some books are priced as low as $4—making quality knowledge accessible to everyone.
Check out our book Golang Clean Code available on Amazon.
Stay tuned for updates and exciting news. When shopping for books, search for Aarav Joshi to find more of our titles. Use the provided link to enjoy special discounts!
📘 Checkout my latest ebook for free on my channel!
Be sure to like, share, comment, and subscribe to the channel!
Our Creations
Be sure to check out our creations:
Investor Central | Investor Central Spanish | Investor Central German | Smart Living | Epochs & Echoes | Puzzling Mysteries | Hindutva | Elite Dev | JS Schools
We are on Medium
Tech Koala Insights | Epochs & Echoes World | Investor Central Medium | Puzzling Mysteries Medium | Science & Epochs Medium | Modern Hindutva
