Databases¶
The kit doesn't force a database on you. Pick a tier by setting database.backend in research-config.yml, then re-run ./setup.sh. Start at Tier 0 and move up only when you actually need to.
| Tier | backend |
Server? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | files |
none | most projects; qualitative or small tabular data |
| 1 | sqlite / duckdb |
none (local file) | structured tabular data, pandas/SQL queries |
| 2 | directus-local |
Docker (localhost) | a full admin UI + API + MCP, self-hosted and free |
| 3 | managed |
hosted | teams / production; any host you like |
This mirrors the pluggable-backends diagram in Concepts. The full walkthrough for each tier — including the Docker Directus setup and MCP wiring — lives in docs/database.md, which stays the single source of truth for this content so it doesn't drift out of sync.