Datasette is a great tool for publishing and exploring SQLite databases. But it requires Python, a server process, and deployment if you want to share. PondPilot takes a different approach: everything runs in your browser.
PondPilot vs Datasette
| Datasette | PondPilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | SQLite | DuckDB (columnar, analytical) |
| Runs on | Python server | Browser (WASM) |
| Setup | pip install, configure, run |
Open a URL |
| Data formats | SQLite databases | CSV, Parquet, JSON, DuckDB |
| Deployment | Needs hosting (Vercel, Fly.io, etc.) | Static site, or just use app.pondpilot.io |
| Privacy | Data on server | Data stays in browser |
When to Choose PondPilot
Quick ad-hoc analysis: You have a CSV and want to query it now. No environment setup, no database conversion.
Privacy-sensitive data: PondPilot processes data entirely in the browser. No server sees your data.
Analytical queries: DuckDB is optimized for aggregations, window functions, and analytical workloads. SQLite is row-oriented.
No Python environment: PondPilot is a web app. No dependencies to install.
When Datasette Might Be Better
Publishing data: Datasette excels at publishing datasets as browsable, API-accessible web applications. If you want to share a dataset with a permalink, Datasette’s deployment model is purpose-built for that.
Plugin ecosystem: Datasette has a rich plugin ecosystem for visualizations, authentication, and custom views.
Server-side processing: For very large datasets that don’t fit in browser memory, a server-side tool is necessary.
Embed SQL with PondPilot Widget
Like Datasette’s ability to share queryable data? PondPilot Widget lets you embed interactive SQL snippets in any webpage — readers query data in their browser, no server needed on your end.
Try PondPilot
Open PondPilot — zero setup, free, open source.