Google Looker
Modern BI platform for governed data modeling and dashboards
Apache Superset
Enterprise‑grade, web‑based data exploration and visualization platform
Superset lets analysts build interactive charts without code, run advanced SQL queries, define metrics in a lightweight semantic layer, and assemble dynamic dashboards, all while supporting any SQL‑compatible database.
Overview
Overview
Superset is a modern, web‑based data exploration and visualization platform designed for enterprise teams. It offers a no‑code chart builder for quick visual insights, a full‑featured SQL editor for advanced analysts, and a lightweight semantic layer to define reusable metrics and dimensions.
Capabilities & Deployment
The platform connects to any SQL‑compatible datastore via Python DB‑API drivers and SQLAlchemy dialects, supporting engines such as Presto, Trino, Athena, PostgreSQL, and more. Visualizations range from basic bar charts to complex geospatial maps, all configurable through an intuitive UI. Superset includes a configurable caching layer to reduce database load, role‑based access control, and extensible authentication (LDAP, OAuth, OpenID). For automation, a RESTful API and plugin system let developers add custom visualizations or integrate with CI pipelines. Deployment options include the official Docker image, Helm chart for Kubernetes, or traditional source installation, enabling cloud‑native scaling or on‑premise hosting.
Highlights
No‑code chart builder for rapid visualization
Powerful web‑based SQL editor for advanced queries
Extensible security roles and multiple authentication methods
Cloud‑native architecture with Docker and Helm deployment options
Pros
- Broad compatibility with any SQL‑compatible database
- Rich library of visualizations, including geospatial charts
- Strong community support and extensible plugin system
- Flexible deployment: Docker, Helm, or source install
Considerations
- Self‑hosting requires operational overhead and maintenance
- User interface can be complex for beginners
- Advanced features assume familiarity with SQL and Python
- Limited native support for non‑SQL data sources
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Fit guide
Great for
- Data‑driven organizations seeking a self‑hosted BI solution
- Teams that need custom security roles and fine‑grained access control
- Developers wanting API‑driven dashboard automation
- Companies with existing SQL data warehouses looking for extensibility
Not ideal when
- Small teams preferring a turnkey SaaS BI platform
- Users requiring out‑of‑the‑box machine‑learning integration
- Organizations without SQL expertise or resources to manage infrastructure
- Projects that rely heavily on native NoSQL visualizations
How teams use it
Self‑service analytics for marketing
Marketers create campaign performance dashboards without writing code.
Operational monitoring for engineering
Engineers build real‑time dashboards from logs stored in Presto.
Executive reporting
Executives view curated KPI dashboards refreshed via the caching layer.
Custom data product
Product teams expose an API to embed visualizations in internal tools.
Tech snapshot
TypeScript45%
Python37%
Jupyter Notebook8%
JavaScript6%
HTML4%
Shell1%
Frequently asked questions
What databases does Superset support?
Any database with a Python DB‑API driver and a SQLAlchemy dialect, including Presto, Trino, Athena, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Snowflake, and many others.
How is Superset deployed?
Superset can be run via the official Docker image, Helm chart for Kubernetes, or installed from source on any Linux environment.
Is there a no‑code way to create charts?
Yes, the visual chart builder lets users select a dataset, choose a visualization type, and configure options through a drag‑and‑drop UI.
Can I extend Superset with custom visualizations?
Superset’s plugin architecture allows developers to add new viz plugins using React and TypeScript.
What security mechanisms are available?
Superset supports role‑based access control, LDAP, OAuth, OpenID Connect, and can integrate with external authentication providers.
Project at a glance
Active- Stars
- 70,157
- Watchers
- 70,157
- Forks
- 16,549
LicenseApache-2.0
Repo age10 years old
Last commityesterday
Primary languageTypeScript
Last synced yesterday