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Briefer

Collaborative notebooks and dashboards powered by Python, SQL, AI.

Analytics & BI Platforms

Briefer lets technical teams create, share, and schedule interactive notebooks and dashboards using Markdown, Python, SQL, native visualizations, and AI‑generated code, all with real‑time collaboration.

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Overview

Overview

Briefer is a web‑based platform that lets technical users build notebooks and dashboards in a single workspace. Write Markdown for documentation, Python for data manipulation and custom visualizations, and SQL for data extraction. Native visualizations let you create charts without code, while AI‑assisted generation can draft queries and scripts based on your schema and notebook context. Interactive inputs such as dropdowns and date pickers turn notebooks into lightweight data apps that anyone can explore.

Deployment & Collaboration

Run Briefer locally with a single pip install briefer command; the installer pulls the required Docker image and sets up persistent volumes. Alternatively, launch the official Docker image directly. The system supports PostgreSQL, BigQuery, Redshift, Athena, and MySQL connections, and you can upload arbitrary files. Real‑time multiplayer editing lets multiple team members work on the same page simultaneously, and scheduled runs keep dashboards up‑to‑date. Free deployment assistance is available for teams that need help getting started.

Highlights

Markdown, Python, and SQL cells with native visualizations
AI‑assisted code and query generation
Interactive data apps with inputs, dropdowns, and date pickers
Real‑time multiplayer editing and scheduling

Pros

  • Flexible language support (Python + SQL) for data manipulation
  • Integrated AI helps generate code quickly
  • Real‑time collaboration reduces hand‑off friction
  • Simple self‑hosted deployment via pip or Docker

Considerations

  • Requires Docker, adding infrastructure overhead
  • Limited to supported databases (PostgreSQL, BigQuery, Redshift, Athena, MySQL)
  • UI may be less polished than mature BI tools
  • Advanced visualizations often need custom Python code

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Looking for a hosted option? These are the services engineering teams benchmark against before choosing open source.

Fit guide

Great for

  • Data teams that need both analysis and reporting in one place
  • Engineers building internal data apps with interactive controls
  • Organizations preferring self‑hosted solutions for security
  • Teams that benefit from AI‑assisted query writing

Not ideal when

  • Users seeking a pure drag‑and‑drop BI tool without coding
  • Small teams without Docker or Python expertise
  • Projects requiring out‑of‑the‑box enterprise BI connectors
  • Scenarios where a hosted SaaS offering is mandatory

How teams use it

Monthly sales performance dashboard

Automated data pulls, Python‑driven calculations, and interactive filters keep leadership updated without manual reporting.

Customer churn prediction notebook

Combine SQL data extraction with machine‑learning models in Python, then schedule nightly runs to monitor churn risk.

Internal API data explorer

Fetch API data, join with warehouse tables, and expose as a searchable dashboard for product teams.

Ad‑hoc data pipeline testing

Write write‑back scripts in notebooks, execute them on demand, and collaborate in real time to validate pipeline changes.

Tech snapshot

TypeScript97%
Python1%
Dockerfile1%
CSS1%
JavaScript1%
PLpgSQL1%

Tags

analyticsdata-visualizationbrieferbipostgresqljupyternotebookvisualizationbigquerydata-analysisdashboardreportingpostgresbusinessintelligencebusiness-intelligence

Frequently asked questions

How do I install Briefer?

Install via pip with `pip install briefer`; the installer pulls the required Docker image and sets up data volumes.

Do I need Docker to run Briefer?

Yes, Docker is required for the runtime environment, whether you use the pip installer or run the Docker image directly.

Which databases can Briefer connect to?

Briefer supports PostgreSQL, BigQuery, Redshift, Athena, and MySQL connections.

Can multiple users edit the same notebook simultaneously?

Yes, Briefer offers real‑time multiplayer editing so collaborators see each other's changes instantly.

Is there a hosted cloud version of Briefer?

A cloud version is available; you can also request free assistance to deploy a self‑hosted instance.

Project at a glance

Stable
Visit siteView repo
Stars
4,280
Watchers
4,280
Forks
293
LicenseAGPL-3.0
Repo age1 year old
Last commit5 months ago
Primary languageTypeScript

Last synced 3 hours ago