It's not terribly obvious while skimming the page but there are some videos linked via a few of those images ("Basic SQL ▶" etc.) and the author has also uploaded loads of narrated demos over the recent past, prior to releasing the project: https://x.com/ryrobes
If I were to attempt a summary myself... RVBBIT is a SQL-powered relational programming canvas with a visual Clojure REPL and full-stack UI framework.
Project guy here - yes, succinct messaging is an issue I'm working on - there is literally so much there. I've been trying to frame it like an Iceberg - on the above the water level its a nice drag and drop "data canvas" that supports SQL and Clojure nREPL connections (meaning it could be any REPL) that generates code to be tweaked and modded for what you need it for (with some very customizable composition).
But underneath the water line it's almost like a pub/sub reactive value engine - since everything is essentially a named parameter that can be subbed to by the client (by referencing it) and the client will push updates to any subbed clients. So, run a flow - each step in the flow is it's own subbable value - run a solver (arbitrary function) - its a sub value - signals (boolean triggers) also a sub... not to mention other client's UI values... also a subbable value.
It's a deep rabbit hole (pun intended?) of reactive / cascading effects - which is a great fertile ground for interactive dash creation. IMHO data tools want to be feedback loop factories.
This "problem" had been bugging me for a decade. The schism between "Proprietary BI Tools" (quick and inflexible) and just writing things from scratch (slow and wide open). You customers don't know or care what your tools can and can't do - and god forbid your org spent millions on Tableau (or whatever) already - your bed is basically made...
Why can't we have a bit of both - and put some direct-manipulation, Bret Victor-y Twists on it?
I just want to build "nice things" for my users that answer their questions, have some re-usability, lots of interactivity, and be able to check it into source control...
Ended up in this beautiful mutation of Tableau meets Hypercard meets Powerbuilder, etc (I think there is even a little SmallTalk and Lotus Notes in there). It's funny how the ultimate evolution of a dash tool is essentially an internal app builder...
Anyways - so I jumped off the ledge and dedicated an entire year to this - alpha is a bit rough around the edges, but it's def something interesting...
Don't let your dreams be memes - or something like that. :)
refset|1 year ago
If I were to attempt a summary myself... RVBBIT is a SQL-powered relational programming canvas with a visual Clojure REPL and full-stack UI framework.
ryrobes|1 year ago
But underneath the water line it's almost like a pub/sub reactive value engine - since everything is essentially a named parameter that can be subbed to by the client (by referencing it) and the client will push updates to any subbed clients. So, run a flow - each step in the flow is it's own subbable value - run a solver (arbitrary function) - its a sub value - signals (boolean triggers) also a sub... not to mention other client's UI values... also a subbable value.
It's a deep rabbit hole (pun intended?) of reactive / cascading effects - which is a great fertile ground for interactive dash creation. IMHO data tools want to be feedback loop factories.
mnky9800n|1 year ago
ryrobes|1 year ago
Why can't we have a bit of both - and put some direct-manipulation, Bret Victor-y Twists on it?
I just want to build "nice things" for my users that answer their questions, have some re-usability, lots of interactivity, and be able to check it into source control...
Ended up in this beautiful mutation of Tableau meets Hypercard meets Powerbuilder, etc (I think there is even a little SmallTalk and Lotus Notes in there). It's funny how the ultimate evolution of a dash tool is essentially an internal app builder...
Anyways - so I jumped off the ledge and dedicated an entire year to this - alpha is a bit rough around the edges, but it's def something interesting...
Don't let your dreams be memes - or something like that. :)