pocketbase/pocketbase
Dimensions
Interface surface 3 solid [library] The public API is statically typed (py.typed, type declarations, a typed language).
Can another program use it through a documented, machine-readable surface?
- next: [service] L2 A contract exists: a checked-in OpenAPI/GraphQL/protobuf/AsyncAPI spec, a framework-generated spec, MCP tool schemas, or a standard application protocol that off-the-shelf clients speak (RESP, MQTT, gRPC, PostgreSQL wire, …). (no machine-readable contract)
- next: [cli] L1 Invocable non-interactively: no prompts, or prompts guarded by a TTY check or a --yes/--no-input option. (prompts without a non-TTY guard: ui/src/fields/bool/input.js, ui/src/fields/date/input.js, ui/src/fields/editor/input.js)
- next: [library] L4 An API reference is generated from the code (autodoc, mkdocstrings, typedoc, …). (no generated API reference)
cli ladder · level 0
- ✗ L1 Invocable non-interactively: no prompts, or prompts guarded by a TTY check or a --yes/--no-input option. prompts without a non-TTY guard: ui/src/fields/bool/input.js, ui/src/fields/date/input.js, ui/src/fields/editor/input.js
- ✓ L2 --help documents every option (at least 90% of options have help text). pocketbase.go 6 matches
- ✗ L3 Machine-readable output (--json/--format) and documented exit statuses. no --json/--format option
- ✗ L4 The output format is specified by a JSON Schema. no JSON Schema for the output
library ladder · level 3
- ✓ L1 An importable, packaged API exists. go.mod Go module with exported packages
- ✓ L2 The public API is delimited (__all__, an exports map, exported identifiers). go.mod exported identifiers
- ✓ L3 The public API is statically typed (py.typed, type declarations, a typed language). go.mod statically typed language
- ✗ L4 An API reference is generated from the code (autodoc, mkdocstrings, typedoc, …). no generated API reference
service ladder · level 1
- ✓ L1 A network surface exists: HTTP routes, an MCP server, or a standard protocol listener. apis/record_auth.go go-http: 96 route declarations
- ✗ L2 A contract exists: a checked-in OpenAPI/GraphQL/protobuf/AsyncAPI spec, a framework-generated spec, MCP tool schemas, or a standard application protocol that off-the-shelf clients speak (RESP, MQTT, gRPC, PostgreSQL wire, …). no machine-readable contract
- ✗ L3 A contract covers its transport: an HTTP contract covers at least 80% of declared routes (generated contracts do), or the application layer over a standard protocol (commands, topics, payloads) is specified in a protocol document or AsyncAPI. no contract
- ✗ L4 A second surface: another transport (HTTP and a protocol, two protocols), an MCP server, a CLI with JSON output, or an SDK. only one programmatic surface
Contract stability 2 partial A changelog exists and marks breaking changes.
Can integrators rely on it not changing under them?
- next: L3 A deprecation mechanism is used in code (warnings, @deprecated, Deprecation/Sunset headers) or the API is versioned. (no deprecation mechanism or API versioning)
all ladder · level 2
- ✓ L1 Releases are versioned (semver tags or versioned changelog sections). 294 semver tags, latest v0.22.56
- ✓ L2 A changelog exists and marks breaking changes. CHANGELOG.md marks breaking changes
- ✗ L3 A deprecation mechanism is used in code (warnings, @deprecated, Deprecation/Sunset headers) or the API is versioned. no deprecation mechanism or API versioning
- ✓ L4 Across tagged releases, no OpenAPI operation, CLI option or __all__ symbol was removed without first being deprecated. 20 tagged releases compared
Events 2 partial Webhooks sent by this system, or a streaming endpoint (SSE, WebSocket).
Can others react to state changes without polling?
- next: L3 Signed webhooks registrable through the API, or two mechanisms (webhooks, streams, a broker). (one delivery mechanism, or webhooks that are unsigned or not registrable through the API)
service ladder · level 2
- ✓ L1 Internal events exist (signals, queues, an outbox, emitters). apis/realtime.go 1 match
- ✓ L2 Webhooks sent by this system, or a streaming endpoint (SSE, WebSocket). apis/realtime.go 1 match
- ✗ L3 Signed webhooks registrable through the API, or two mechanisms (webhooks, streams, a broker). one delivery mechanism, or webhooks that are unsigned or not registrable through the API
- ✗ L4 Events are described by AsyncAPI or CloudEvents. no AsyncAPI or CloudEvents contract
Identity 3 solid [cli] No output or log statement includes a credential.
Can a machine act with its own revocable, least-privilege identity?
- next: [service] L2 Per-client, revocable credentials (managed API keys, service accounts) or OAuth2. (no managed keys or OAuth)
- next: [cli] L4 Several profiles or scoped credentials per target. (no credential profiles)
- next: [library] L4 Several profiles or scoped credentials per target. (no credential profiles)
cli ladder · level 3
- ✓ L1 Credentials can be supplied non-interactively (environment variables). tools/auth/oidc.go 1 match
- ✓ L2 Credentials never need to be on the command line, and their environment variables are documented. CHANGELOG_23_39.md 2 matches
- ✓ L3 No output or log statement includes a credential. no credential in print/log statements
- ✗ L4 Several profiles or scoped credentials per target. no credential profiles
library ladder · level 3
- ✓ L1 Credentials can be supplied non-interactively (environment variables). tools/auth/oidc.go 1 match
- ✓ L2 The credential environment variables are documented. CHANGELOG_23_39.md 2 matches
- ✓ L3 No output or log statement includes a credential. no credential in print/log statements
- ✗ L4 Several profiles or scoped credentials per target. no credential profiles
service ladder · level 1
- ✓ L1 Programmatic authentication (bearer tokens, API keys). go.mod 1 matchcore/record_tokens.go 1 match
- ✗ L2 Per-client, revocable credentials (managed API keys, service accounts) or OAuth2. no managed keys or OAuth
- ✓ L3 Credentials carry scopes or permissions. tools/auth/base_provider.go 3 matchestools/auth/gitee.go 3 matches
- ✓ L4 Standard provisioning or federation (OIDC client credentials, SCIM). tools/auth/oidc.go 9 matchesui/src/collections/collectionChangesConfirmationModal.js 7 matches
Data portability 4 exemplary The export format is documented and the round trip is tested.
Can its data get in and out, in bulk, in open formats, with an explicit schema?
all ladder · level 4
- ✓ L1 The data schema is explicit (migrations, DDL, schema files). migrations/1640988000_aux_init.gomigrations/1640988000_init.go
- ✓ L2 An export exists (endpoint or command, not only the UI). apis/backup.go 4 matchesapis/backup_create.go 1 match
- ✓ L3 A bulk export in an open format, and a bulk import. ui/src/mimeTypes.js 6 matchesapis/backup.go 1 match
- ✓ L4 The export format is documented and the round trip is tested. CHANGELOG_16_22.md 2 matchesCHANGELOG_23_39.md 2 matches
Agent ergonomics 1 ad hoc [service] Errors are machine-readable: consistent JSON over HTTP, or a standard protocol's native error replies (RESP errors, MQTT reason codes, gRPC status, SQLSTATE).
Can an automated caller use it without guessing, and recover from failure?
- next: [service] L2 Field-level validation errors, and paginated lists. (no request validation)
- next: [cli] L1 Never blocks on a prompt when stdin is not a TTY. (prompts without a non-TTY guard: ui/src/fields/bool/input.js, ui/src/fields/date/input.js, ui/src/fields/editor/input.js)
- next: [library] L1 Errors are specific exception types, and library code never calls sys.exit. (no exception classes)
cli ladder · level 0
- ✗ L1 Never blocks on a prompt when stdin is not a TTY. prompts without a non-TTY guard: ui/src/fields/bool/input.js, ui/src/fields/date/input.js, ui/src/fields/editor/input.js
- ✓ L2 Data on stdout, diagnostics on stderr, non-zero exit on failure. plugins/jsvm/internal/types/types.go 3 matchestools/filesystem/blob/bucket.go 2 matches
- ✗ L3 Documented exit statuses distinguish error classes, errors are JSON in JSON mode, and color is off when not a TTY. exit statuses aren't documented
- ✗ L4 --dry-run, limits for long or costly operations (timeouts, budgets), and agent docs. no --dry-run
library ladder · level 0
- ✗ L1 Errors are specific exception types, and library code never calls sys.exit. no exception classes
- ✓ L2 Inputs are validated with messages naming the bad argument. ui/src/router.js 3 matchesui/src/base/leaflet.js 1 match
- ✗ L3 Timeouts and retries are configurable. no retry parameter
- ✗ L4 Agent docs, and examples that run as tests (doctests). no agent docs
service ladder · level 1
- ✓ L1 Errors are machine-readable: consistent JSON over HTTP, or a standard protocol's native error replies (RESP errors, MQTT reason codes, gRPC status, SQLSTATE). ui/src/base/tinymce.js 3 matches
- ✗ L2 Field-level validation errors, and paginated lists. no request validation
- ✗ L3 Typed errors (RFC 9457 over HTTP, or a standard protocol's typed error codes), idempotent writes (Idempotency-Key), and rate-limit signals. no typed errors
- ✗ L4 Dry-run or validate-only, conditional requests, and agent docs. no agent docs
Embeddability 3 solid [library] Published to a public registry, with at most 10 runtime dependencies.
Can another system run and compose it without a human?
- next: [service] L2 Configured through environment variables, documented: a .env example, a config schema, or docs naming at least half of the variables the code reads. (the environment variables aren't documented)
- next: [cli] L3 Published to a public registry and run non-interactively in CI. (the command isn't run in CI)
- next: [library] L4 Optional features behind extras/features. (no optional extras)
cli ladder · level 2
- ✓ L1 Runnable from source (a declared entry point). plugins/jsvm/internal/types/types.go go main
- ✓ L2 Installable as a package that provides the command. plugins/jsvm/internal/types/types.go go main
- ✗ L3 Published to a public registry and run non-interactively in CI. the command isn't run in CI
- ✓ L4 Also shipped as a container image or a single binary. .goreleaser.yaml
library ladder · level 3
- ✓ L1 Importable from source. go.mod Go module with exported packages
- ✓ L2 Installable as a package (a package manifest). go.mod package manifest
- ✓ L3 Published to a public registry, with at most 10 runtime dependencies. .github/workflows/release.yaml 8 matches 2 runtime dependencies
- ✗ L4 Optional features behind extras/features. no optional extras
service ladder · level 1
- ✓ L1 Runnable from source with documented steps (a README with commands). README.md
- ✗ L2 Configured through environment variables, documented: a .env example, a config schema, or docs naming at least half of the variables the code reads. the environment variables aren't documented
- ✗ L3 A container image. no Dockerfile
- ✗ L4 Composition artifacts (compose, Helm, IaC). no compose/Helm/IaC
Extensibility 0 absent Not yet: Internal seams: a registry, registration function or plugin manager.
Can behaviour be added without modifying the code?
- next: L1 Internal seams: a registry, registration function or plugin manager. (no registry or registration function)
all ladder · level 0
- ✗ L1 Internal seams: a registry, registration function or plugin manager. no registry or registration function
- ✗ L2 The docs show how to add behaviour through those seams (even in-tree). no registration functions to document
- ✗ L3 Out-of-tree extensions are discovered (entry points, a plugin directory, configuration) without editing the package. extensions must be added inside the package
- ✗ L4 The extension API is versioned, has lifecycle hooks, and has example extensions. the extension API isn't versioned
Observability 1 ad hoc [service] A health or readiness endpoint, or a container healthcheck.
Can an operator, or an orchestrating agent, tell whether it works and why not?
- next: [service] L2 Structured logs. (no structured logging)
- next: [cli] L2 Verbosity control for diagnostics (--quiet, --log-level, --debug). (no --quiet or log-level control)
- next: [library] L1 Logs through a standard logger namespace and never prints from library code. (library code prints: plugins/jsvm/internal/types/generated/types.d.ts)
cli ladder · level 1
- ✓ L1 Meaningful exit statuses, and errors on stderr. plugins/jsvm/internal/types/types.go 3 matchestools/filesystem/blob/bucket.go 2 matches
- ✗ L2 Verbosity control for diagnostics (--quiet, --log-level, --debug). no --quiet or log-level control
- ✗ L3 Structured logs (e.g. --log-format json) or a machine-readable run summary. no structured diagnostics
- ✗ L4 Tracing hooks (OpenTelemetry). no tracing hooks
library ladder · level 0
- ✗ L1 Logs through a standard logger namespace and never prints from library code. library code prints: plugins/jsvm/internal/types/generated/types.d.ts
- ✗ L2 Log levels are used meaningfully (at least two levels). fewer than two log levels used
- ✗ L3 Optional metrics or tracing hooks. no metrics or tracing hooks
- ✗ L4 OpenTelemetry instrumentation available. no OpenTelemetry instrumentation
service ladder · level 1
- ✓ L1 A health or readiness endpoint, or a container healthcheck. apis/health.go 1 match
- ✗ L2 Structured logs. no structured logging
- ✗ L3 Metrics. no metrics
- ✗ L4 Distributed tracing (OpenTelemetry). no tracing
Change legibility 2 partial CI runs the tests; applications pin dependencies (libraries and zero-dependency projects are exempt).
Can an agent change it safely with limited context?
- next: L3 At least 90% of modules fit 32k tokens and no file exceeds 12k; test/source token ratio at least 0.3; at least 70% of the code is typed. (90% of modules fit 32k tokens; 5 files over 12k; 65% of code is typed (< 70%))
all ladder · level 2
- ✓ L1 A README and some tests. README.mdapis/backup_test.go 195 test files
- ✓ L2 CI runs the tests; applications pin dependencies (libraries and zero-dependency projects are exempt). .github/workflows/release.yaml library or zero-dependency project: lockfile not required
- ✗ L3 At least 90% of modules fit 32k tokens and no file exceeds 12k; test/source token ratio at least 0.3; at least 70% of the code is typed. 90% of modules fit 32k tokens; 5 files over 12k; 65% of code is typed (< 70%)
- ✗ L4 No import cycles, and agent docs (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, llms.txt). no agent docs (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, llms.txt)
Make or buy
Make with agents
4,359,191 output + 108,979,775 input tokens
on anthropic:claude-opus-5-5 ≈ $171.
48.4 agent-hours · 137.1 human days (42.4 steering + 94.7 rediscovering history).
$106,842 over 3 years
Buy (adopt as is)
2 min to running (via library) + 10 min to first use (via library).
120 min/year of upgrades; price $0/year.
$416 over 3 years
Buying wins below $35,476 per year. How this is estimated.
Classic COCOMO vs neosloc value
Classic COCOMO (sloccount)
75.44 KSLOC → 224.8 person-months over 19.6 months.
$2.5M
The effort to write it by hand, as COCOMO priced it in 1981.
neosloc value (neoCOCOMO)
Reproduce with agents: 45.7 PM (×0.2 of classic; 77% of behaviour captured by tests, contract and docs).
Rediscover uncaptured history: 4.5 PM (375 fixes in 2420 commits by 45 authors).
× leverage 1.01 (integrability) × obsolescence 0.95.
$544k (48.3 PM)
What survives
22% of the classic figure
9% of the replacement cost lives only in code and history.
History
| Evaluated | Commit | neosloc | Index | Make or buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-12 | 6f370ea741f3 | 0.8.0 | 2.10 | buy |
| 2026-10-07 | 5cec579da984 | 0.8.0 | 2.10 | buy |
| 2026-10-07 | 5cec579da984 | 0.7.4 | 2.10 | buy |
| 2026-10-07 | 5cec579da984 | 0.7.3 | 2.10 | buy |
| 2026-10-07 | 5cec579da984 | 0.7.2 | 2.10 | buy |