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Overview

AirBridge is a local-first desktop application for backing up, inspecting, validating, and restoring Airtable bases.

Problem

Many teams use Airtable as an operational database for campaigns, workflows, assets, CRM-like processes, internal tools, content operations, project tracking, and no-code systems. These bases often become critical infrastructure, but teams may lack a practical local backup and restore process.

Common problems include:

  • No easy local archive of a base.
  • Limited visibility into what a backup contains.
  • Unclear restore behavior.
  • Hard-to-reproduce schema and linked-record structures.
  • Manual export workflows that lose metadata.
  • Risky restore attempts without dry-run reports.

AirBridge approach

AirBridge focuses on a conservative, transparent workflow:

  1. Connect to Airtable with a Personal Access Token.
  2. Select a base.
  3. Create a local .airbridge backup package.
  4. Inspect and validate the package.
  5. Generate a restore plan.
  6. Restore into a new or empty destination base.
  7. Produce a restore report with created, skipped, partial, and failed items.

Key design principles

  • Local-first by default.
  • No telemetry in v0.1.
  • No destructive restore operations in v0.1.
  • Explicit dry-run before restore.
  • Transparent limitation reporting.
  • Documented backup package format.
  • Clear field compatibility matrix.
  • Safe handling of credentials and logs.

Primary users

AirBridge is designed for:

  • Operations teams using Airtable as a workflow database.
  • No-code builders maintaining business-critical bases.
  • Internal tools teams that need exportable archives.
  • Consultants and agencies who manage Airtable systems.
  • Developers who want inspectable local backup packages.

Scope summary

AirBridge v0.1 includes backup, inspect, validate, dry-run, and restore to new or empty base.

AirBridge v0.1 excludes scheduled backup, cloud sync, merge restore, overwrite restore, full attachment restore, automation restore, interface restore, and permission cloning.