# Platform Overview

The Business Platform is a multi-tenant web application platform for building business tools without starting from scratch. It gives you a configurable widget-based UI, workflow automation, real-time offline-capable data sync, and file storage — all in one system.

## What you can build

| Use case | Examples |
|---|---|
| Internal business tools | CRM, project management, time tracking, inventory |
| Data management | Forms, data entry, import/export workflows |
| Workflow automation | Approval flows, notifications, data processing pipelines |
| Public-facing apps | Company websites, landing pages, content portals |

## How it works

**Applications** are the top-level unit. Each application has pages, and each page is assembled from widgets. Widgets are composable UI components — there are widgets for displaying data, editing forms, filtering lists, navigation, and more.

**Data types** define the structure of your data (like a CRM contact or a support ticket). You create data types in the backoffice and they automatically get associated input, view, and filter widgets.

**Actions** are automated workflows. You connect triggers (e.g., "when a record is saved") to blocks (e.g., "send an email" or "call an API") using a visual flow editor.

**Storage** handles file uploads and attachments. Files are stored in S3-compatible storage or SharePoint; the database only holds metadata.

## Architecture highlights

- **Local-first**: data is cached in the browser and syncs in the background. Applications stay usable without internet access.
- **Multi-tenant**: each project/organization has fully isolated data.
- **Real-time**: changes from other users appear automatically via SignalDB incremental sync.
- **Widget-based**: the UI is assembled from a library of pre-built, configurable widgets — no custom frontend code needed for most use cases.

## Two ways to use this platform

**As a business user or admin** — you configure applications, manage data types, set up workflows, and manage users entirely through the backoffice UI. No coding required.

**As a developer** — you extend the platform: build custom widgets, write custom Action blocks, integrate external APIs, and deploy new application types.

→ **Admins:** start with [For Admins](/getting-started/for-admins)

→ **Developers:** start with [For Developers](/getting-started/for-developers)