FAQ

How is this different from a hosted tool like Retool or Forest Admin?

Those route your database queries through vendor infrastructure. Lizard is self-hosted — you run the process, on your own infrastructure, so credentials and query data never pass through a third-party proxy.

Does Lizard modify my database schema?

No. Lizard never issues DDL against your databases and never writes anything into them. All of its own state — connections, overrides, virtual relationships, dashboards, the audit log — lives in a local SQLite file it owns.

Do I need an AI provider API key to use Lizard?

LIZARD_ENCRYPTION_KEY is the only strictly required environment variable — it encrypts stored database passwords and Lizard refuses to start without it. An AI provider key (ANTHROPIC_API_KEY by default, or OpenAI/Google) enables natural-language querying and prompt-driven charts specifically; it doesn't gate browsing or CRUD.

Does my query data get sent to the AI provider?

Row-level results, no. During planning, the model only ever receives schema metadata — a name-only table/column skeleton, plus whatever search_schema, describe_table, and get_relations return (names, types, comments, FK relations — never row data). The model's involvement ends when it calls the terminal submit_plan tool; the query then executes afterward through the SQL Guard, and the result rows stream directly to your browser — they're never sent back through another model call.

Can the AI write or delete data?

No. AI-generated queries only ever run as read-only SELECT statements, validated by the SQL Guard, on the read-only lizard_read role. Writes only happen through CRUD forms, using a separate lizard_write role with parameterized queries — the AI path can't reach it. See the security model for the full guarantee.

Which databases are supported?

Postgres, MySQL, and MongoDB today, mixed freely in the same instance. SQLite is on the roadmap, behind the same driver abstraction.

What license is Lizard released under?

Lizard's source is public on GitHub — check the repository for the current license and terms.