name: Retool Vocabulary
description: >-
  Domain vocabulary for the Retool low-code platform covering key concepts,
  entities, access control terms, and platform capabilities.
version: 1.0.0
created: '2026-05-02'
modified: '2026-05-02'

terms:
  - term: App
    definition: >-
      A visual application built in the Retool editor by combining UI components
      and connecting them to queries against data sources. Apps can be internal
      tools, dashboards, admin panels, or customer-facing embedded applications.
    tags:
      - Core Concept
      - UI

  - term: AppGen
    definition: >-
      AI-powered application generation feature that creates Retool apps from
      natural language descriptions, dramatically accelerating development time.
    tags:
      - AI
      - Feature

  - term: Component
    definition: >-
      A pre-built UI element in the Retool editor such as tables, forms, buttons,
      charts, maps, or custom widgets. Components are dragged onto a canvas and
      configured with data bindings.
    tags:
      - Core Concept
      - UI

  - term: Custom Component
    definition: >-
      A React or HTML/JavaScript component built outside of Retool and embedded
      into the canvas via the Custom Component API. Receives data from the Retool
      application context through a props object.
    tags:
      - Extensibility
      - UI

  - term: Data Source
    definition: >-
      A configured connection to an external database, API, or service that
      powers Retool queries. Retool supports 70+ native integrations including
      PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Snowflake, REST APIs, and GraphQL.
    tags:
      - Core Concept
      - Integration

  - term: End User
    definition: >-
      A user type in Retool with limited access restricted to embedded or
      published applications, as opposed to default users who can access the
      Retool editor and builder tools.
    tags:
      - Access Control
      - User Types

  - term: Folder
    definition: >-
      An organizational container for apps, resources, or workflows. Folders
      support hierarchy through parent-child relationships and can be
      filtered by type.
    tags:
      - Organization
      - Structure

  - term: Group
    definition: >-
      A named collection of users used to manage permissions in bulk. Groups
      control access to apps, resources, and workflows. The "All Users" group
      is a built-in group containing all organization members.
    tags:
      - Access Control
      - Core Concept

  - term: Module
    definition: >-
      A reusable Retool app component that can be embedded in other apps as
      a building block, enabling shared UI patterns across multiple applications.
    tags:
      - Reusability
      - UI

  - term: Permission
    definition: >-
      An access control rule governing whether a user or group can view, edit,
      or use a specific app, resource, workflow, or folder.
    tags:
      - Access Control
      - Security

  - term: Query
    definition: >-
      A call to a data source configured within a Retool app. Queries can be
      SQL statements, REST API calls, GraphQL queries, or native connector
      methods. Queries power the data shown in UI components.
    tags:
      - Core Concept
      - Data

  - term: Resource
    definition: >-
      A saved data source connection configuration (credentials, endpoint,
      settings) that can be shared across multiple apps. Resources are managed
      centrally by administrators.
    tags:
      - Core Concept
      - Integration

  - term: SCIM
    definition: >-
      System for Cross-domain Identity Management (SCIM 2.0) — an industry
      standard protocol for automating user provisioning from identity
      providers like Okta and Azure AD. Available on Retool Enterprise.
    tags:
      - Enterprise
      - Identity
      - Standards

  - term: Self-Hosted
    definition: >-
      A Retool deployment model where the application server runs on the
      customer's own infrastructure (Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, GCP, Azure).
      Self-hosted deployments can connect to internal databases without
      exposing them to the internet.
    tags:
      - Deployment
      - Enterprise

  - term: Space
    definition: >-
      An isolated organizational unit within Retool that separates apps,
      resources, and users from other teams or business units within the
      same Retool instance.
    tags:
      - Enterprise
      - Organization

  - term: SSO
    definition: >-
      Single Sign-On authentication allowing users to access Retool using
      their organization's identity provider (e.g., Google, Okta, Azure AD,
      SAML, OIDC).
    tags:
      - Authentication
      - Enterprise
      - Security

  - term: Workflow
    definition: >-
      An automation definition in Retool that chains API calls, database
      queries, and conditional logic into scheduled or triggered processes.
      Workflows run server-side without a UI.
    tags:
      - Automation
      - Core Concept

  - term: User Type
    definition: >-
      A classification applied to Retool user accounts: 'default' users
      have full access to the Retool editor and builder; 'endUser' accounts
      are restricted to consuming published apps.
    tags:
      - Access Control
      - User Types