Skip to content

Mathesar 0.5.0

Want files or cross-table editing in Mathesar? Talk to us!

For our next release, we’re actively working on:

  • better support for working with files in Mathesar
  • the ability to edit data from multiple tables in a single view

If you’re interested in either, we’d love your input so we’re prioritizing the right problems to solve. Talk to us for 20 min, we’ll give you a $25 gift card as a thank you.

Summary

Mathesar 0.5.0 introduces the ability to build and customize forms that allow anyone to submit data directly into your database. This release also updates the default single record view to use a modal instead of a separate page, makes column descriptions more prominent, and automates secret key generation during installation.

This page provides a comprehensive list of all changes in the release.

Improvements

Form builder

Screenshot of a new form in Mathesar.

Create new service requests for a bike shop, choosing from available mechanics.

You can now build and share forms that collect information from anyone, without giving them access to your Mathesar installation. Each form is linked to a table, and submissions are automatically saved as new records. Forms are shared via a unique link, and anyone with access to the link can submit responses.

A screenshot of the new form builder

The new form builder allows respondents to choose from and/or create new linked records.

You can create forms that connect data across multiple tables, choose which fields to include, and control how related data is handled. Respondents can select from existing records or create new ones on the fly, depending on how you set up the form.

Related work: #4556 #4598 #4609 #4637 #4644 #4653 #4657 #4663 #4664 #4665 #4666 #4669 #4671 #4673 #4680 #4681 #4683 #4691 #4694 #4695 #4698 #4699 #4700 #4701 #4704 #4707 #4710 #4711 #4713 #4726 #4727

Single record view modal

alt text

View a customer’s service requests without leaving the table page.

Single record links in the table page now open a modal instead of a separate page. You can still access the full single record page via a link in the modal. This change aims to make it easier for users to review and edit records without losing context.

Related work: #4674 #4659

More prominent column descriptions

alt text

Column headers in the table page now show icons when the column has a description. The description is displayed on hover. This eliminates the need to open the Inspector to see column descriptions.

Related work: #4685

Automatic SECRET_KEY generation during install

We’ve automated generating and persisting the SECRET_KEY variable during the Mathesar installation process. You may also provide your own SECRET_KEY, which will override the automatically generated one.

This simplifies some installation methods by removing the need for a previously fully manual step. However, you must still supply a SECRET_KEY manually when deploying on platforms without a persistent filesystem such as DigitalOcean’s App Platform, to ensure stability across restarts.

Related work: #4597

Clarified “edit” and “rename” actions in some menus

Rename a table

We’ve created a better distinction between actions that involve editing a resource and renaming a resource, for objects like tables, schemas, and forms. This was aimed at improving UX by better reflecting the purpose of the action.

Related work: #4709

Bug Fixes

  • Fix UI delays when changing the table page result size #4686
  • Add a default value for the OIDC_CONFIG_DICT #4667

Maintenance

  • Write 0.5.0 Release notes #4716
  • Update the setuptools package to 78.1.1 #4484
  • Remove a duplicated line from the 0.4.0 release notes #4662 #4668

Upgrading to 0.5.0

For installations using Docker Compose

If you have a Docker compose installation, run the command below:

docker compose -f /etc/mathesar/docker-compose.yml up --pull always -d

Your installation directory may be different

You may need to change /etc/mathesar/ in the command above if you chose to install Mathesar to a different directory.

For direct installations of Mathesar on Linux, macOS, or WSL

Mathesar provides an install script that automates both fresh installs and upgrades for standalone (non-Docker) installations.

Previously referred to as “Installation from scratch”

In versions earlier than 0.3.0, this setup was referred to as “Installation from scratch”.

Follow the steps below to upgrade Mathesar:

  1. Enter your installation directory into the box below and press Enter to personalize this guide:

    • Do not include a trailing slash.
    • Do not use any variables like $HOME.

  2. Go to your Mathesar installation directory.

    cd xMATHESAR_INSTALL_DIRx

    Note

    Your installation directory may be different from above if you used a different directory when installing Mathesar.

  3. Download and run the install script for 0.5.0 

    curl -sSfL https://github.com/mathesar-foundation/mathesar/releases/download/0.5.0/nstall.sh -o install.sh
chmod +x install.sh

./install.sh .

  4. Replace your gunicorn systemd service with a Mathesar systemd service

    1. Disable and stop the existing gunicorn service 

      systemctl disable gunicorn.service
systemctl stop gunicorn.service

    2. Follow the steps in Run Mathesar as a systemd service from the installation guide

    3. Remove the gunicorn service file 

      sudo rm /lib/systemd/system/gunicorn.service

  5. Update your Caddyfile

    1. Use the configuration shown in Install and configure Caddy in the installation guide, and update your Caddyfile accordingly

    2. Ensure that your domains are specified directly in the first line of the Caddyfile

    3. Restart your Caddy service 

      systemctl restart caddy.service

Tip

If you’re running Mathesar only on localhost and do not want it to run as a service, you could:

  1. Remove the gunicorn and caddy services
  2. Start Mathesar manually with: 
    mathesar run