{"version":1,"type":"story","url":"https://digestai.news/story/datasette-agent-adds-panel-feature-for-database-backed-app-editing","json":"https://digestai.news/story/datasette-agent-adds-panel-feature-for-database-backed-app-editing.json","markdown":"https://digestai.news/story/datasette-agent-adds-panel-feature-for-database-backed-app-editing.md","slug":"datasette-agent-adds-panel-feature-for-database-backed-app-editing","headline":"Datasette Agent adds panel feature for database-backed app editing","summary":"Simon Willison released version 0.5a0 of **Datasette Agent**, a tool that lets users chat with an AI agent alongside database-backed apps built with **Datasette-apps**. The new **panel** feature allows agents to create and modify apps directly from a chat interface, with the app displayed in a side panel for real-time interaction.\n\nThe demo shows an agent building an **LLM Price Explorer** app, generating a dark-themed interface with cost comparisons for 185 models from 12 providers. Prices range from $0.042 per million tokens (Jev 1.13) to $300.00 (o1 Pro). Users can sign in via GitHub to try it live at [agent.datasette.io](https://agent.datasette.io/). This release bridges chat-based AI with hands-on database app development.","keyPoints":["Datasette Agent 0.5a0 adds a **panel** feature for side-by-side app editing and chat","Users can build and modify database-backed apps via AI prompts in the same interface","Demo shows an **LLM Price Explorer** comparing 185 models with costs from $0.042 to $300"],"whyItMatters":"This combines AI-driven app creation with live database interaction, useful for developers and analysts who need to prototype tools without coding from scratch.","category":{"slug":"agents","name":"Agents & Tools","url":"https://digestai.news/category/agents"},"entities":{"companies":["Datasette"],"models":[],"people":["Simon Willison"]},"firstPublishedAt":"2026-11-03T23:13:45Z","updatedAt":"2026-11-03T23:13:45Z","sourceCount":1,"hasPrimarySource":false,"sources":[{"outlet":"Simon Willison","title":"datasette-agent 0.5a0","url":"https://simonwillison.net/2026/Nov/3/datasette-agent","publishedAt":"2026-11-03T23:13:45Z","type":"newsletter","primary":false,"lead":true}],"sourceNotes":null,"discussions":[],"thread":null,"cite":{"text":"Digest AI, \"Datasette Agent adds panel feature for database-backed app editing\", 3 November 2026, https://digestai.news/story/datasette-agent-adds-panel-feature-for-database-backed-app-editing","publisher":"Digest AI","title":"Datasette Agent adds panel feature for database-backed app editing","datePublished":"2026-11-03T23:13:45Z","url":"https://digestai.news/story/datasette-agent-adds-panel-feature-for-database-backed-app-editing"},"generatedBy":"Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record.","license":"Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse"}