# Datasette Agent adds panel feature for database-backed app editing

Digest AI · Agents & Tools · published 2026-11-03T23:13:45Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/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.

The 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.

## Key points

- 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

## Why it matters

This combines AI-driven app creation with live database interaction, useful for developers and analysts who need to prototype tools without coding from scratch.

## Sources

1. [datasette-agent 0.5a0](https://simonwillison.net/2026/Nov/3/datasette-agent) (Simon Willison, 2026-11-03)

## Cite

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

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