Show HN: SnackBase – Open-source, GxP-compliant back end for Python teams

SnackBase just entered the chat: an open-source back end for Python teams that promises immutable audit logs (think receipts you can’t edit), GxP compliance (rules for regulated industries), and tight, row-by-row access controls. Early reactions were upbeat—“neat!” and bookmarked—but reality-checks arrived fast. Commenter dkoy noticed SQLAlchemy in the stack and a roadmap saying Postgres comes later, nudging for clear info on which database works today for folks used to Postgres-first tools like Supabase.

The spiciest thread? Licensing. SnackBase ships under AGPL, a tough copyleft license that can force you to share changes even when you run it as a service. mring33621 waved a caution flag, calling AGPL a potential non-starter for commercial teams, and noting rivals like Django, Rails, Pocketbase, and Supabase don’t go that route. The ask: clarify whether custom hooks and database schemas are outside AGPL’s reach.

Meanwhile, architecture nerds swooned. notpushkin doesn’t plan to use it directly but wants to study choices like blockchain-style hashing in audit logs. They pointed to prior art in Keybase’s Merkle trees, sparking compare-and-contrast vibes and “is this crypto or compliance?” jokes. Net-net: devs like the idea; lawyers and ops want answers. Everyone’s waiting for clearer docs, licensing notes, and database details.