What PocketBase Developers Actually Build
Before defining your role, understand PocketBase's sweet spot:
Side Projects & MVPs
PocketBase excels for rapid development:
- Quick prototypes with full backend
- Hackathon projects
- Personal applications
- Proof-of-concept demos
Internal Tools
Business applications that don't need enterprise scale:
- Admin dashboards
- Content management
- Inventory tracking
- Team collaboration tools
Self-Hosted Applications
Where data control matters:
- Privacy-focused apps
- Offline-capable systems
- Edge deployments
- Embedded applications
When Companies Choose PocketBase
Simplicity needs:
- Single binary deployment
- Minimal operations overhead
- SQLite's reliability
- No DevOps team required
Self-hosting requirements:
- Data sovereignty
- Air-gapped environments
- Edge deployment
- Cost control
PocketBase vs Alternatives: What Recruiters Should Know
Comparison
| Aspect | PocketBase | Supabase | Firebase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Self-hosted | Cloud | Cloud |
| Database | SQLite | PostgreSQL | NoSQL |
| Deployment | Single binary | Managed | Managed |
| Scale | Moderate | Large | Large |
| Complexity | Minimal | Medium | Medium |
| Cost | Self-funded | Usage-based | Usage-based |
When to Choose PocketBase
- Self-hosting required
- Simpler applications
- Minimal operations team
- Cost-sensitive projects
- Learning/prototyping
When to Choose Alternatives
- Large scale applications
- Need PostgreSQL features
- Prefer managed services
- Complex real-time requirements
What This Means for Hiring
PocketBase developers value simplicity. They understand trade-offs: PocketBase's ease comes with scale limitations. They can evaluate when PocketBase fits versus when to choose more complex solutions.
The Modern PocketBase Developer (2024-2026)
Core Platform Skills
Working with PocketBase:
- Collection (table) design
- API usage and hooks
- Authentication patterns
- File storage integration
- Real-time subscriptions
Admin UI Usage
PocketBase includes admin interface:
- Schema management
- User administration
- Data inspection
- Logs and monitoring
Go Extension (Advanced)
PocketBase can be extended:
- Custom endpoints
- Hooks and middleware
- Business logic in Go
- Custom authentication
Deployment Patterns
Self-hosting knowledge:
- Single server deployment
- Docker containerization
- Backup strategies
- Reverse proxy setup
Skill Levels: What to Test For
Level 1: Basic PocketBase User
- Creates collections via admin UI
- Uses JavaScript SDK
- Basic authentication setup
- Simple CRUD operations
Level 2: Competent PocketBase Developer
- Designs efficient schemas
- Uses hooks for business logic
- Implements real-time features
- Handles file uploads properly
- Manages deployment and backups
Level 3: PocketBase Expert
- Extends with Go code
- Optimizes SQLite performance
- Complex deployment scenarios
- Contributes to ecosystem
- Knows when to migrate away
Where to Find PocketBase Developers
Community Hotspots
- Discord: PocketBase Discord
- GitHub: PocketBase repository
- Twitter/X: @paborocketbase
- YouTube: PocketBase tutorials
Portfolio Signals
Look for:
- Self-hosted projects
- Simple, elegant solutions
- Understanding of trade-offs
- Full-stack capabilities
Transferable Experience
Strong candidates may come from:
- Full-stack developers: Backend integration experience
- Supabase/Firebase users: BaaS concepts transfer
- Go developers: For extension capabilities
- SQLite users: Database familiarity
Recruiter's Cheat Sheet: Spotting Great Candidates
Conversation Starters That Reveal Skill Level
| Question | Junior Answer | Senior Answer |
|---|---|---|
| "Why PocketBase vs Supabase?" | "It's simpler" | "Self-hosted single binary vs cloud PostgreSQL. PocketBase for simpler needs and self-hosting. Supabase for scale and PostgreSQL features." |
| "What are PocketBase's limitations?" | "Not sure" | "SQLite scale limits, single-server by default, fewer integrations than cloud services. Good for moderate scale, not for massive applications." |
| "How do you handle custom logic?" | "In the frontend?" | "Hooks for simple logic, custom Go endpoints for complex needs, or extend PocketBase as a Go framework." |
Resume Signals That Matter
✅ Look for:
- Self-hosted project experience
- Full-stack development
- SQLite or database experience
- Go knowledge (for extension)
🚫 Be skeptical of:
- Only used cloud services
- No self-hosting understanding
- Enterprise-only background
Common Hiring Mistakes
1. Expecting Enterprise Scale Knowledge
PocketBase is for simpler deployments. Requiring enterprise database or scaling experience is misaligned.
2. Requiring Go Experience for Basic Use
Most PocketBase usage doesn't need Go. Only require Go if you'll extend PocketBase significantly.
3. Testing Cloud Service Patterns
PocketBase is self-hosted with SQLite. Testing Supabase/Firebase patterns or PostgreSQL knowledge misses the mark.
4. Over-Engineering the Role
PocketBase is often a tool among many, not a specialization. Consider whether you need a dedicated "PocketBase developer" or a full-stack developer who uses PocketBase.