# Noco Factory
> Part of the NocoDB documentation (Factory). Index of all pages: https://nocodb.com/llms.txt. Any docs page is available as Markdown by adding `.md` to its URL.
URL: https://nocodb.com/docs/factory
Last updated: 2026-10-21
Noco Factory is the AI coding agent of NocoDB. NocoAI takes a task to its own cloud machine and branch, and returns a GitHub pull request for you to review.
Fix [the failing test in the checkout flow] and open a pull request
Add [a dark mode toggle] to [the settings page], then show it to me in the browser
Review [pull request #123] and suggest changes
Upgrade [React] to [the latest version] and fix what breaks
Noco Factory is an AI coding agent for your GitHub repositories. You give [NocoAI](/docs/product/noco-ai) a task. NocoAI does the work on its own cloud machine and its own branch, and you get back a pull request to review. On the workspace home screen, Noco Factory is the **Dev Factory** tab.
Each task runs in its own **session**, so you can start many sessions at the same time and clear a backlog in parallel.
## Why teams use Noco Factory
Noco Factory gives each task its own agent, machine and branch, and keeps a person in charge of what reaches the default branch.
| Benefit | How Noco Factory does it |
| ------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **A backlog that moves in parallel** | Every task gets its own session, with its own NocoAI agent, cloud machine and branch. Start many sessions at the same time. |
| **Work that you can see** | Watch NocoAI use its desktop on the **Live screen**, try the app in **Preview**, then read the diff. |
| **Safe by default** | NocoAI reaches only the repositories that you pick. It pushes only to the branch of its session, never to the default branch. Changes reach the default branch through a pull request that a person merges. |
| **Your conventions** | NocoAI reads `CLAUDE.md`, `AGENTS.md` and your rule files before it starts. |
| **Your models** | Pick the AI model for each message, or run NocoAI on your own API keys. |
| **Sessions that start ready** | [Machines](/docs/factory/machines) start with the languages, databases and tools that your repository needs. |
| **One workspace** | Factories are projects in your NocoDB workspace, next to your tables, apps and workflows, with the same members, audit log and credits. |
## What NocoAI can do in a session
NocoAI in a Noco Factory session works like a developer on a fresh computer. In one session it can:
* Read the repository, and edit, add and delete files.
* Run commands in a shell: install packages, run the tests, start the app.
* Use the browser on its machine to check the app it started.
* Fix an open issue, or review an open pull request.
* Commit, push the branch and open a pull request, when you ask it to.
* Start helper agents that explore the code or make changes in parallel.
NocoAI reads the instructions in your repository before it starts: `CLAUDE.md`, `AGENTS.md`, `.claude/CLAUDE.md`, `CLAUDE.local.md` and the files in `.claude/rules`.
## How Noco Factory is structured
| Concept | Description |
| ---------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Factory** | A NocoDB project that is connected to one GitHub repository. It holds sessions and machines, not tables. Project lists show factories in their own **Factories** group. See [Create a factory](/docs/factory/create-factory). |
| **Session** | One chat with NocoAI, on one branch and one machine. A session belongs to the person who started it. See [Sessions](/docs/factory/sessions). |
| **NocoAI** | The AI coding agent of a session. You pick the AI model that it runs on. See [Models and credits](/docs/factory/models-and-credits). |
| **Machine** | The cloud computer of a session, with a desktop, a browser and a clone of the repository. A machine stops after some time without use, and starts again when you need it. |
| **Machines** (setting) | The packages and services that a session's machine starts with. Without a custom machine, sessions use the **Base machine**. See [Machines](/docs/factory/machines). |
| **Side panel** | The panes next to the chat: **Live screen**, **Preview**, **Terminal**, **Changes** and **Files**. See [Live screen and preview](/docs/factory/live-screen-and-preview). |
## Noco Factory or Apps?
NocoDB has two AI builders. [Apps](/docs/apps) builds work apps on your NocoDB data and on all your data sources. Noco Factory works on the code in your own repository.
| | AI app | Noco Factory |
| -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Works on** | Your NocoDB data and your data sources | The code of a GitHub repository |
| **Who uses it** | Teams that need a work app, without code | Developers and teams that ship software |
| **Where the result lives** | NocoDB hosts and runs the app | Your repository, as a branch and a pull request |
| **How you check the work** | A live preview of the app | NocoAI's screen, a live preview, the diff and the pull request |
| **Plans** | See [Apps availability](/docs/apps#availability) | Paid plans of NocoDB Cloud, during the beta |
To compare Noco Factory with other AI coding agents, see [Noco Factory and other coding agents](/docs/factory/coding-agents).
## Who can do what
| Action | Who and how |
| -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Connect GitHub** | The workspace **Owner**. See [Connect GitHub](/docs/factory/connect-github). |
| **Create a factory** | Workspace **Creator** and **Owner** roles. The person who creates a factory becomes its **Owner**. |
| **Run sessions** | Project **Developer**, **Maintainer** and **Owner** roles. Each person works in their own sessions, and can watch the sessions of others. |
| **Manage machines** | Project **Maintainer** and **Owner** roles. |
See [Members and roles](/docs/factory/members-and-roles) for the full list.
## Get started
1. [Connect GitHub](/docs/factory/connect-github) to the workspace.
2. [Create a factory](/docs/factory/create-factory) from a repository. NocoAI sets up the project in the first session.
3. [Start a session](/docs/factory/sessions) and describe a task.
4. [Review the changes](/docs/factory/review-changes), then [open a pull request](/docs/factory/branches-and-pull-requests).
## Frequently asked questions
### Does Noco Factory push to the default branch?
No. NocoAI in Noco Factory pushes only to the branch of its session, named `nocodb-factory/[name]`. Changes reach the default branch only through a pull request that a person merges in GitHub. See [Branches and pull requests](/docs/factory/branches-and-pull-requests).
### Which Git providers does Noco Factory support?
Noco Factory supports GitHub, through the NocoDB GitHub App. GitLab and Bitbucket are coming soon. See [Connect GitHub](/docs/factory/connect-github).
### What can NocoAI access in my GitHub account?
NocoAI in Noco Factory can reach only the repositories that you select when you install the NocoDB GitHub App. For each turn, it gets a short-lived token for the repository of the factory. See [What NocoAI can access](/docs/factory/connect-github#what-nocoai-can-access).
### What does a Noco Factory session cost?
A Noco Factory session uses the [credits](/docs/product/workspaces/credits) of the workspace: tokens for NocoAI on a model that NocoDB manages, and machine time for each second that the machine runs. See [Models and credits](/docs/factory/models-and-credits).
### Can Noco Factory use my own Claude, OpenAI or Gemini API keys?
Yes. On the **Business** plan and above, add an AI integration to the workspace. NocoAI can then run on your own API keys, and your provider bills you for AI directly. See [Use your own API keys](/docs/factory/models-and-credits#use-your-own-api-keys).
### Can teammates watch a Noco Factory session?
Yes. Every member with the **Developer** role or above sees the chat and a view-only **Live screen**. Only the person who started the session can work in it. See [Members and roles](/docs/factory/members-and-roles).
### What happens to a Noco Factory session when I stop working?
The machine of a Noco Factory session pauses 30 minutes after NocoAI's last turn, or after the last time someone viewed the session. A paused machine does not use machine time. Archive the session to release its machine and keep its work. See [Sessions](/docs/factory/sessions#archive-a-session).
### Can I run Noco Factory on self-hosted NocoDB?
No. Noco Factory is available only on NocoDB Cloud.
## Availability
Noco Factory is in beta. During the beta, it is available on the paid plans of NocoDB Cloud: **Plus**, **Business**, **Scale** and **Enterprise**. Noco Factory is not available for self-hosted NocoDB.
NocoAI and the machines use the [credits](/docs/product/workspaces/credits) of the workspace. See [Models and credits](/docs/factory/models-and-credits).
## Related
* [Noco Factory and other coding agents](/docs/factory/coding-agents)
* [Create a factory](/docs/factory/create-factory)
* [Sessions](/docs/factory/sessions)
* [Machines](/docs/factory/machines)
* [Apps](/docs/apps)
* [Credits](/docs/product/workspaces/credits)
---
## Related pages
- [Noco Factory and Other Coding Agents](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/coding-agents.md): Compare Noco Factory with cloud AI coding agents such as Devin, OpenAI Codex and the GitHub Copilot coding agent, and see when Noco Factory is the right fit.
- [Connect GitHub](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/connect-github.md): Connect GitHub to Noco Factory with the NocoDB GitHub App, choose the repositories that NocoAI can reach, and see what access it gets in a session.
- [Create a Factory](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/create-factory.md): Create a NocoDB factory from a GitHub repository: pick the repository on the workspace home screen, and NocoAI sets up the project in the first session.
- [Sessions](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/sessions.md): Start a Noco Factory session to give NocoAI a coding task on a branch, a pull request or an issue, and manage sessions: rename, archive, resume and delete.
- [Live Screen and Preview](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/live-screen-and-preview.md): Watch NocoAI work on its machine's desktop in Noco Factory with Live screen, and try the app it runs in Preview, from the side panel of a session.
- [Terminal and Files](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/terminal-and-files.md): Run your own commands on the machine of a Noco Factory session in the Terminal tab, and read, compare and edit the repository's files in the Files tab.
- [Review Changes](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/review-changes.md): Review the code changes of a Noco Factory session in the Changes tab, comment on lines of the diff, and send the comments back to NocoAI to fix.
- [Branches and Pull Requests](https://nocodb.com/docs/factory/branches-and-pull-requests.md): How each Noco Factory session works on its own git branch, and how NocoAI commits, pushes and opens a GitHub pull request for you to review and merge.