What prompt to production really means

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The Mallet

👋 Hello, Retool community!

This month, we launched a brand new way to build in Retool: our AI-native app builder enforces authentication, permissions, and data governance automatically no matter where the app was built. Read CEO David Hsu’s full vision.

We also released The State of AI Governance in 2026, a survey of 300+ CTOs, CIOs, and CISOs, pulse checking how they’re thinking about governing and securing what their teams are building. Of those surveyed, 93% are concerned about vibe-coded tools in production, only 8% say their governance is strong, and 55% want it solved at the platform level.

We know “prompt to production” is everywhere lately. For us, it means a very specific, governed path to creating a production app. If you want to learn more, Senior Product Director Neena Thomas wrote the deep dive.

Bonus AI credits are available on every paid plan. Team and Business plan admins can buy additional credit packs, and new Enterprise customers who sign by September 30 get AI credits worth up to $10K annually. What will your team build?

🚀 What’s new

The new Retool app builder

In the new builder, view connected data and React code. Upload spreadsheets, images, and documents so the agent always has the context it needs—or import an existing React app via .zip or MCP. A new Code tab lets you inspect and edit the underlying React. A new Data tab maps every data interaction as a readable function.

Build and import apps via MCP

Use Retool's MCP server to build or import React apps directly from Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor, and more.

Self-hosted Retool 4.0 Stable

The new app builder is now available for self-hosted customers.

Protect apps in the new app builder

New builder apps can now be protected and checked into source control.

Settings redesign

New Overview page guides admins through org setup. Navigation regrouped under Management, Monitoring, Permissions, Authentication, Features, and Customization.

Browser notifications when app building

Navigate away while Retool builds—a ping and red dot on the favicon bring you back when your input is needed.

🛠 Check out the changelog to see everything we’ve shipped.

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What prompt to production really means

retool.com · newsletter

Explore this email design and adapt it to your own brand. Review the copy, links, and offer before sending.

Email content

Logo-Light

The Mallet

👋 Hello, Retool community!

This month, we launched a brand new way to build in Retool: our AI-native app builder enforces authentication, permissions, and data governance automatically no matter where the app was built. Read CEO David Hsu’s full vision.

We also released The State of AI Governance in 2026, a survey of 300+ CTOs, CIOs, and CISOs, pulse checking how they’re thinking about governing and securing what their teams are building. Of those surveyed, 93% are concerned about vibe-coded tools in production, only 8% say their governance is strong, and 55% want it solved at the platform level.

We know “prompt to production” is everywhere lately. For us, it means a very specific, governed path to creating a production app. If you want to learn more, Senior Product Director Neena Thomas wrote the deep dive.

Bonus AI credits are available on every paid plan. Team and Business plan admins can buy additional credit packs, and new Enterprise customers who sign by September 30 get AI credits worth up to $10K annually. What will your team build?

🚀 What’s new

The new Retool app builder

In the new builder, view connected data and React code. Upload spreadsheets, images, and documents so the agent always has the context it needs—or import an existing React app via .zip or MCP. A new Code tab lets you inspect and edit the underlying React. A new Data tab maps every data interaction as a readable function.

Build and import apps via MCP

Use Retool's MCP server to build or import React apps directly from Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor, and more.

Self-hosted Retool 4.0 Stable

The new app builder is now available for self-hosted customers.

Protect apps in the new app builder

New builder apps can now be protected and checked into source control.

Settings redesign

New Overview page guides admins through org setup. Navigation regrouped under Management, Monitoring, Permissions, Authentication, Features, and Customization.

Browser notifications when app building

Navigate away while Retool builds—a ping and red dot on the favicon bring you back when your input is needed.

🛠 Check out the changelog to see everything we’ve shipped.

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🗓 Events

Our team really hit the road in June, and we loved seeing all of you in SF, London, and New York!

Find us IRL in July and August:

July 8-10: WeAreDevelopers World Conference (Berlin)

August 4-6: Ai4, Booth #527 (Las Vegas)

🎥 Watch on demand

Meet the New Retool (Webinar)

How to use MCP in Retool

Retool v Replit: side-by-side build

🎓 New in Retool University

Updated AI Builder and Data Builder learning paths, plus 5 new hands-on labs covering development, data, and fundamentals. Get started >>

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🌍 Trending in the Community

@benjaminfortunato asked where Retool still saves time vs. an AI-built React/Postgres stack, comparison tables and all — one of the better tradeoff threads of the month.

@Peter_Kellner dug into testing larger App Builder apps: download as ZIP, mock the resource hooks, run Playwright/Puppeteer E2E.

@dakes floated two quality-of-life requests the community backed — copyable ModalFrames/DrawerFrames and selectable tooltips.

@Volodymyr_Lysenko shared a fix for EMAXCONNSESSION errors — bump the max client pool from 15 to 100.

Building with the new App Builder? Come share what you're making in our Show & Tell space.

Not a member yet? Join the community—it’s not the same without you. 🤗

📚 Bonus content!

How to govern AI-generated apps in the enterprise

When anyone can code, app safety is a constraint

The top vibe coding tools for 2026

See you next month! ☀️

Kelsey McKeon

Content @ Retool

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