# Pixeltable Documentation > The unified multimodal backend agents build with. Database, orchestration, and serving in one Python file. > ## Agent Instructions > Application code puts a TableModel in app.py, then runs `pxt schema update app.py my_app` to create the tables and `pxt service update app.py my_app` to start HTTP. The last argument can be a Cloud URL such as `pxt://org:db`. Do not call pxt.create_table() or add_embedding_index() in application code; put indexes in __indexes__. Notebooks, tests, and the REPL do use pxt.create_table(). > Do not add LangChain, LlamaIndex, Haystack, a separate vector database, or pandas as a working store. Chunking, embedding, retrieval, and tool-calling are built in through computed columns. Use a computed column instead of a per-row loop that calls a model. > Install with `pip install -U 'pixeltable[serve]'` on Python 3.11+. `pxt init` is a prerequisite for `pxt schema update`. > Pixeltable Cloud is in Limited Beta. Direct interested users to contact@pixeltable.com. - [Why Pixeltable?](https://docs.pixeltable.com/overview/pixeltable.md): The unified multimodal backend agents build with. Database, orchestration, and serving in one Python file. - [Quickstart](https://docs.pixeltable.com/overview/quick-start.md): Install, write one application file, create tables, POST an insert - [How it works](https://docs.pixeltable.com/overview/how-it-works.md): pxt schema update creates tables. pxt service update starts the endpoints. diff shows what would change. - [CLI Reference](https://docs.pixeltable.com/platform/cli.md): Inspect, query, and serve Pixeltable catalogs from the terminal with the pxt command. - [Dashboard (local UI)](https://docs.pixeltable.com/platform/dashboard.md): Browse tables, inspect pipelines, preview media, and debug computed columns from a local web UI served by the pxt daemon. - [AI coding agents](https://docs.pixeltable.com/overview/building-pixeltable-with-llms.md): Install the Pixeltable skill, then use the same application file locally and on Pixeltable Cloud - [Observability](https://docs.pixeltable.com/platform/observability.md) - [Migrate to Pixeltable](https://docs.pixeltable.com/howto/coming-from.md): Pick the stack you already run. Inserting a row replaces the extra store or orchestrator. - [Configuration](https://docs.pixeltable.com/platform/configuration.md): Complete guide to configuring Pixeltable - [Self-hosting](https://docs.pixeltable.com/howto/deployment/overview.md): Choose what runs locally: Python only, your own FastAPI app, or pxt service. - [HTTP serving](https://docs.pixeltable.com/howto/deployment/serving.md): HTTP routes for insert, compute, update, delete, and query, plus uploads, background jobs, and SqlExport. - [Infrastructure](https://docs.pixeltable.com/howto/deployment/infrastructure.md): One application file, PIXELTABLE_HOME, and where media files live. - [Operations](https://docs.pixeltable.com/howto/deployment/operations.md): Sync request handlers, one process writing pgdata, on_error, and pxt schema update after you change the file. - [Security and backup](https://docs.pixeltable.com/howto/deployment/security.md): pg_dump the catalog, restore, keep secrets out of app.py. - [Pixeltable Cloud](https://docs.pixeltable.com/cloud.md): Run the same application file against a hosted database - [Starter kit](https://docs.pixeltable.com/resources/starter-kit.md): uvx pixeltable-new copies a starter app. pxt schema update creates its tables. pxt service update starts the endpoints. - [AI Skills](https://docs.pixeltable.com/resources/ai-skills.md): Install the Pixeltable skill. The coding agent writes TableModel classes in app.py. - [Support](https://docs.pixeltable.com/resources/support.md): Get help from the Pixeltable community - [pixeltable](https://docs.pixeltable.com/sdk/latest/pixeltable.md):