Leantime is an open-source project management system designed specifically for non-project managers and neurodiverse teams, including individuals with ADHD, autism, and dyslexia. It simplifies complex workflows by unifying task management, goal tracking, planning tools, and knowledge documentation into a single intuitive interface. Unlike traditional platforms that overwhelm users with complexity, Leantime prioritizes clarity, visual structure, and accessibility without sacrificing depth — offering enterprise-grade features like Gantt charts, timesheets, and LDAP integration in its free, open-source version. It’s ideal for small teams, remote collaborators, and individuals who need structure without bureaucracy.
Built on PHP and MySQL with full Docker support, Leantime provides both lightweight local installations and scalable production deployments. Its plugin system and API allow for extensibility, while multilingual support (20+ languages) and accessibility-focused UI design ensure inclusivity. Whether you’re managing a personal to-do list or coordinating a cross-functional team, Leantime reduces cognitive load while maintaining robust project oversight.
What You Get
- Multi-view task management - View tasks via Kanban boards, Gantt timelines, tables, lists, and calendar views — all synced in real time with unlimited subtasks and dependencies.
- Goal & metric tracking - Align daily tasks with strategic objectives using visual dashboards, progress donuts, and milestone tracking tied to business models like Lean Canvas and SWOT.
- Integrated timesheets - Log time per task with weekly overviews and exportable reports, ideal for freelancers, consultants, or client-billed teams.
- Built-in wiki & documentation - Create and link project docs, product requirements, and knowledge bases with comments and file uploads via S3 or local storage.
- Retrospectives & idea boards - Capture feedback and brainstorm ideas in structured templates that feed directly into future planning cycles.
- Role-based permissions & LDAP/OIDC - Control access at the project level with customizable user roles and integrate with enterprise identity providers like Active Directory or Okta.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA) - Secure access with TOTP-based 2FA for teams handling sensitive data.
- Plugin and API extensibility - Extend functionality with custom plugins or integrate via REST API to connect with existing tools and workflows.
- Slack, Discord & Mattermost integration - Push task updates, due alerts, and project notifications directly into team communication channels.
- Dark mode & accessibility-first UI - Optimized visual hierarchy, color contrast, and layout to reduce sensory overload for neurodiverse users.
Common Use Cases
- Building a remote product team workflow - A startup with distributed designers, developers, and PMs uses Leantime’s Kanban boards for sprints, Gantt charts for release planning, and wikis to document user stories — all while tracking time spent per feature.
- Managing a personal knowledge project with ADHD - An individual uses Leantime’s calendar and task lists to break down complex research into daily, manageable chunks with visual progress indicators to maintain momentum.
- Transitioning from Trello or Asana to a self-hosted alternative - A small agency migrates from ClickUp to Leantime to avoid subscription costs, gaining Gantt charts, timesheets, and docs without vendor lock-in.
- DevOps teams managing client projects - Teams use Leantime’s project dashboards to track deliverables, assign tasks with dependencies, log billable hours, and share documentation — all under one roof with LDAP authentication for security compliance.
Under The Hood
Leantime is a PHP-based project management platform designed to offer a modular and extensible solution for teams looking to streamline their workflow. It combines a robust backend with a modern frontend, emphasizing flexibility through plugins and CLI-driven administration.
Architecture
Leantime adopts a monolithic architecture with strong emphasis on modularity and layered design, enabling clear separation of concerns across its components.
- The system is organized into distinct modules that encapsulate specific functionalities like authentication and database handling
- Service providers, command pattern, and dependency injection are consistently applied to support loose coupling and extensibility
- A service container is used for managing dependencies, enhancing maintainability and testability
- Plugin architecture allows for decoupled feature additions while maintaining seamless integration
Tech Stack
The application is built using PHP as its core language, with a modern frontend stack that leverages JavaScript frameworks and libraries for rich user interactions.
- The frontend utilizes HTMX, Vue.js, and various UI libraries such as FullCalendar and TinyMCE to deliver an interactive experience
- Laravel Mix with Webpack, Tailwind CSS, and ESLint support a contemporary development workflow with strong tooling
- Codeception is integrated for automated testing, ensuring functional validation across the codebase
- The project integrates Symfony Console component to power a customizable CLI for system administration
Code Quality
The codebase reflects a mixed quality with structured testing practices and some adherence to consistent patterns, although not uniformly applied.
- Acceptance tests form a significant part of the test suite, supporting functional validation and reliability
- Basic try/catch patterns and custom runtime exceptions are used for error handling, though not consistently across all modules
- Naming conventions and command patterns show some clarity, but broader style enforcement is limited
- Technical debt is present due to minimal core code review and lack of comprehensive unit test coverage
What Makes It Unique
Leantime stands out through its plugin architecture and CLI-driven system administration, offering unique control mechanisms for developers and administrators.
- A modular plugin system with dedicated CLI commands enables easy installation, enabling, and disabling of features without disrupting core functionality
- Event listener validation and caching mechanisms prevent runtime errors by pre-validating event subscriptions across the codebase
- Custom database backup command uses environment configuration for secure, automated data management without external dependencies
- Extensive use of Symfony Console component with custom abstractions streamlines developer workflows for system administration tasks