OpenProject is a web-based, open source project management tool designed for teams that need robust planning, collaboration, and transparency without vendor lock-in. It serves project managers, agile teams, and IT departments seeking full control over their data through on-premises or cloud deployment. Built for both classic waterfall and agile workflows, it replaces fragmented tools with a unified platform for tasks, timelines, and team coordination.
Built with Ruby on Rails and Angular, OpenProject integrates deeply with GitHub for issue linking and pull request tracking. It supports self-hosting on Linux/Mac infrastructure and offers enterprise-grade security features including HTTPS, two-factor authentication, and EU-based data hosting. The platform is licensed under GNU GPL v3 and backed by an active community and commercial support options.
What You Get
- Gantt Charts - Visualize project timelines with drag-and-drop scheduling, dependencies, and milestone tracking for classic project planning.
- Agile Boards (Scrum & Kanban) - Manage backlogs, sprints, and work-in-progress limits with customizable boards for agile teams.
- Task & Work Package Management - Create hierarchical work packages with custom fields, due dates, assignees, and priority levels.
- GitHub Integration - Link work packages directly to GitHub issues and pull requests for seamless code-to-project traceability.
- Time Tracking & Budgeting - Log hours per task, set budget limits, and generate cost reports with real-time progress visualization.
- Project Wikis & Forums - Collaborate with built-in WYSIWYG wikis and threaded discussion forums for documentation and team communication.
- Meeting Agendas & Minutes - Plan meetings, assign action items, and store minutes with automatic task creation from discussion points.
- Team Planner (Workload View) - Visually assign tasks to team members on a weekly/bi-weekly calendar to balance workloads and prevent burnout.
- Bug Tracking - Track, prioritize, and resolve bugs with custom workflows, status transitions, and attachment support.
- Data Sovereignty & On-Premises Hosting - Deploy OpenProject on your own infrastructure to maintain full control over data and compliance.
Common Use Cases
- Running a hybrid software development team - A tech company uses OpenProject to manage both Gantt-based client deliverables and Scrum sprints for internal features, with GitHub integration to auto-link code commits to tasks.
- Managing government or healthcare projects - A public sector agency deploys OpenProject on-premises to ensure GDPR compliance and maintain full control over sensitive project data.
- Coordinating cross-functional product launches - A product team uses Work Packages, Timelines, and Team Planner to align engineering, marketing, and sales on launch milestones and resource allocation.
- Running an open source project with community contributors - A FOSS project uses OpenProject’s public forums, issue tracker, and transparent roadmap to organize contributions and track bug fixes.
Under The Hood
Architecture
- Modular monolith with clear separation between Rails backend and Angular frontend, organized around domain-centric components and services
- Service layer enforced via abstract base classes with state management and callback hooks, promoting reusable and testable business logic
- Contract-based validation layers decouple authorization and state transitions from controllers, ensuring clean boundaries
- Frontend components follow a compositional pattern using Primer design system, with SASS and ERB templates maintaining consistent rendering structure
- Implicit dependency injection and shared state management via service context objects ensure cohesive state flow across layers
Tech Stack
- Ruby on Rails 7.x backend with ActiveRecord, ERB templating, and Rake for automation
- Angular frontend with TypeScript and @xeokit/xeokit-gltf-to-xkt for advanced 3D visualization
- PostgreSQL as primary database with robust migration and CI/CD integration via docker-compose
- Comprehensive tooling including ESLint, TSLint, Angular CLI, and Lefthook for pre-commit code quality enforcement
- PKGR-based packaging system supporting multiple Linux distributions with integrated Apache, Memcached, and PostgreSQL dependencies
Code Quality
- Extensive test coverage spanning unit, integration, and end-to-end scenarios with RSpec and JavaScript-aware feature tests
- Strong separation of concerns through domain-modularized codebases in both backend and frontend
- Consistent naming, frozen strings, and modular component composition reflect mature codebase discipline
- Robust error and permission handling via role-based access controls embedded in models and controllers
- Well-structured test helpers and shared contexts enhance readability and test reuse across the codebase
What Makes It Unique
- Seamless integration of real-time activity streams using Stimulus controllers, blending server-side rendering with client-side interactivity
- Pluggable query and filter system enabling declarative customization of work package behaviors across the stack
- Unified HAL-based API and client-side resource model ensuring consistent state management between frontend and backend
- Enterprise-grade data governance features like built-in backups and token-based access with automated notifications
- Progressive modernization of a legacy Redmine codebase, maintaining backward compatibility while introducing modern Angular and Turbo components