Corteza: Open-Source Low-Code Platform for Business Applications

What is Corteza?

Corteza is an open-source low-code platform that enables rapid development of business applications without extensive coding. Built with flexibility as a core principle, Corteza allows business users and developers to create custom applications for CRM, project management, and other business needs. Organizations worldwide use Corteza to build business applications quickly and cost-effectively.

Unlike Salesforce Platform ($500-3,000/month minimum) or Mendix ($1,400+/month), Corteza provides low-code application development capabilities without expensive licensing. Organizations deploy Corteza on-premises or self-hosted, maintaining complete data ownership while enabling rapid application development.

Corteza enables organizations to build custom business applications. Sales teams develop CRM applications tailored to their processes. Operations teams build workflow automation applications. Finance teams create custom reporting applications.

Key Features and Capabilities

Low-Code Development

Drag-and-Drop Interface: Visual application builder without code
Form Builder: Create data entry forms visually
Page Builder: Build custom application pages
Data Modeler: Define data models and relationships
Workflow Editor: Create business process automation workflows
API Development: Extend with custom APIs and integrations

Data Management

Records Module: Manage custom records and data
Data Import: Import data from CSV and other sources
Data Export: Export data in multiple formats
Relationships: Define relationships between data objects
Validation: Define data validation rules

Automation and Workflows

Workflow Automation: Automate business processes without coding
Triggers: Define triggers that execute actions
Actions: Execute actions based on workflow triggers
Conditions: Complex conditional logic in workflows
Integrations: Integrate with external systems via webhooks

Collaboration Features

Comments: Collaborate on records with comments
Notifications: Real-time notifications for important events
Permissions: Fine-grained permission control
Sharing: Share applications and data with teams

System Requirements and Technical Specifications

Server Requirements

Operating System: Linux (Ubuntu 18.04+, Debian 10+, CentOS 7+) or Docker
Go: Go application runtime
PostgreSQL: 10+ for data storage
RAM: 2GB minimum for testing, 4GB+ recommended for production
Storage: 10GB+ for application and data
CPU: Single-core minimum, dual-core recommended

Client Requirements

Modern web browser: Chrome 70+, Firefox 65+, Safari 12+, Edge 79+
JavaScript enabled for application builder and applications
Minimum 1024×768 resolution, 1280×720 recommended

Installation and Deployment

Docker Installation

# Run Corteza with Docker Compose
version: '3.8'
services:
  corteza:
    image: cortezaproject/corteza:latest
    ports:
      - "80:80"
    environment:
      DB_DSN: postgresql://user:pass@postgres:5432/corteza

  postgres:
    image: postgres:12
    environment:
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: password

# Access at http://localhost

Linux Installation

# Download Corteza
wget https://github.com/cortezaproject/corteza-server/releases/download/latest/corteza-server-linux-amd64

# Make executable
chmod +x corteza-server-linux-amd64

# Run with PostgreSQL
DB_DSN="postgresql://user:pass@localhost/corteza" 
./corteza-server-linux-amd64 serve

# Access at http://localhost:8080

Production Configuration

# Configure PostgreSQL for production
# Set up reverse proxy with Nginx for SSL

# Enable authentication and user management
# Configure automated backups

Use Cases and Real-World Applications

Custom CRM Development

Organizations build custom CRM applications tailored to specific sales processes. Sales teams access custom applications without Salesforce licensing costs. Customization reflects exact business requirements.

Workflow Automation

Operations teams build workflow automation applications. Business processes are automated without coding. Efficiency improves and errors decrease.

Internal Tools and Systems

IT teams build internal business applications quickly. Application development accelerates with low-code approach. Business users participate in application design.

Rapid MVP Development

Startups use Corteza to build business application MVPs quickly. Time to market reduces with low-code approach. Validation happens faster with rapid development.

Advantages of Corteza

Low-Code Development: Build applications with minimal coding
Rapid Deployment: Deploy applications in hours not months
Customizable: Full source code allows deep customization
Cost Effective: Free self-hosted versus expensive low-code platforms
Data Ownership: All application data on your infrastructure
No Vendor Lock-In: Own your applications and data
Flexible: Build any type of business application
Integration Ready: Easy integration with other systems
Scalable: Scales with application and user growth

Limitations and Considerations

Learning Curve: Understanding low-code concepts takes time
Limited UI: Less polished UI compared to commercial applications
Production Management: Self-hosted deployments require infrastructure management
Community Size: Smaller community with fewer templates
Support: Community support, paid support available