Leantime: Open-Source Project Management for Startups and Small Teams

What is Leantime?

Leantime is an open-source project management system specifically designed for startups and small creative teams. Built with lean startup principles, Leantime combines goal setting, project planning, time tracking, and team collaboration in an intuitive interface optimized for agile methodologies. Startups and small teams worldwide use Leantime to manage projects without complex enterprise tool overhead.

Unlike Asana ($13.50-30.50/user/month) or Monday.com ($8-16/user/month), Leantime provides comprehensive project management designed specifically for startup requirements. Small teams deploy Leantime to manage goals, plan projects, track time, and share progress with minimal learning curve.

Leantime supports startup workflows from goal definition through project execution. Founders set OKRs and strategic goals. Project managers plan projects and allocate team resources. Teams track work and measure progress against goals. Clients access progress through dedicated portal.

Key Features and Capabilities

Goal Setting and Planning

OKR Tracking: Define Objectives and Key Results for goal-driven planning
Milestone Management: Break goals into milestones and track progress
Goal Alignment: Align team goals with company strategy
Progress Tracking: Monitor goal progress with visual indicators
Success Metrics: Define and track metrics that indicate goal achievement

Project Management

Gantt Charts: Visual timeline view for project scheduling
Task Management: Kanban boards and task lists for work organization
Project Templates: Pre-built templates for common project types
Resource Allocation: Assign team members to tasks and track allocation
Dependency Tracking: Define task dependencies to identify critical paths
Status Tracking: Monitor project status and identify at-risk projects

Time and Resource Management

Time Tracking: Track time spent on tasks and projects
Team Workload: Monitor team member workload and availability
Capacity Planning: Plan projects based on team capacity
Sprint Planning: Plan and execute sprints for agile teams
Utilization Reports: Analyze team member utilization and productivity

Collaboration Features

Comments: Team discussions on tasks with @mentions
File Sharing: Upload documents and share with team members
Activity Stream: See project activities and updates in real-time
Notifications: Get notified of task assignments and changes
Permissions: Control team member access and permissions

Advanced Features

Mind Maps: Visual brainstorming and planning with mind maps
Wiki: Document project knowledge and best practices
Client Portal: Share progress with clients without direct system access
Budgeting: Set project budgets and track spending
Integrations: Connect with Slack, Stripe, and email

System Requirements and Technical Specifications

Server Requirements

Operating System: Linux (Ubuntu 18.04+, Debian 10+, CentOS 7+) or Docker
Runtime: Node.js 12+ for application execution
Database: MongoDB 4.0+ or PostgreSQL 10+ for data storage
RAM: 1GB minimum for testing, 2GB+ recommended for production
Storage: 5GB+ 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 interactive features
Minimum 1024×768 resolution

Installation and Deployment

Docker Installation

# Run Leantime with Docker
docker run -d 
  --name leantime 
  -p 8080:80 
  -e DB_HOST=mongo 
  -e DB_NAME=leantime 
  leantime/leantime

# Access at http://localhost:8080

Linux Installation

# Install Node.js and dependencies
sudo apt-get install nodejs npm

# Clone Leantime
git clone https://github.com/Leantime/leantime.git
cd leantime

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Configure database
# Create .env file with database connection

# Run application
npm start

# Access at http://localhost:3000

Production Configuration

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

# Enable authentication and user management
# Configure automatic backups

Use Cases and Real-World Applications

Startups

Startups use Leantime to manage product roadmap, development sprints, and go-to-market planning. Founders track OKRs and strategic goals. Small teams coordinate work without complex enterprise project management overhead.

Small Agencies

Agencies use Leantime to plan client projects, allocate team members, and track profitability. Project managers track time and budget, ensuring projects stay on track. Clients access progress portal for transparency.

Non-Profit Organizations

Non-profits use Leantime for program planning and execution. Limited budgets benefit from free software. Mission-driven teams coordinate work toward organizational goals.

In-House Teams

In-house product and development teams use Leantime for project coordination. Mind maps support brainstorming and planning. Time tracking supports project costing and efficiency analysis.