OpenProject: Open-Source Project Management and Collaboration Platform

What is OpenProject?

OpenProject is an open-source project management and collaboration platform designed for teams managing complex projects. Built with comprehensive project planning, resource management, and team collaboration capabilities, OpenProject enables organizations to execute projects efficiently. Over 50,000 organizations worldwide use OpenProject for project planning, scheduling, and execution.

Unlike MS Project ($100+ per user) or traditional project management tools, OpenProject provides comprehensive capabilities without expensive licensing. Organizations deploy OpenProject on-premises or self-hosted, maintaining complete data ownership while enabling enterprise-grade project management.

OpenProject serves as the central hub for project execution. Project managers plan projects, allocate resources, and track progress. Teams collaborate on project work and report status. Executives monitor portfolio performance and resource utilization.

Key Features and Capabilities

Project Planning and Scheduling

Gantt Charts: Visual timeline view for project scheduling
Work Breakdown Structure: Hierarchical task structure for project organization
Milestones: Define and track project milestones
Dependencies: Define task dependencies and critical paths
Resource Allocation: Assign team members to tasks and manage allocation
Capacity Planning: Plan projects based on team capacity
Timeline View: See complete project timeline at a glance

Agile Support

Scrum Boards: Kanban-style boards for agile teams
Sprints: Plan sprints with duration and goals
User Stories: Define user stories with estimates and acceptance criteria
Story Points: Estimate effort using story points
Burndown Charts: Track sprint progress with burndown visualization

Time Tracking and Resource Management

Time Tracking: Log time spent on tasks and projects
Cost Tracking: Track project costs and budgets
Resource Utilization: Monitor team member utilization and availability
Team Calendar: Track team member availability and time off
Workload Management: Balance workload across team members

Collaboration and Communication

Comments: Discuss tasks and projects with threaded comments
Activity Stream: See project activities and updates
Notifications: Get notified of assignments and changes
Document Sharing: Share documents and attachments
Wiki: Create project documentation and knowledge base

System Requirements and Technical Specifications

Server Requirements

Operating System: Linux (Ubuntu 18.04+, Debian 10+, CentOS 7+)
Ruby: Ruby 2.6+ with Rails for application runtime
PostgreSQL: 9.5+ as primary database
Node.js: 10+ for asset compilation
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 interactive features
Minimum 1024×768 resolution, 1280×720 recommended

Installation and Deployment

Docker Installation

# Run OpenProject with Docker
docker run -d 
  --name openproject 
  -p 8080:80 
  -e RAILS_ENV=production 
  openproject/community:latest

# Access at http://localhost:8080

Linux Installation

# Install dependencies
sudo apt-get install ruby ruby-dev postgresql nodejs npm

# Clone OpenProject
git clone https://github.com/opf/openproject.git
cd openproject

# Install gems
bundle install

# Setup database
./bin/rails db:create db:migrate

# Run application
./bin/rails server

# Access at http://localhost:3000

Production Configuration

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

# Enable automated backups
# Monitor performance and resources

Use Cases and Real-World Applications

Construction and Engineering Projects

Construction teams use OpenProject to plan project timelines, track progress, and manage resources. Gantt charts ensure schedules are met. Resource allocation prevents bottlenecks.

IT and Infrastructure Projects

IT teams use OpenProject for infrastructure projects and system implementations. Milestone tracking ensures delivery dates are met. Resource management ensures availability of skilled staff.

Product Development

Product teams use OpenProject to manage product development projects. Agile board supports sprint-based development. Resource planning allocates developers to multiple projects.

Consulting and Services Projects

Consulting firms use OpenProject to manage client projects. Time tracking supports accurate billing. Project profitability analysis identifies high-margin engagements.