
Kanboard
Simple and minimalist open source Kanban project management
About Kanboard
Kanboard is a free and open source Kanban project management software focused on simplicity and minimalism. It provides visual task management with customizable boards, automated workflows, and a rich plugin ecosystem, all self-hosted for complete data privacy.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Completely free and open source with no usage limits
- Simple, minimalist interface without feature bloat
- Full data ownership with self-hosted deployment
- Lightweight and can run on low-resource hardware like Raspberry Pi
- Rich API for custom integrations and automation
- Extensive plugin ecosystem for additional functionality
Cons
- User interface looks dated compared to modern project management tools
- Currently in maintenance mode with no major new features planned
- Reporting and analytics capabilities are limited
- Requires self-hosting which means server administration overhead
- Can become difficult to manage with large numbers of tasks
Key Features
Kanban Boards
Visual task boards with customizable columns that can be added, renamed, or removed at any time to adapt to your project workflow
WIP Limits
Set work-in-progress limits per column to prevent overload; columns are highlighted when over the limit
Automated Actions
Configure automated workflow actions that change assignees, colors, categories, and more based on task events
Advanced Search
Powerful query language with dynamic custom filters to search by assignee, description, category, due date, and more
Subtasks & Swimlanes
Break tasks into subtasks and organize boards with swimlanes for better project structure
Plugin System
Extend functionality with a rich ecosystem of community plugins for additional features and integrations
Multiple Integrations
Built-in integrations with GitHub, GitLab, Google Calendar, and extensible via a comprehensive REST API
Multi-Language Support
Available in over 30 languages including English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, and German
Self-Hosted
Install on any shared hosting, dedicated server, VM, Raspberry Pi, or Docker container for complete data ownership
Pricing
- Unlimited projects and boards
- Unlimited users
- All core features included
- Self-hosted on your own server
- Plugin support
- REST API access
- Community support
Best For
Agile Software Development
Manage sprints, user stories, and development workflows with visual Kanban boards and WIP limits
Small Team Task Management
Organize and track team tasks with a simple, no-frills interface that stays out of the way
Privacy-Conscious Organizations
Keep all project data on-premises with full control over hosting and data storage
IT Service Management
Track incident resolution, change management, and service requests with automated workflow actions
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