Back to catalog
Kanboard
MITKanboard is a self-hosted, lightweight alternative to Trello featuring native WIP limits, automated workflow actions, and zero per-seat subscription fees.
Open-source alternative to — compare it against:
Overview
Frédéric Guillot created Kanboard in 2014 to give teams a minimalist visual task tracker anchored strictly in the Kanban methodology. Rather than adopting the heavy client-side frameworks common in modern project management software, the application relies on standard server-rendered PHP backed by SQLite, MySQL, or PostgreSQL. That architectural restraint means an instance deploys with negligible server resource demands, boots almost instantly, and keeps day-to-day card workflows free of interface clutter.
Why Kanboard instead of Trello
Trello relies on Power-Ups and automation quotas to connect outside tools, routing operational metadata through cloud brokers and adding per-seat fees. Kanboard takes a local-first approach to connectivity: the software runs behind your firewall, offering a JSON-RPC API and two-way webhooks that link directly to internal repositories, chat servers, and deployment pipelines. Teams hosting their own infrastructure avoid sending card titles, client deliverables, or server alerts to external SaaS platforms.
The platform includes native integrations and plugins for GitLab, GitHub, Gogs, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, Slack, and Matrix, alongside directory authentication through LDAP or Active Directory. Where Trello focuses on consumer-facing polish and commercial SaaS marketplaces, Kanboard provides systems administrators with direct database access, scriptable automation rules, and incoming webhook triggers that create or transition tasks without third-party integration tiers or per-seat billing.
What it does well
- Automatic actions trigger status changes, assignee rotations, or notifications based on column moves or incoming webhooks.
- Native Work-in-Progress limits and horizontal swimlanes help project leads spot bottlenecks across client deliverables without paid add-ons.
- Built-in LDAP and Active Directory support, plus reverse-proxy headers, lets operations leads integrate boards into existing SSO systems.
- Flexible storage backends support SQLite for single-container setups, alongside MySQL, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL for multi-team estates.
- A JSON-RPC API and outgoing webhooks let engineering teams automate task creation and updates directly from CI/CD runners or cron scripts.
- Minimal infrastructure overhead lets an instance run on a low-spec virtual server using standard PHP without Redis, Node.js, or background queues.
