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Kanboard

Kanboard is a free and open-source Kanban project management tool focused on simplicity and minimalism. Created by Frédéric Guillot and first released in 2014, it offers a clean drag-and-drop board with configurable columns, work-in-progress (WIP) limits, swimlanes, task filtering via a simple query language, subtasks, automatic actions, and a plugin system. It is MIT-licensed and self-hosts on a basic PHP server using SQLite, MySQL, or PostgreSQL.

4/5kanbanFree (self-hosted, MIT license)

Our verdict

Last verified Jun 15, 2026

The reference minimalist self-hosted Kanban tool: MIT-licensed, runs on a tiny PHP/SQLite footprint, and deliberately limits scope to stay fast and simple (~9.6k GitHub stars). Score reflects that the same minimalism means no Gantt, sprints, or rich reporting, and a slower release cadence.

Rating
4/5
Editorial score
Users
0
Verified users
Starting at
Free (self-hosted, MIT license)
fully open-source and free; no paid editions of the core
Category
kanban
Market segment

Key Features

Drag-and-drop Kanban board
Configurable columns and WIP limits
Swimlanes and subtasks
Task search/filter via a query language
Automatic actions (rule-based automation)
Plugin system and CLI
Multi-auth: LDAP/Active Directory, OAuth2
30+ language support

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Extremely lightweight and easy to self-host (PHP + SQLite)
  • Permissive MIT license with no paid tiers
  • WIP limits and rule-based automation built in
  • Plugin system and JSON-RPC API for extension

Cons

  • No Gantt charts, backlogs, or sprint tooling
  • Minimalist UI may feel too bare for some teams
  • Release cadence is slow (v1.2.42, Nov 2024)

Detailed Information

No information available for Inventory Tracking Methods.

Best For

Teams that want a no-frills, fast Kanban board on a tiny serverSelf-hosters who value MIT licensing and minimal dependenciesWorkflows that benefit from strict WIP limits and automation

Not ideal for

Teams needing Gantt charts, sprints/backlogs, or rich reportingOrganizations wanting a heavily featured all-in-one suite

Integrations

LDAP / Active Directory
GitLab
Slack
Amazon S3
Webhooks
JSON-RPC API

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Navigation

0 verified users

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Additional Information

Category
kanban
Price Range
Free (self-hosted)
Pricing Model
fully open-source and free; no paid editions of the core

Company

Founded
2014