Kanboard is a lightweight, open-source task and project management tool, ideal for tech-savvy users who want full control of their data and workflows. With features like a simple Kanban interface, built-in automation, and API support, Kanboard is an excellent choice for users looking to self-host a highly customizable and secure solution. In this guide, we’ll cover the end-to-end process of deploying, configuring, and managing Kanboard, including installation, reverse proxy setup, logging, backups, updates, and leveraging its unique features.
Installing Kanboard
📦 Docker/Docker Compose Setup
Using Docker is an efficient way to deploy Kanboard while simplifying dependency management and updates. Below is a docker-compose.yml file tailored for Kanboard:
version: '3.8'
services:
kanboard:
image: kanboard/kanboard:latest
container_name: kanboard
ports:
- "8080:80" # Map Kanboard to port 8080 on your host
volumes:
- ./data:/var/www/app/data # Store Kanboard data persistently
- ./plugins:/var/www/app/plugins # Mount external plugins
environment:
- DEBUG=false # Set to true for debugging
- DATABASE_URL=sqlite:/var/www/app/data/db.sqlite # Default SQLite setup
restart: unless-stopped
Deploy Kanboard with the following commands:
mkdir kanboard && cd kanboard
nano docker-compose.yml # Paste the above YAML file
docker-compose up -d # Start the Kanboard container
Access Kanboard by navigating to http://<your-server-ip>:8080 in your browser.
🚀 Manual Installation
To install Kanboard on a Linux server without Docker, follow these steps:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y apache2 php unzip curl
sudo apt install -y php-sqlite3 php-mbstring php-json php-gd # Install PHP extensions
curl -LO https://github.com/kanboard/kanboard/archive/refs/heads/master.zip
unzip master.zip
sudo mv kanboard-master /var/www/kanboard
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/kanboard
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/kanboard
## Configure Apache for Kanboard
echo "<VirtualHost *:80>
DocumentRoot /var/www/kanboard
<Directory /var/www/kanboard>
AllowOverride All
</Directory>
</VirtualHost>" | sudo tee /etc/apache2/sites-available/kanboard.conf
sudo a2ensite kanboard.conf
sudo systemctl reload apache2
Visit http://<your-server-ip> to use Kanboard.
Configuring Nginx as a Reverse Proxy
🌐 Nginx Configuration
Set up Nginx to act as a reverse proxy for Kanboard:
sudo apt install nginx -y
echo "server {
listen 80;
server_name yourdomain.com;
location / {
proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8080; # Forward to Kanboard Docker container or Apache
proxy_set_header Host \$host;
proxy_set_header X-Real-IP \$remote_addr;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For \$proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
}
}" | sudo tee /etc/nginx/sites-available/kanboard
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/kanboard /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t # Test configuration
sudo systemctl reload nginx
🔒 SSL/TLS Setup
Use Let’s Encrypt to secure Kanboard with HTTPS:
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y
sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com
sudo systemctl reload nginx
Certificates will auto-renew every 90 days using certbot.
🛠️ Testing and Reloading Nginx
Test the configuration and reload Nginx whenever changes are made:
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx
Logging and Debugging Kanboard
🗃️ Enabling Debug Logs
Enable debug logging in Kanboard by modifying the config.php file:
// Add this to /var/www/kanboard/config.php
define('DEBUG', true);
define('LOG_DRIVER', 'file');
define('LOG_FILE', '/var/www/kanboard/data/debug.log');
📄 Viewing Logs
If using Docker, view logs with:
docker logs kanboard
For manual installations, check the log file:
tail -f /var/www/kanboard/data/debug.log
🛠️ Troubleshooting Common Issues
-
Database Errors: Ensure SQLite or the configured database is accessible. Check permissions on the
datafolder. -
Broken Plugins: Disable plugins in the
config.phpfile if they are causing errors.
📤 Exporting Logs
Send logs to an ELK Stack or external system:
docker logs kanboard | curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d @- http://elk-server:9200/kanboard_logs
Backup and Restore
🗂️ File-Based Backups
Backup the entire Kanboard directory:
tar -czvf kanboard-backup.tar.gz /var/www/kanboard
Restore with:
tar -xzvf kanboard-backup.tar.gz -C /var/www/
🔄 Database Backups
For SQLite:
cp /var/www/kanboard/data/db.sqlite /path/to/backup/
For MySQL:
mysqldump -u root -p kanboard_db > kanboard_backup.sql
Restore MySQL with:
mysql -u root -p kanboard_db < kanboard_backup.sql
📅 Automated Backup Scripts
Create a cron job to automate backups:
echo "0 2 * * * tar -czvf /backups/kanboard-$(date +\%F).tar.gz /var/www/kanboard" | crontab -
Updating and Upgrading Kanboard
⬆️ Updating Docker Images
Update Kanboard to the latest version using Docker:
docker-compose pull kanboard
docker-compose up -d
🛠️ Manual Updates
For manual installations:
curl -LO https://github.com/kanboard/kanboard/archive/refs/heads/master.zip
unzip master.zip
cp -r kanboard-master/* /var/www/kanboard
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/kanboard
🔍 Checking for Updates
Check releases on the official Kanboard GitHub page.
Leveraging Kanboard’s Unique Features
🔧 Enabling APIs
Activate the API by editing config.php:
define('API_AUTHENTICATION_HEADER', true);
Test the API with curl:
curl -X GET http://yourdomain.com/jsonrpc.php --user admin:password
🌟 Advanced Configurations
Enable plugins by copying them to the plugins directory:
mkdir /var/www/kanboard/plugins/PluginName
cp -r plugin-files/* /var/www/kanboard/plugins/PluginName
sudo systemctl reload apache2
Wrapping Up
This guide has walked you through the essentials of deploying, configuring, and managing Kanboard. By following these steps, you can fully leverage Kanboard’s capabilities while enjoying the flexibility and control of self-hosting. Start implementing these configurations today to streamline your project management and task tracking workflows!
