OpenProject is an open-source project management tool designed for agile teams and organizations needing robust planning, tracking, and collaboration capabilities. It offers unparalleled flexibility for self-hosting, allowing businesses to retain control of their data while accessing features like Gantt charts, time tracking, Kanban boards, and more. This guide walks you through installing, configuring, securing, and managing OpenProject for a fully-functional self-hosted setup tailored to your needs.
Installing OpenProject
π¦ Docker/Docker Compose Setup
Docker is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to deploy OpenProject. Below is a docker-compose.yml
file to set up OpenProject with persistent storage and database integration.
Create a docker-compose.yml
file with the following content:
version: '3.3'
services:
openproject:
image: openproject/community:latest
container_name: openproject
ports:
- "8080:80" # Map OpenProject to localhost:8080
environment:
OPENPROJECT_HTTPS: "false" # Set to "true" if running behind HTTPS
volumes:
- openproject_data:/var/db/openproject
- openproject_logs:/var/log/openproject
volumes:
openproject_data:
openproject_logs:
Deploy the setup using Docker Compose:
docker-compose up -d
Check the container status:
docker ps
Access OpenProject in your browser at http://<your-server-ip>:8080
.
π Manual Installation
For non-Docker users, OpenProject can be installed directly on a Linux server. Below are the steps for Ubuntu-based distributions:
- Add the GPG key and repository:
wget -qO- https://dl.packager.io/srv/opf/openproject/key | sudo apt-key add -
sudo add-apt-repository "deb https://dl.packager.io/srv/opf/openproject/stable/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) main"
- Update and install OpenProject:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y openproject
- Run the configuration wizard:
sudo openproject configure
Follow the prompts to configure the database, SMTP settings, and other parameters.
- Start OpenProject:
sudo systemctl start openproject
Configuring Nginx as a Reverse Proxy
π Nginx Configuration
Set up Nginx to forward traffic to OpenProject. Create an Nginx server block by editing or creating /etc/nginx/sites-available/openproject
:
server {
listen 80;
server_name yourdomain.com;
location / {
proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8080/;
proxy_set_header Host $host;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
}
}
Enable the configuration and restart Nginx:
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/openproject /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx
π SSL/TLS Setup
Secure your site with Let's Encrypt:
sudo apt install -y certbot python3-certbot-nginx
sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com
Automate certificate renewal:
sudo crontab -e
Add this line:
0 0 * * * certbot renew --quiet
π οΈ Testing and Reloading Nginx
Ensure Nginx is active and error-free:
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl restart nginx
Logging and Debugging OpenProject
ποΈ Enabling Debug Logs
Enable debug logging by setting the logging level in OpenProjectβs environment:
docker exec -it openproject bash
export RAILS_LOG_LEVEL=debug
For manual installations, edit the configuration file located in /etc/openproject
.
π Viewing Logs
If using Docker:
docker logs openproject
For manual installations:
tail -f /var/log/openproject/production.log
π οΈ Troubleshooting Common Issues
For errors like database connection issues, check the logs for related messages:
grep "ERROR" /var/log/openproject/production.log
π€ Exporting Logs
Send logs to an external ELK stack:
docker run -d --name filebeat \
-v /var/log/openproject:/var/log/openproject \
elastic/filebeat:7.17.0
Backup and Restore
ποΈ File-Based Backups
Back up OpenProjectβs data directory:
sudo tar -czvf openproject-backup.tar.gz /var/db/openproject
π Database Backups
Dump the PostgreSQL database:
pg_dump -U openproject -h localhost openproject > openproject_db_backup.sql
Restore it:
psql -U openproject -h localhost openproject < openproject_db_backup.sql
π Automated Backup Scripts
Create a cron job to automate backups:
crontab -e
Add this:
0 2 * * * tar -czvf /backup/openproject-$(date +\%F).tar.gz /var/db/openproject
Updating and Upgrading OpenProject
β¬οΈ Updating Docker Images
Update OpenProject in Docker:
docker-compose pull
docker-compose up -d
π οΈ Manual Updates
For manual installations, upgrade OpenProject via the package manager:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y openproject
π Checking for Updates
Check for updates within OpenProjectβs admin interface or by visiting the OpenProject release page.
Leveraging OpenProjectβs Unique Features
π§ Enabling APIs
Activate the API in the admin settings and use the following curl
example to access the REST API:
curl -H "Authorization: Token your_api_token" \
-X GET "https://yourdomain.com/api/v3/projects"
π Advanced Configurations
Enable custom plugins by installing them in the plugins directory. For Docker:
docker exec -it openproject bash
bundle exec rake plugin:install NAME=your_plugin_name
For manual installations:
cd /var/db/openproject/plugins
git clone https://github.com/your_plugin/your_plugin.git
bundle install
Wrapping Up
In this guide, we covered installing, configuring, securing, and managing OpenProject with actionable, code-driven steps. Self-hosting OpenProject empowers you with full data control, extensive customization, and access to powerful project management tools. With this guide, you are well-equipped to deploy and optimize OpenProject for your organizationβs needs. Dive in and start using OpenProject to supercharge your team's productivity!