Planka — Self-Hosted Trello-Like Project Management

Introduction

Planka is a free, open-source, self-hosted project management tool inspired by Trello. It provides real-time kanban boards with a clean, modern interface for teams who want full control over their project data without relying on third-party SaaS platforms.

What Planka Does

• Manages projects with kanban boards, lists, and draggable cards
• Updates boards in real-time across all connected users via WebSockets
• Supports file attachments, checklists, labels, and due dates on cards
• Provides user and role management with per-board access control
• Delivers email notifications for card assignments and due date reminders

Architecture Overview

Planka runs on a Node.js backend using the Sails.js framework with a React frontend. PostgreSQL stores all project data, and real-time updates are pushed through WebSockets. File attachments are stored on the local filesystem or configurable storage. The entire stack runs behind a single Docker Compose setup.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Deploy with Docker Compose including PostgreSQL as the database
• Set SECRET_KEY, BASE_URL, and database credentials in environment variables
• Configure SMTP settings for email notifications on card events
• Mount a volume for /app/public/user-avatars and /app/private/attachments
• Enable OIDC or LDAP authentication for enterprise single sign-on

Key Features

• Real-time collaboration lets multiple users edit the same board simultaneously
• Clean, intuitive UI closely mirrors the familiar Trello-style experience
• Markdown support in card descriptions for rich formatting
• Activity log tracks all changes to cards, lists, and boards with timestamps
• Internationalization with support for over 20 languages

Comparison with Similar Tools

• Trello — cloud SaaS with free tier limits; Planka is fully self-hosted and free
• Wekan — feature-rich but heavier; Planka is lighter with a cleaner UI
• Focalboard — Mattermost-integrated boards; Planka is standalone and simpler
• Taiga — agile project management; Planka focuses on pure kanban simplicity
• Plane — more complex with issues and cycles; Planka keeps it simple with boards

FAQ

Q: Can I import from Trello? A: Planka supports importing Trello JSON exports. Export your Trello board and import it through the Planka interface.

Q: How many users can it handle? A: Planka works well for small to medium teams. WebSocket-based real-time updates scale to dozens of concurrent users per board.

Q: Is there a mobile app? A: No dedicated mobile app yet, but the responsive web interface works well on tablets and mobile browsers.

Q: Does it support multiple boards per project? A: Yes. Each project can contain multiple boards, and users can be assigned to specific projects with role-based access.

Sources

• https://github.com/plankanban/planka
• https://docs.planka.cloud/