Solidtime — Modern Open-Source Time Tracking App

Introduction

Solidtime is a modern, open-source time tracking application built for freelancers and teams. It combines a clean, responsive interface with powerful features like project-based tracking, billable hours, reporting, and REST API access, all running on your own server with Laravel and Vue.js.

What Solidtime Does

• Tracks time with one-click start/stop timers or manual entry with project and task assignment
• Organizes time entries by clients, projects, and tasks with hierarchical structure
• Generates detailed reports with filters for date ranges, projects, team members, and billable status
• Provides a REST API for integrating time data with invoicing, payroll, or project management tools
• Supports team workspaces with member roles, permissions, and shared project visibility

Architecture Overview

Solidtime is built on Laravel with a PostgreSQL or MySQL database. The Vue.js frontend communicates through a RESTful API with token-based authentication. Time entries are stored with start/end timestamps, project associations, and metadata. The reporting engine aggregates data server-side with configurable grouping and filtering. Background jobs handle exports and scheduled reports via Laravel's queue system.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Deploy with Docker Compose for a bundled setup with PHP, PostgreSQL, and Redis
• Configure database credentials and APP_KEY in the .env file
• Run php artisan migrate --seed to initialize the database schema and default admin user
• Set up SMTP credentials for email notifications and team invitations
• Configure OAuth providers for SSO login if connecting to an existing identity system

Key Features

• Clean, modern UI with dark mode, keyboard shortcuts, and a responsive mobile layout
• Billable vs. non-billable tracking with per-project hourly rates and currency support
• Detailed reports exportable to CSV, PDF, or accessed via the API for custom integrations
• Tags and descriptions on time entries for granular categorization beyond project/task hierarchy
• Multi-organization support for freelancers managing separate client workspaces

Comparison with Similar Tools

• Toggl Track — Cloud-based with paid plans; Solidtime is free, self-hosted, and feature-comparable
• Kimai — Mature time tracker but older UI; Solidtime has a more modern design and developer experience
• Clockify — Free tier with cloud lock-in; Solidtime keeps all data on your server
• Harvest — Commercial with invoicing; Solidtime focuses on time tracking with API-based invoicing integration
• Traggo — Minimal tag-based tracker; Solidtime provides structured project/client hierarchy and reporting

FAQ

Q: Can I import time entries from other tools? A: Solidtime supports CSV import for time entries. Community-contributed import scripts exist for Toggl and Clockify data formats.

Q: Is there a mobile app? A: The web interface is fully responsive and works well on mobile browsers. A PWA mode allows adding it to your home screen for quick access.

Q: How does billing integration work? A: Mark time entries as billable, set hourly rates per project, and export billing summaries via the API or CSV to feed into your invoicing tool.

Q: Can I track time for multiple organizations? A: Yes. Solidtime supports multiple organizations per user, each with separate clients, projects, and team members.

Sources

• https://github.com/solidtime-io/solidtime
• https://www.solidtime.io