# Zammad — Open-Source Helpdesk and Ticketing System

> Zammad is a self-hosted web-based helpdesk and customer support system that unifies email, chat, phone, and social media channels into a single ticketing interface for support teams.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# Zammad — Open-Source Helpdesk and Ticketing System

## Quick Use
```bash
# Using Docker Compose
git clone https://github.com/zammad/zammad-docker-compose.git
cd zammad-docker-compose
docker compose up -d
# Open http://localhost:8080 and follow the setup wizard
```

## Introduction
Zammad is a web-based helpdesk and customer support platform that consolidates communication channels into a unified ticketing system. Built with Ruby on Rails and Vue.js, it supports email, chat, phone, Twitter, and Facebook as ticket sources. Teams self-host Zammad to manage customer requests, track SLAs, and automate support workflows under the AGPL-3.0 license.

## What Zammad Does
- Creates tickets from email, web forms, chat, phone, and social media
- Provides a unified agent dashboard for managing all customer interactions
- Tracks SLAs with automatic escalation and notification rules
- Offers a customer-facing knowledge base for self-service support
- Generates reports and analytics on ticket volume, response times, and agent performance

## Architecture Overview
Zammad is a Ruby on Rails application with a Vue.js frontend, backed by PostgreSQL for data storage, Elasticsearch for full-text search, and Redis for caching and background jobs. The application uses WebSockets for real-time ticket updates in the agent interface. Background workers handle email fetching, notifications, and scheduled tasks. All components are orchestrated via Docker Compose.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Deploy using the official Docker Compose stack with PostgreSQL and Elasticsearch
- Configure email channels via IMAP/SMTP for incoming and outgoing ticket mail
- Set up LDAP or SAML integration for single sign-on authentication
- Define SLA policies with business hours and escalation triggers
- Customize ticket forms, macros, and automated triggers through the admin UI

## Key Features
- Multi-channel support: email, chat, phone, Twitter, Facebook, Telegram
- Full-text search across all tickets, articles, and attachments
- Knowledge base with multilingual support and public/internal articles
- Customizable roles, groups, and permissions for agent teams
- REST API and GraphQL API for automation and third-party integrations

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Chatwoot** — focused on live chat; less mature ticketing and SLA features
- **osTicket** — PHP-based; simpler but lacks modern UI and real-time updates
- **Freshdesk** — SaaS-only; not self-hostable
- **OTRS** — enterprise ticketing; complex setup and commercial licensing

## FAQ
**Q: What are the system requirements for Zammad?**
A: Minimum 4 CPU cores, 8 GB RAM, and 40 GB disk. Elasticsearch requires additional memory based on ticket volume.

**Q: Can Zammad handle multiple brands or products?**
A: Yes. Use groups and email channels to separate ticket queues. Each group can have its own SLA, signature, and agent assignment.

**Q: Does Zammad support ITIL processes?**
A: Zammad focuses on customer support rather than full ITIL. It handles incident management but does not include change or problem management modules.

**Q: How do I migrate from another helpdesk to Zammad?**
A: Zammad provides built-in importers for Zendesk, OTRS, Freshdesk, and Kayako. CSV import is available for generic migrations.

## Sources
- https://github.com/zammad/zammad
- https://docs.zammad.org
- https://zammad.org

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/7cb40ea5-3c4e-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: AI Open Source