Kanboard

beginner

Minimalist Kanban project management.

Overview

Kanboard is an open-source project management software that implements the Kanban methodology through a clean, minimalist web interface. Created by Frédéric Guillot in 2014, Kanboard focuses on simplicity and ease of use while providing essential project management features like task boards, swimlanes, time tracking, and basic reporting. Unlike heavyweight project management solutions, Kanboard strips away complexity to deliver a focused tool that teams can adopt immediately without extensive training or configuration. This Docker deployment packages Kanboard with an integrated Nginx web server and SQLite database, creating a self-contained project management solution that requires no external dependencies. The containerized approach eliminates the traditional LAMP stack setup requirements while maintaining all of Kanboard's core functionality including user management, project organization, and plugin support. The configuration includes dedicated volume mounts for data persistence, plugin storage, and SSL certificate management. This stack is ideal for small to medium teams, freelancers, and organizations seeking a lightweight alternative to complex project management platforms like Jira or Asana. Development teams, creative agencies, and personal productivity enthusiasts will appreciate Kanboard's straightforward approach to task visualization and workflow management, while system administrators benefit from the simplified deployment and maintenance requirements of the containerized solution.

Key Features

Visual Kanban boards with customizable columns and swimlanes for organized task management
Built-in time tracking with automatic and manual time logging capabilities
Gantt chart visualization for project timeline and dependency management
Subtask creation and hierarchical task organization with progress tracking
Plugin ecosystem supporting integrations with Slack, GitHub, GitLab, and calendar systems
REST API and webhook support for automation and third-party tool integration
Multi-user support with role-based permissions and project-level access control
Automatic notifications and email alerts for task assignments and due dates

Common Use Cases

1Software development teams tracking feature development and bug fixes through sprint cycles
2Marketing agencies managing campaign workflows and client deliverables across multiple projects
3Freelancers organizing client work with time tracking for accurate billing and project estimation
4Small business operations teams coordinating internal processes and task assignments
5Personal productivity management for individuals tracking goals, habits, and project milestones
6Remote teams requiring a simple, accessible project dashboard without complex configuration
7Educational institutions managing course projects and assignment workflows for students and faculty

Prerequisites

Docker Engine 20.10+ and Docker Compose V2 for container orchestration
Minimum 512MB RAM allocation for smooth Kanboard operation with multiple projects
Available port 8080 for web interface access or alternative port configuration
Persistent storage space of at least 1GB for project data, attachments, and backups
Basic understanding of Kanban methodology and project management workflows
Network connectivity for plugin installations and external service integrations if required

For development & testing. Review security settings, change default credentials, and test thoroughly before production use. See Terms

docker-compose.yml

1services: 
2  kanboard: 
3    image: kanboard/kanboard:latest
4    container_name: kanboard
5    restart: unless-stopped
6    ports: 
7      - "8080:80"
8    volumes: 
9      - kanboard_data:/var/www/app/data
10      - kanboard_plugins:/var/www/app/plugins
11      - kanboard_ssl:/etc/nginx/ssl
12
13volumes: 
14  kanboard_data: 
15  kanboard_plugins: 
16  kanboard_ssl:

.env Template

.env

1# No environment variables required

Usage Notes

1Docs: https://docs.kanboard.org/
2Access at http://localhost:8080 - default: admin/admin
3Minimalist design focused on simplicity
4Features: swimlanes, subtasks, time tracking, Gantt
5Plugins: calendar, slack, github, gitlab integrations
6API and webhooks for automation

Quick Start

terminal

1# 1. Create the compose file
2cat > docker-compose.yml << 'EOF'
3services:
4  kanboard:
5    image: kanboard/kanboard:latest
6    container_name: kanboard
7    restart: unless-stopped
8    ports:
9      - "8080:80"
10    volumes:
11      - kanboard_data:/var/www/app/data
12      - kanboard_plugins:/var/www/app/plugins
13      - kanboard_ssl:/etc/nginx/ssl
14
15volumes:
16  kanboard_data:
17  kanboard_plugins:
18  kanboard_ssl:
19EOF
20
21# 2. Create the .env file
22cat > .env << 'EOF'
23# No environment variables required
24EOF
25
26# 3. Start the services
27docker compose up -d
28
29# 4. View logs
30docker compose logs -f

One-Liner

Run this command to download and set up the recipe in one step:

terminal

1curl -fsSL https://docker.recipes/api/recipes/kanboard/run | bash

Troubleshooting

Permission denied errors on data directory: Run 'docker exec kanboard chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/app/data' to fix file ownership
Kanboard shows blank page or 500 error: Check container logs with 'docker logs kanboard' and verify volume mounts are properly created
Cannot install plugins: Ensure the plugins volume is mounted and writable, then restart the container after plugin installation
Lost admin access after user changes: Connect to container and reset admin password using Kanboard's CLI tools in /var/www/app
Email notifications not working: Configure SMTP settings in Kanboard's admin panel and test mail server connectivity from container
Database corruption after container restart: Backup SQLite database regularly and check Docker volume integrity with 'docker volume inspect kanboard_data'

Community Notes

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