Open-source workspace collaboration platform
Real-time chat, video calls, project management, file sharing, calendar, notes, AI tools -- all in one place.
Website | Quick Start | Discussions | Contributing
🇬🇧 English | 🇯🇵 日本語 | 🇨🇳 中文 | 🇰🇷 한국어 | 🇪🇸 Español | 🇫🇷 Français | 🇩🇪 Deutsch | 🇧🇷 Português | 🇷🇺 Русский | 🇮🇳 हिन्दी | 🇸🇦 العربية
Deskive is a self-hostable workspace collaboration platform that brings together real-time communication, project management, and productivity tools. Built for teams who want complete control over their data, Deskive gives you Slack + Notion + Zoom + Asana functionality in a single open-source application.
Unlike Slack that requires paid plans for video calls or Notion that lacks real-time chat, Deskive gives you everything you need to collaborate effectively -- chat, video calls, project boards, file sharing, AI assistance -- without vendor lock-in or proprietary licensing.
Deskive workspace dashboard with integrated communication and project management
- Create Your Workspace -- Set up team workspaces with channels, projects, and custom roles
- Communicate in Real-Time -- Chat with threads, reactions, mentions, GIFs, and HD video calls
- Manage Projects -- Organize work with Kanban boards, sprints, task dependencies, and time tracking
- Collaborate on Documents -- Share notes, whiteboards, files with version control and digital signatures
- Automate with AI -- AutoPilot has full access across the entire app and can automate anything -- scheduling, messages, project updates, and more
- Get Smart Suggestions -- AI analyzes your data and suggests tasks, actions, and priorities right from the dashboard
- 💬 Real-Time Communication -- Channels, direct messages, threads, reactions, mentions, and GIF support
- 📹 HD Video Conferencing -- Built-in video calls with screen sharing, recording, and transcription via LiveKit
- 📋 Project Management -- Kanban boards, sprints, milestones, task dependencies, and time tracking
- 📁 File Management -- Cloud storage with versioning, sharing, and Google Drive integration
- 📝 Collaborative Notes -- Block-based editor with real-time collaboration and templates
- 📅 Calendar & Scheduling -- Event management, recurring events, meeting rooms, and availability tracking
- 🎨 Whiteboard -- Visual collaboration workspace for brainstorming and planning
- 🤖 AutoPilot AI Agent -- Fully autonomous AI assistant with access to the entire app -- automates tasks, schedules meetings, sends messages, manages projects, and handles workflows across all modules
- 🧠 Smart Suggestions -- AI-powered dashboard suggestions that analyze your activity, projects, and deadlines to recommend tasks and priorities
- 🧰 Built-in Tools -- Ready-to-use productivity tools for everyday tasks -- polls, reminders, time tracking, templates, and more -- no extra setup needed
- 🔌 Connectors -- 180+ third-party app connectors with 6+ pre-wired OAuth integrations including Slack, Google Drive, GitHub, Dropbox, Gmail, and more
- 📊 Forms & Analytics -- Custom form builder with response tracking and workspace metrics
- ✅ Approval Workflows -- Built-in approval system for documents and processes
- 💰 Budget Tracking -- Expense management, billing rates, and budget monitoring
- 🔍 Semantic Search -- AI-powered search across all content types
- 🌍 Internationalization -- Multi-language support (English, Japanese, expandable)
🤖 AutoPilot AI Agent
Fully autonomous AI assistant with access to the entire app -- ask it anything, automate everything
🧠 Smart Suggestions
AI analyzes your activity and deadlines to recommend tasks and priorities right from the dashboard
🧰 Built-in Tools
Ready-to-use productivity tools -- document builder, bots, budgets, whiteboards, forms, and more
🔌 Connectors
180+ third-party app connectors with pre-wired OAuth for Gmail, Google Calendar, Drive, GitHub, Dropbox, and more
Modern teams juggle multiple subscriptions: Slack for chat ($8.75/user/mo), Zoom for video ($15.99/user/mo), Asana for projects ($10.99/user/mo), Notion for docs ($10/user/mo). This creates fragmented workflows, data silos, security risks from multiple vendors, and costs that scale linearly with team size.
Common pain points we address:
- ❌ Tool Fragmentation -- Switching between 5+ tools daily disrupts focus and productivity
- ❌ Rising Costs -- SaaS subscriptions add up to $50+/user/month for basic collaboration
- ❌ Data Lock-In -- Your data lives on someone else's servers with limited export options
- ❌ Privacy Concerns -- Sensitive business data shared with multiple third-party vendors
- ❌ Integration Complexity -- Each tool requires separate API integrations and authentication
- ❌ Feature Gaps -- No single platform offers comprehensive collaboration features
✅ All-in-One Platform -- Chat, video, projects, files, calendar, notes, and AI in one application
✅ Self-Hosted & Open Source -- Complete data ownership with GNU AGPL 3.0 license
✅ Zero Per-User Costs -- One infrastructure cost regardless of team size
✅ Deep Integration -- All features share context and data seamlessly
✅ Enterprise-Ready -- Digital signatures, approval workflows, audit logs, and SSO support
| Feature | Deskive | Slack | Notion | Asana | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real-time Chat | ✅ Channels, threads, reactions | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Video Calls | ✅ HD, recording, transcription | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | |
| Project Management | ✅ Kanban, sprints, dependencies | ❌ | ✅ Full-featured | ||
| File Management | ✅ Versioning, sharing, Drive sync | ✅ SharePoint | |||
| Notes & Docs | ✅ Block editor, real-time collab | ✅ Full-featured | ❌ | ||
| Calendar | ✅ Events, rooms, availability | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | |
| Whiteboard | ✅ Collaborative workspace | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| AI Assistant | ✅ AutoPilot, meeting intel | ✅ Copilot | |||
| Forms Builder | ✅ Custom forms with analytics | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Budget Tracking | ✅ Expenses, billing, budgets | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Approval Workflows | ✅ Built-in system | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ Power Automate | |
| Bot Automation | ✅ Custom bots, triggers/actions | ✅ Bolt SDK | ❌ | ✅ Power Automate | |
| Email Integration | ✅ Gmail OAuth, SMTP/IMAP | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Outlook | |
| Self-Hosted | ✅ Docker Compose | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Open Source | ✅ GNU AGPL 3.0 | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Desktop Apps | ✅ Tauri (Mac, Win, Linux) | ✅ Electron | ✅ Electron | ❌ | ✅ Electron |
| Learning Curve | 🟢 Low | 🟢 Low | 🟡 Medium | 🟡 Medium | 🔴 High |
| Pricing | 🟢 Free (self-hosted) | 💰 $8.75/user/mo | 💰 $10/user/mo | 💰 $10.99/user/mo | 💰 $4/user/mo |
The proprietary comparison above is the "should I stop paying Slack + Notion + Asana" story. If you're comparing against other open-source workspace tools, this is the honest picture. Specialist tools beat us on depth per pillar; nobody else ships every pillar in one repo.
| Feature | Deskive | AppFlowy | Huly | Plane | Nextcloud Hub | Mattermost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real-time Chat | ✅ Channels, threads, reactions | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ Talk | ✅ Best-in-class |
| Video Calls | ✅ HD, recording, transcription (LiveKit) | ❌ | ✅ Virtual office | ❌ | ✅ Talk | |
| Docs / Notes | ✅ Tiptap + Yjs block editor | ✅ Best-in-class | ✅ Deep | ✅ OnlyOffice/Collabora | ❌ | |
| Project Management | ✅ Kanban, sprints, milestones | ✅ Linear-grade tracker | ✅ Cycles + modules | |||
| Whiteboard | ✅ Excalidraw-based | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | |
| Calendar | ✅ Events, rooms, availability | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Groupware | ❌ | |
| Forms Builder | ✅ 19 field types, analytics | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ||
| Approvals | ✅ Built-in workflows | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ||
| Budget Tracking | ✅ Expenses, billing | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| AI Agent | ✅ AutoPilot + vector search | ✅ Local LLMs (Mistral/Llama) | 📋 Coming soon | ✅ Assistant | ||
| Bots / Automation | ✅ Custom bots, triggers | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Flow | ✅ Webhooks | |
| Integrations Catalog | 180+ in catalog, 6+ pre-wired OAuth | ~1 (Zapier link) | 1 (GitHub bidi) | ~16 (GH, GL, Slack, Sentry, + importers) | 200+ (Nextcloud app store) | ~40–50 (marketplace) |
| Plugin Marketplace | ❌ (catalog is static, no third-party) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Best-in-class | ✅ |
| Self-Hosted | ✅ Docker Compose | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Pluggable Providers (storage / AI / email / push / search / auth) | ✅ All 7 swappable via env var | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ (plugins) | ❌ (plugins) |
Honest summary:
- On depth per feature, specialists win their category: AppFlowy has the richer docs editor, Huly has a deeper Linear-grade tracker, Plane has more mature cycles/modules, Mattermost is production-proven chat at scale, Nextcloud has the biggest app ecosystem. We lose a 1v1 on any single pillar.
- On breadth under one data model, we're the only OSS project shipping all 12 pillars natively in one repo under one login and one permission model. Huly comes closest but has no forms / approvals / budget / whiteboard. That "one unified workspace" story is real and not marketing.
- On the pluggable-provider pattern (swap storage / AI / email / push / search / auth / video at the env-var level), we're the only one doing it — every other project hardcodes its backing services.
If you need one tool for all of chat + video + docs + PM + forms + approvals + budget + AI — and you want to swap the infrastructure freely — deskive is the clearest choice today. If you need only one of those pillars and care about maximum depth on it, the specialist probably wins.
- Truly Unified Platform -- All features share the same data model and permission model; a task, a chat message, a doc, and a calendar event are first-class citizens of the same workspace
- Pluggable Infrastructure -- Storage, AI, email, push, search, auth, and video backends are all swappable via env var. Move from R2 to GCS, OpenAI to Ollama, Gmail to Postmark, LiveKit to Jitsi — no code changes
- Self-Hosting Without Compromise -- Full feature parity with SaaS alternatives, including video calls and AI
- Modern Tech Stack -- Built with React 19, NestJS 11, TypeScript, Tiptap/Yjs, Excalidraw, LiveKit, and Qdrant
- AI-Native Design -- Vector search, conversation memory, and AutoPilot agent built into the core platform
- Cost-Effective Scaling -- One infrastructure cost serves unlimited users, unlike per-seat SaaS pricing
Deskive is an actively maintained project with a growing community. Here's what's happening:
- ✅ 40+ Modules -- Comprehensive backend API with modular architecture
- ✅ 148 Database Tables -- Production-ready schema with migrations
- ✅ HD Video Conferencing -- LiveKit integration with recording and transcription
- ✅ AI AutoPilot -- Fully autonomous AI agent with app-wide access for end-to-end task automation
- ✅ Smart Suggestions -- AI-driven dashboard that analyzes user data to recommend tasks and priorities
- ✅ 180+ Connectors -- Third-party app integrations with pre-wired OAuth for Slack, GitHub, Google, and more
- ✅ Multi-Language Support -- i18n with English and Japanese
- ✅ Desktop Apps -- Tauri-based apps for macOS, Windows, and Linux
Active Maintenance -- Regular commits and quick response to issues show the project is actively maintained and supported
Modern Codebase -- TypeScript throughout ensures type safety, better developer experience, and fewer runtime errors
Production-Ready -- Comprehensive feature set with 40+ backend modules demonstrates maturity beyond MVP stage
Community Growth -- Growing contributor base and active discussions indicate healthy community engagement
Open Development -- All development happens in public with transparent decision-making and roadmap
Want to see your contributions here? Check out our Quick Contribution Guide below!
Run these commands from the project root:
git clone https://github.com/deskive/deskive.git
cd deskive
cp .env.docker .env
# Edit .env with your configuration (database credentials, API keys, etc.)
docker compose up -dThat's it! Access the app at http://localhost:5175 and the API at http://localhost:3000.
Prerequisites: Node.js 20+, PostgreSQL 15+, Redis 7+
# Clone
git clone https://github.com/deskive/deskive.git
cd deskive
# Backend
cd backend
cp .env.example .env # Edit .env with your configuration
npm install
npm run migrate # Run database migrations
npm run start:dev
# Frontend (in a new terminal)
cd frontend
cp .env.example .env
npm install
npm run devFrontend: http://localhost:5175 | Backend: http://localhost:3000
For development environments:
./start.sh┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Frontend (React 19) │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ Chat │ │ Projects │ │ Files │ │ Calendar │ │
│ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │
│ Vite + TypeScript + Tailwind CSS + Radix UI │
└────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┘
│ REST API + Socket.io
┌────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Backend (NestJS 11) │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ Auth │ │ Chat │ │ Tasks │ │ AI │ │
│ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │
│ 40+ Modules with TypeScript + Raw SQL │
└────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬──────────┘
│ │ │ │
┌────┴────┐ ┌────┴────┐ ┌────┴────┐ ┌────┴────┐
│Postgres │ │ Redis │ │ Qdrant │ │LiveKit │
│(Storage)│ │(Cache) │ │(Vector) │ │(Video) │
└─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘
Frontend (/frontend) -- React 19 with Vite, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Radix UI components, Zustand for state management, React Query for data fetching
Backend (/backend) -- NestJS 11 with TypeScript, PostgreSQL with raw SQL queries, Redis for caching and real-time features, Socket.io for WebSocket connections
AI & Search -- Qdrant for vector embeddings, OpenAI for GPT-4o-mini and Whisper transcription
Video -- LiveKit for HD video calls, screen sharing, recording, and real-time transcription
Deskive ships with 40+ integrated modules across these categories:
| Category | Modules |
|---|---|
| Communication | Chat (channels, DMs, threads), Video Calls (HD, recording), Email (Gmail OAuth, SMTP/IMAP), Notifications |
| Project Management | Tasks, Milestones, Sprints, Kanban Boards, Time Tracking, Dependencies, Labels |
| Content | Notes (block editor), Documents (digital signatures), Whiteboards, File Management (versioning, sharing) |
| Productivity | Calendar (events, rooms), Forms (builder, analytics), Approvals (workflows), Budgets (expenses, billing), Built-in Tools (polls, reminders, templates) |
| AI & Automation | AutoPilot (full app-wide autonomous agent), Smart Suggestions (AI-driven task recommendations), Meeting Intelligence, Document Analysis, Bots (triggers, actions, scheduling) |
| Platform | Auth (OAuth, SSO), Workspace Management, Roles & Permissions, Search (semantic), Analytics, 180+ Connectors (Slack, GitHub, Google, Dropbox, and more) |
View detailed feature documentation →
Every backing service is swappable via a single env var. Defaults keep Deskive runnable with zero cloud credentials; swap in a managed provider when you're ready.
| Domain | Env var | Providers shipped |
|---|---|---|
| Storage (PR #28) | STORAGE_PROVIDER |
local-fs (default), s3, r2, minio, b2, gcs, azure, none |
| Email (PR #30) | EMAIL_PROVIDER |
smtp, resend, sendgrid, postmark, ses, mailgun, none |
| Push (PR #31) | PUSH_PROVIDER |
webpush, fcm, onesignal, expo, none |
| Search (PR #32) | SEARCH_PROVIDER |
pg-trgm (default, zero extra infra), meilisearch, typesense, none |
| Auth / SSO (PR #33) | AUTH_PROVIDERS |
local, google, github, magic-link (passwordless, JWT-based) |
| Video | VIDEO_PROVIDER |
livekit, jitsi, daily, agora, whereby, none |
| AI | AI_PROVIDER |
openai, anthropic, gemini, groq, ollama (local) |
- Keyword + semantic search coexist.
SearchProviderServicehandles trigram/faceted keyword search;SearchServicekeeps handling Qdrant vector/semantic search. - Optional SDKs are lazy-loaded —
@azure/storage-blob,@google-cloud/storage,firebase-admin,livekit-server-sdk, andagora-tokenareoptionalDependencies, so pickinglocal-fs/smtp/webpush/pg-trgmadds zero install cost. - Smoke tests ship with each adapter (
backend/scripts/smoke-test-*-providers.ts) — 27 / 45 / 61 / 55 / 37 assertions for storage / email / push / search / auth respectively, all passing. - Full docs: see
backend/docs/providers/for per-provider env vars and setup.
Deskive supports multiple languages via react-i18next:
- English (en), Japanese (ja)
Want to add a new language? Contribute translations in frontend/src/i18n/locales/. See the translation guide.
Deskive is more than just another open-source project -- it's an opportunity to build the future of team collaboration while mastering modern development practices.
📚 Learn Modern Tech Stack
- React 19 -- Latest React with concurrent features and server components
- NestJS 11 -- Enterprise-grade Node.js framework with dependency injection
- TypeScript Throughout -- Strong typing, better IDE support, fewer bugs
- PostgreSQL + Raw SQL -- Database design without ORM magic
- Real-Time Systems -- Socket.io for WebSockets, Redis for pub/sub
- AI Integration -- OpenAI embeddings, vector search with Qdrant
💼 Build Your Portfolio
- Contribute to a production-ready platform used by teams worldwide
- Work on features that appear on your GitHub profile
- Get recognition in our contributor hall of fame
- Build expertise in collaboration platforms and real-time systems -- highly valued skills in 2026
🤝 Join a Growing Community
- Connect with developers from around the world
- Get code reviews from experienced maintainers
- Learn best practices in software architecture
- Participate in technical discussions and design decisions
🎯 Make Real Impact
- Your code will help teams break free from expensive SaaS subscriptions
- See your features being used in production environments
- Influence the direction of open-source collaboration tools
⚡ Quick Onboarding
- Docker Compose gets you running in under 5 minutes
- Well-documented codebase with clear architecture
- Friendly maintainers who respond to PRs within 48 hours
- "Good first issue" labels for newcomers
Get started contributing in under 10 minutes:
# Fork the repository on GitHub, then clone your fork
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/deskive.git
cd deskive
# Start with Docker (easiest way)
cp .env.docker .env
docker compose up -d
# Access the app
# Frontend: http://localhost:5175
# Backend API: http://localhost:3000That's it! You're running Deskive locally.
Choose based on your experience level:
🟢 Beginner-Friendly
- 📝 Fix typos or improve documentation
- 🌍 Add translations -- We support English and Japanese
- 🐛 Fix simple bugs
- ✨ Improve UI/UX
🟡 Intermediate
- 🔗 Add new integrations -- See our Integration Guide
- 🧪 Write tests
- 🚀 Performance improvements
- 📱 Mobile responsiveness
🔴 Advanced
- 🤖 AI features -- AutoPilot enhancements, new AI capabilities
- ⚙️ Core engine enhancements
- 🏗️ Architecture improvements
- 🔐 Security features
# Create a new branch
git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name
# Make your changes
# - Backend code: /backend/src/modules
# - Frontend code: /frontend/src
# - Database migrations: /backend/migrations
# Test your changes
npm test
# Commit with a clear message
git commit -m "feat: add new integration for XYZ"# Push to your fork
git push origin feature/your-feature-name
# Open a PR on GitHub
# - Describe what you changed and why
# - Link to any related issues
# - Add screenshots if it's a UI changeWhat happens next?
- ✅ Automated tests run on your PR
- 👀 A maintainer reviews your code (usually within 48 hours)
- 💬 We may suggest changes or improvements
- 🎉 Once approved, your code gets merged!
✨ Start small -- Your first PR doesn't need to be a huge feature
📖 Read the code -- Browse existing modules in backend/src/modules for reference
❓ Ask questions -- Open a GitHub Discussion if you're stuck
🧪 Write tests -- PRs with tests get merged faster
📝 Document your code -- Add comments for complex logic
- 💡 GitHub Discussions -- Ask questions, share ideas
- 📖 Contributing Guide -- Detailed contribution guidelines
- 🐛 GitHub Issues -- Report bugs or request features
We welcome contributions! See our Contributing Guide to get started.
Ways to contribute:
- Report bugs or request features via GitHub Issues
- Submit pull requests for bug fixes or new features
- Add new integrations (see the Integration Guide)
- Improve documentation
- Add translations
Thank you to all the amazing people who have contributed to Deskive! 🎉
Want to see your face here? Check out our Contributing Guide and start contributing today!
Connect with developers, get help, and stay updated on Deskive's latest developments!
| Platform | Purpose | Link |
|---|---|---|
| 💡 GitHub Discussions | Ask questions, share ideas, feature requests | Start Discussion |
| 🐛 GitHub Issues | Bug reports, feature requests | Open Issue |
| 🌐 Website | Documentation, guides, updates | deskive.com |
- 🤝 Be Respectful -- Treat everyone with respect and kindness
- 💡 Share Knowledge -- Help others learn and grow
- 🐛 Report Issues -- Found a bug? Let us know on GitHub Issues
- 🎉 Celebrate Wins -- Share your Deskive implementations and use cases
- 🌍 Think Global -- We're a worldwide community supporting multiple languages
This project is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0.
Copyright 2025 Deskive Contributors.
Built with NestJS, React, PostgreSQL, Redis, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, LiveKit, OpenAI, and Qdrant.
Website | Docs | Discussions
Built with ❤️ by the Deskive community
If you find this project useful, please consider giving it a star! ⭐
