Krystal DMS vs OpenKM Community
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted document management options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Krystal DMS
Web-based document management system in Java
VS
OpenKM Community
Enterprise document management and content platform
| Feature | Krystal DMS | OpenKM Community |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Document Management | Document Management |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Java | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 50 | ★ 850 |
| First released | 2012 | 2006 |
| Replaces | DocuWare | DocuWare, SharePoint |
Why pick each one
Choose OpenKM Community if…
- Comprehensive enterprise features
- Mature platform
Frequently asked questions
Is Krystal DMS or OpenKM Community better?
Neither is universally better. OpenKM Community has the larger community, while Krystal DMS is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Krystal DMS and OpenKM Community free and open-source?
Yes. Krystal DMS is licensed under GPL-3.0 and OpenKM Community under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Krystal DMS and OpenKM Community with Docker?
Krystal DMS: check the project docs for container support. OpenKM Community: yes.