OpenBoxes vs Part-DB
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted crm & business apps options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Part-DB
Web-based inventory for electronic components
| Feature | OpenBoxes | Part-DB |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 85 · Excellent |
| Category | CRM & Business Apps | CRM & Business Apps |
| License | MPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Groovy | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 900 | ★ 1,774 |
| First released | 2011 | 2017 |
| Replaces | SAP, NetSuite | NetSuite |
What are OpenBoxes and Part-DB?
OpenBoxes
OpenBoxes is an open-source inventory and supply chain management system. It was designed to manage stock, track inventory, and support supply chains for healthcare facilities.
- Inventory and stock tracking
- Supply chain workflows
- Shipment management
- Reporting and analytics
Part-DB
Part-DB is an open-source, web-based inventory management application for electronic components and parts. It tracks stock, suppliers, prices, and storage locations.
- Component inventory tracking
- Supplier and price history
- Storage location hierarchy
- Barcode and label support
OpenBoxes vs Part-DB: key differences
OpenBoxes is written in Groovy, while Part-DB is built with PHP. Licensing differs — MPL-2.0 for OpenBoxes versus AGPL-3.0 for Part-DB. Part-DB is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for OpenBoxes. OpenBoxes is the more established project (first released 2011), while Part-DB arrived in 2017.
Why pick each one
Choose OpenBoxes if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Groovy
Choose Part-DB if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.8k GitHub stars)
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenBoxes or Part-DB better?
Part-DB is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider OpenBoxes if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are OpenBoxes and Part-DB free and open-source?
Yes. OpenBoxes is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Part-DB under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenBoxes and Part-DB with Docker?
OpenBoxes: yes. Part-DB: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, OpenBoxes or Part-DB?
Part-DB has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for OpenBoxes. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.