OpenProject vs Rukovoditel
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted project management & tasks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
OpenProject
Open-source project management and collaboration
VS
Rukovoditel
Web-based project management and CRM builder
| Feature | OpenProject | Rukovoditel |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 95 · Excellent | 0 · At risk |
| Category | Project Management & Tasks | Project Management & Tasks |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Ruby | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 16,196 | ★ 29 |
| First released | 2012 | 2012 |
| Replaces | Jira, Asana | Jira, Salesforce |
What are OpenProject and Rukovoditel?
OpenProject
OpenProject is a comprehensive open-source project management application with gantt charts, agile boards, and time tracking. It targets organizations managing complex projects. It is deployed via Docker or packages.
- Gantt charts and roadmaps
- Agile boards and backlogs
- Time and cost tracking
- Wiki and document management
Rukovoditel
Rukovoditel is a free, open-source web-based project management and CRM application. It is highly customizable, letting users build their own entities and workflows.
- Customizable entities
- Project and task management
- Built-in reporting
- Access control rules
OpenProject vs Rukovoditel: key differences
OpenProject is written in Ruby, while Rukovoditel is built with PHP. Rukovoditel is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for OpenProject. OpenProject has the considerably larger community, at 16,196 GitHub stars versus 29. OpenProject lists first-class Docker deployment; Rukovoditel does not.
Why pick each one
Choose OpenProject if…
- Very feature-complete
- Good for classic project management
- Strong permissions
Watch out for
- Resource heavy
- Premium features gated
Choose Rukovoditel if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenProject or Rukovoditel better?
Neither is universally better. OpenProject has the larger community, while Rukovoditel is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are OpenProject and Rukovoditel free and open-source?
Yes. OpenProject is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Rukovoditel under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenProject and Rukovoditel with Docker?
OpenProject: yes. Rukovoditel: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, OpenProject or Rukovoditel?
Rukovoditel has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for OpenProject. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.