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Productivitydocker-ready1-click-deployOpen-Core🟢 Lightweight · ~256MB

Vikunja: Open-Core alternative to Todoist in 2026

Vikunja is an open source task manager with lists, Kanban, Gantt and reminders, designed as a lightweight alternative to Todoist and Asana for small teams.

Core is open source, but advanced features or enterprise support may be behind a paid tier — check the license.

Alternative to TodoistAlternative to Asana
License AGPL-3.05.7k starsWebsite GitHub Repository

Audit Snapshot

View notes →

  • License — Matches GitHub

  • GitHub — Active

  • Latest release — v2.7.0 · 10 days ago

  • Docker Compose — Partial

  • Production — Not production-tested by AltFreeStack

Vikunja vs. Todoist

Pros

  • Very lightweight, runs fine even on SQLite

Things to consider

  • Fewer third-party integrations than Asana

Quick Docker installation guide

Copy this docker-compose.yml, adjust the example passwords and run docker compose up -d on your server. See the full step-by-step guide →

💡 Official SaaS or self-hosted with AltFreeStack?

  • On the official cloud: a recurring monthly fee and usage limits on Todoist.
  • On your own VPS: the core is free to self-host on your own server — no more monthly SaaS fee, though some advanced features stay behind a paid plan.
docker-compose.yml
version: "3.9"
services:
  vikunja:
    image: vikunja/vikunja:2.6
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "3456:3456"
    environment:
      - VIKUNJA_DATABASE_TYPE=sqlite
      - VIKUNJA_SERVICE_JWTSECRET=change-me-super-secret
    volumes:
      - vikunja_data:/app/vikunja/files
volumes:
  vikunja_data:

🚀 Deploy in 1 command

Recommended for beginners

Copy this single command and paste it into your freshly created VPS's console (Vultr, DigitalOcean...). It downloads the script, prints it to your screen so you can see exactly what it's about to do (never a blind direct pipe), and only then installs Docker if needed, writes the files with secrets already generated, and starts everything — no nano, no pasting code blocks.

curl -sSL ".../api/deploy?stack=vikunja" -o deploy.sh && cat deploy.sh && bash deploy.sh
See what this script does →

This docker-compose corresponds to an actively maintained project — last commit today.

This docker-compose not working for you? Report it on GitHub →

Technical profile

License
AGPL-3.0
Category
Productivity
Replaces
Todoist, Asana
Tech stack
GoVue.js

Under the hood

Database

SQLite / PostgreSQL / MySQL

Language

Go

Platforms

Web · Desktop (Mac/Win/Linux) · Mobile (iOS/Android)

Key features

  • List, Kanban, Gantt and Table views
  • Recurring tasks and reminders
  • REST API and mobile apps

Frequently asked questions

What is Vikunja?

An open source task and project manager (AGPL-3.0 license) written in Go, built as a lightweight alternative to Todoist and Asana for small teams. It runs fine even on SQLite, with no separate database required.

What views does Vikunja offer?

Four: List, Kanban, Gantt and Table. Switch between them depending on the task — Table for comparing many fields at once, Kanban for workflow stages, Gantt for scheduling by date.

Is Vikunja fully free, or are some features paid?

It's Open-Core: the self-hosted core is real, free AGPL-3.0. Vikunja Cloud (the official SaaS) is the paid tier, but it isn't required to run it on your own server.

Preview

Vikunja interface preview

Public image provided by Vikunja on its own website.

💾 Backups in 3 steps (Day 2)

As long as the ./data folder (the "volume" mapped into the container) exists on your server, your data survives any restart or container update — that's the only thing you need to back up.

1. Create a compressed backup on the server

tar -czvf backup-$(date +%F).tar.gz ./data

2. Download it to your computer

From your computer's terminal (not your server's):

scp root@YOUR_IP:~/app/backup-*.tar.gz ./

3. Restore in case of emergency

tar -xzvf backup-file.tar.gz
🌐 Connect your domain with free SSL

Step 1 — Set up the DNS

In your domain registrar's dashboard (Cloudflare, Namecheap, GoDaddy...), create a record:

Type
A
Name/Host
@ (root domain) or a subdomain, e.g. app
Content/Value
Your server's public IP

Wait 5 to 15 minutes for the record to propagate across the internet.

Step 2 — Automatic reverse proxy with Caddy

One single file, no Nginx config or manual certificates — Caddy issues and renews Let's Encrypt HTTPS on its own.

Create a file called Caddyfile:

yourdomain.com {
    reverse_proxy localhost:3456
}

Start Caddy with this command (pulls the image and runs it in the background):

docker run -d -p 80:80 -p 443:443 --name caddy --restart always -v $PWD/Caddyfile:/etc/caddy/Caddyfile -v caddy_data:/data caddy