17 Open Source tools (completely free) for project management

(Spanish Version)

Acquire a tool for managing projects is prohibitive for some organizations.The Open Source community offers some of them completely free that can meet most of your requirements.

A year ago, Bitelia published an excellent compilation of ten of the best tools completely free ( see list ... ).  Some of them are available for different operative systems like Colabtive, Project HQ, Gantt PV, TaskJuggler or Clockling IT, Others are accessible from cloud as TeamWork or dotProject.net and some are specialized in agile methodologies as iceScrum.

I have updated that list to include some more that, in the last year, have grown in popularity (you know, a year is like a century in software development):

Here they are:

• OpenProject : includes facilities for managing timelines, workpackacges and documents, Wikis, News and Forum arre available for collaboration and there are plugins for cost management and support for agile methodologies like SCRUM

• ProjectLibre : is a fork of Open Project under CopyLeft license ( more info ... ). Designed with the ambition to replace Microsoft Project offers, in consecuence, similar functions. It was chosen among the top 10 open source projects in 2013.

• ProjectOpen : Continuing with this jumble of names, this tool differs from previous ones as it's able to manage programs and portfolios (Enterpriser Project Management) in line with Microsoft Project Server. It also includes classical project management functionality, options for financial control, manage human resources and customer relationships as well as tools for collaborative work and knowledge management. In summary, a complete tool available to install on a local server or accesible in Cloud (SaaS, Software as a Service).

• Open Workbench : a tool specialized in the WBS (Work Breakdown Structures) management . Although it's an open source tool, you have to pay for added value services as, for example, replanning algorithms (eg to calculate the critical path). It's very common to see Open Workbench associated with Clarity, a budgetary control oriented project management tool

• RedMine : best known as a ticketing tool (in this area is one of the best) also offers options for  Gantts, time tracking and document management. Readmine can also be integrated with version control systems like Subversion , CSV or Git . If you are looking for a ticketing tool, Readmine  is probably the most complete, but there are other good alternatives as Request Tracking (RT),  Bugzilla and Mantis Bug Tracker  (MantisBT), the latter two more focused on in the development os software (see 9 Ticketing Open Source Tools completely Free ... ).

• Collabtive : this online tool (available in cloud) is the free version of Basecamp. Includes tasks and milestones management , time tracking, document management. Its functionality can be extended with plugins

• IceScrum : As its name suggests, it's focused on supporting agile methodologies. Sprints, Product Management, Release Plan, Sandbox, Timeline or Scoreboards are covered by this tool as well as other agile practices. There is a free version and a paid version with extended functionality.

• TaskJuggler : a complete tool. It aims to support all phases of a project from its conception to its end making available some unusual tools on other platforms. Alongside the more classic and interactive Gantt charts, timelines, schedules, budget control and cost plan or resource management offers others options to manage project scope, risks or to define a communication plan. Warning: latest version cames from June 2013, so maybe you will not get support for it

• Archievo : online platform focused on resource management. It also includes functionality for project management, time tracking and agendas. Available in multiple languages

• dotProject.net : provides options for planning, task management and team communication and collaboration. It is a good tool but limited in scope

• GanttProject : desktop tool available for various operating systems. Provides Gantt charts (obviously) and PERT and facilities to plan resource loading (Resources Workloads). A tool unpretentious but useful and easy to use ( more ... )

• Project HQ : based on BaseCamp and ActiveColab is a collaborative project management tool built with Python and other Open Source tools. It manages tasks, milestones and it's able to manage different companies and projects. In my opinion, its best time has gone.

• Gantt PV : a simple tool that, as its name suggests, support Gantt charts. The latest version is from 2012 so I don't recommended it. Anyway, if you are looking for something simple perhaps it's a choice

• Clocking IT : online tool designed for facilitating task management and time tracking. It offers interactive Gantt charts, a good reporting system and is available in many languages

• ProjeQtor : manage multiple projects, planning activities, ticketing, resource allocation and workload, risks, incidents, opportunities, agendas, version management, requirements, test cases, workflows, checklists, alerts and notifications. In short, a tool designed to cover the entire lifecycle of a product. Also note that there are a large community around this tool which ensures updates and support via forums.

• OpenPPM : Its distinguishing feature is the possibility to manage portfolios and programs. The source code is available on SourceForge although the last version is managed by Talaia, perhaps the only viable option as the last public version is from 2012. This company also offers a Cloud version (SaaS)

• Aras PLM : a tool that tries to cover the entire lifecycle of a product (Product Lifecycle Management). Highlights for not very common  functionalities as Configuration Management (PDM: Product Data Management ), integration with CAD (Computer Aided Design) or Change Management (Enterprise Engineering Change Workflow). Gantt, Pert, Risk Management and a curious dashboard for managing portfolios arre others options..

If you are looking for a commercial tool, Wikipedia offers a wide comparison or rreview this  recent collection of the 20 most popular project management tools  (mostly commercial)

Doe you now other Open Source tools for project management?, What's about your experience with those tools?. 

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