Deskive

Open-source workspace collaboration platform

Real-time chat, video calls, project management, file sharing, calendar, notes, AI tools -- all in one place.

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What is Deskive?

Deskive is a self-hostable workspace collaboration platform that brings together real-time communication, project management, and productivity tools. Built for teams who want complete control over their data, Deskive gives you Slack + Notion + Zoom + Asana functionality in a single open-source application.

Unlike Slack that requires paid plans for video calls or Notion that lacks real-time chat, Deskive gives you everything you need to collaborate effectively -- chat, video calls, project boards, file sharing, AI assistance -- without vendor lock-in or proprietary licensing.

Deskive workspace dashboard with integrated communication and project management

How It Works

1. Create Your Workspace -- Set up team workspaces with channels, projects, and custom roles
2. Communicate in Real-Time -- Chat with threads, reactions, mentions, GIFs, and HD video calls
3. Manage Projects -- Organize work with Kanban boards, sprints, task dependencies, and time tracking
4. Collaborate on Documents -- Share notes, whiteboards, files with version control and digital signatures
5. Automate with AI -- Let AutoPilot handle scheduling, meeting summaries, and daily briefings

Key Capabilities

• 💬 Real-Time Communication -- Channels, direct messages, threads, reactions, mentions, and GIF support
• 📹 HD Video Conferencing -- Built-in video calls with screen sharing, recording, and transcription via LiveKit
• 📋 Project Management -- Kanban boards, sprints, milestones, task dependencies, and time tracking
• 📁 File Management -- Cloud storage with versioning, sharing, and Google Drive integration
• 📝 Collaborative Notes -- Block-based editor with real-time collaboration and templates
• 📅 Calendar & Scheduling -- Event management, recurring events, meeting rooms, and availability tracking
• 🎨 Whiteboard -- Visual collaboration workspace for brainstorming and planning
• 🤖 AI Assistant -- AutoPilot for scheduling, meeting intelligence, and document analysis
• 📊 Forms & Analytics -- Custom form builder with response tracking and workspace metrics
• ✅ Approval Workflows -- Built-in approval system for documents and processes
• 💰 Budget Tracking -- Expense management, billing rates, and budget monitoring
• 🔗 Integrations -- Connect with Slack, Google Drive, GitHub, Dropbox, and more
• 🔍 Semantic Search -- AI-powered search across all content types
• 🌍 Internationalization -- Multi-language support (English, Japanese, expandable)

What Problem We Solve

The Collaboration Tool Fragmentation Dilemma

Modern teams juggle multiple subscriptions: Slack for chat ($8.75/user/mo), Zoom for video ($15.99/user/mo), Asana for projects ($10.99/user/mo), Notion for docs ($10/user/mo). This creates fragmented workflows, data silos, security risks from multiple vendors, and costs that scale linearly with team size.

Common pain points we address:

• ❌ Tool Fragmentation -- Switching between 5+ tools daily disrupts focus and productivity
• ❌ Rising Costs -- SaaS subscriptions add up to $50+/user/month for basic collaboration
• ❌ Data Lock-In -- Your data lives on someone else's servers with limited export options
• ❌ Privacy Concerns -- Sensitive business data shared with multiple third-party vendors
• ❌ Integration Complexity -- Each tool requires separate API integrations and authentication
• ❌ Feature Gaps -- No single platform offers comprehensive collaboration features

Deskive's Solution

✅ All-in-One Platform -- Chat, video, projects, files, calendar, notes, and AI in one application

✅ Self-Hosted & Open Source -- Complete data ownership with GNU AGPL 3.0 license

✅ Zero Per-User Costs -- One infrastructure cost regardless of team size

✅ Deep Integration -- All features share context and data seamlessly

✅ Enterprise-Ready -- Digital signatures, approval workflows, audit logs, and SSO support

Why Deskive? (Comparison)

Deskive vs Open-Source Alternatives

The proprietary comparison above is the "should I stop paying Slack + Notion + Asana" story. If you're comparing against other open-source workspace tools, this is the honest picture. Specialist tools beat us on depth per pillar; nobody else ships every pillar in one repo.

Honest summary:

• On depth per feature, specialists win their category: AppFlowy has the richer docs editor, Huly has a deeper Linear-grade tracker, Plane has more mature cycles/modules, Mattermost is production-proven chat at scale, Nextcloud has the biggest app ecosystem. We lose a 1v1 on any single pillar.
• On breadth under one data model, we're the only OSS project shipping all 12 pillars natively in one repo under one login and one permission model. Huly comes closest but has no forms / approvals / budget / whiteboard. That "one unified workspace" story is real and not marketing.
• On the pluggable-provider pattern (swap storage / AI / email / push / search / auth / video at the env-var level), we're the only one doing it — every other project hardcodes its backing services.

If you need one tool for all of chat + video + docs + PM + forms + approvals + budget + AI — and you want to swap the infrastructure freely — deskive is the clearest choice today. If you need only one of those pillars and care about maximum depth on it, the specialist probably wins.

What Makes Deskive Unique?

1. Truly Unified Platform -- All features share the same data model and permission model; a task, a chat message, a doc, and a calendar event are first-class citizens of the same workspace
2. Pluggable Infrastructure -- Storage, AI, email, push, search, auth, and video backends are all swappable via env var. Move from R2 to GCS, OpenAI to Ollama, Gmail to Postmark, LiveKit to Jitsi — no code changes
3. Self-Hosting Without Compromise -- Full feature parity with SaaS alternatives, including video calls and AI
4. Modern Tech Stack -- Built with React 19, NestJS 11, TypeScript, Tiptap/Yjs, Excalidraw, LiveKit, and Qdrant
5. AI-Native Design -- Vector search, conversation memory, and AutoPilot agent built into the core platform
6. Cost-Effective Scaling -- One infrastructure cost serves unlimited users, unlike per-seat SaaS pricing

📊 Project Activity & Statistics

Deskive is an actively maintained project with a growing community. Here's what's happening:

GitHub Activity

Community Metrics

Metric	Status	Details
Total Contributors		Growing community of developers worldwide
Total Commits		Active development since inception
Monthly Commits		Regular updates and improvements
Code Quality		TypeScript, ESLint, Prettier enforced
Documentation		Detailed guides and API documentation

Language & Code Statistics

Recent Activity Highlights

• ✅ 40+ Modules -- Comprehensive backend API with modular architecture
• ✅ 148 Database Tables -- Production-ready schema with migrations
• ✅ HD Video Conferencing -- LiveKit integration with recording and transcription
• ✅ AI AutoPilot -- Intelligent agent for task automation and scheduling
• ✅ Multi-Language Support -- i18n with English and Japanese
• ✅ Desktop Apps -- Tauri-based apps for macOS, Windows, and Linux

Why These Numbers Matter

Active Maintenance -- Regular commits and quick response to issues show the project is actively maintained and supported

Modern Codebase -- TypeScript throughout ensures type safety, better developer experience, and fewer runtime errors

Production-Ready -- Comprehensive feature set with 40+ backend modules demonstrates maturity beyond MVP stage

Community Growth -- Growing contributor base and active discussions indicate healthy community engagement

Open Development -- All development happens in public with transparent decision-making and roadmap

Join the Activity!

Want to see your contributions here? Check out our Quick Contribution Guide below!

Quick Start

Docker (Recommended)

Run these commands from the project root:

git clone https://github.com/deskive/deskive.git
cd deskive
cp .env.docker .env
# Edit .env with your configuration (database credentials, API keys, etc.)
docker compose up -d

That's it! Access the app at http://localhost:5175 and the API at http://localhost:3000.

Manual Setup

Prerequisites: Node.js 20+, PostgreSQL 15+, Redis 7+

# Clone
git clone https://github.com/deskive/deskive.git
cd deskive

# Backend
cd backend
cp .env.example .env    # Edit .env with your configuration
npm install
npm run migrate         # Run database migrations
npm run start:dev

# Frontend (in a new terminal)
cd frontend
cp .env.example .env
npm install
npm run dev

Frontend: http://localhost:5175 | Backend: http://localhost:3000

One-Command Start

For development environments:

./start.sh

Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     Frontend (React 19)                      │
│  ┌──────────┐  ┌──────────┐  ┌──────────┐  ┌──────────┐   │
│  │   Chat   │  │ Projects │  │  Files   │  │ Calendar │   │
│  └──────────┘  └──────────┘  └──────────┘  └──────────┘   │
│         Vite + TypeScript + Tailwind CSS + Radix UI         │
└────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────┘
                         │ REST API + Socket.io
┌────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Backend (NestJS 11)                       │
│  ┌──────────┐  ┌──────────┐  ┌──────────┐  ┌──────────┐   │
│  │   Auth   │  │   Chat   │  │  Tasks   │  │    AI    │   │
│  └──────────┘  └──────────┘  └──────────┘  └──────────┘   │
│         40+ Modules with TypeScript + Raw SQL               │
└────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬──────────┘
         │             │             │             │
    ┌────┴────┐   ┌────┴────┐  ┌────┴────┐   ┌────┴────┐
    │Postgres │   │  Redis  │  │ Qdrant  │   │LiveKit  │
    │(Storage)│   │(Cache)  │  │(Vector) │   │(Video)  │
    └─────────┘   └─────────┘  └─────────┘   └─────────┘

Frontend (/frontend) -- React 19 with Vite, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Radix UI components, Zustand for state management, React Query for data fetching

Backend (/backend) -- NestJS 11 with TypeScript, PostgreSQL with raw SQL queries, Redis for caching and real-time features, Socket.io for WebSocket connections

AI & Search -- Qdrant for vector embeddings, OpenAI for GPT-4o-mini and Whisper transcription

Video -- LiveKit for HD video calls, screen sharing, recording, and real-time transcription

Feature Modules

Deskive ships with 40+ integrated modules across these categories:

View detailed feature documentation →

Pluggable Providers

Every backing service is swappable via a single env var. Defaults keep Deskive runnable with zero cloud credentials; swap in a managed provider when you're ready.

• Keyword + semantic search coexist. SearchProviderService handles trigram/faceted keyword search; SearchService keeps handling Qdrant vector/semantic search.
• Optional SDKs are lazy-loaded — @azure/storage-blob, @google-cloud/storage, firebase-admin, livekit-server-sdk, and agora-token are optionalDependencies, so picking local-fs / smtp / webpush / pg-trgm adds zero install cost.
• Smoke tests ship with each adapter (backend/scripts/smoke-test-*-providers.ts) — 27 / 45 / 61 / 55 / 37 assertions for storage / email / push / search / auth respectively, all passing.
• Full docs: see backend/docs/providers/ for per-provider env vars and setup.

i18n

Deskive supports multiple languages via react-i18next:

• English (en), Japanese (ja)

Want to add a new language? Contribute translations in frontend/src/i18n/locales/. See the translation guide.

🚀 Why Contribute to Deskive?

Deskive is more than just another open-source project -- it's an opportunity to build the future of team collaboration while mastering modern development practices.

What You'll Gain

📚 Learn Modern Tech Stack

• React 19 -- Latest React with concurrent features and server components
• NestJS 11 -- Enterprise-grade Node.js framework with dependency injection
• TypeScript Throughout -- Strong typing, better IDE support, fewer bugs
• PostgreSQL + Raw SQL -- Database design without ORM magic
• Real-Time Systems -- Socket.io for WebSockets, Redis for pub/sub
• AI Integration -- OpenAI embeddings, vector search with Qdrant

💼 Build Your Portfolio

• Contribute to a production-ready platform used by teams worldwide
• Work on features that appear on your GitHub profile
• Get recognition in our contributor hall of fame
• Build expertise in collaboration platforms and real-time systems -- highly valued skills in 2026

🤝 Join a Growing Community

• Connect with developers from around the world
• Get code reviews from experienced maintainers
• Learn best practices in software architecture
• Participate in technical discussions and design decisions

🎯 Make Real Impact

• Your code will help teams break free from expensive SaaS subscriptions
• See your features being used in production environments
• Influence the direction of open-source collaboration tools

⚡ Quick Onboarding

• Docker Compose gets you running in under 5 minutes
• Well-documented codebase with clear architecture
• Friendly maintainers who respond to PRs within 48 hours
• "Good first issue" labels for newcomers

🎯 Quick Contribution Guide

Get started contributing in under 10 minutes:

Step 1: Set Up Your Environment

# Fork the repository on GitHub, then clone your fork
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/deskive.git
cd deskive

# Start with Docker (easiest way)
cp .env.docker .env
docker compose up -d

# Access the app
# Frontend: http://localhost:5175
# Backend API: http://localhost:3000

That's it! You're running Deskive locally.

Step 2: Find Something to Work On

Choose based on your experience level:

🟢 Beginner-Friendly

• 📝 Fix typos or improve documentation
• 🌍 Add translations -- We support English and Japanese
• 🐛 Fix simple bugs
• ✨ Improve UI/UX

🟡 Intermediate

• 🔗 Add new integrations -- See our Integration Guide
• 🧪 Write tests
• 🚀 Performance improvements
• 📱 Mobile responsiveness

🔴 Advanced

• 🤖 AI features -- AutoPilot enhancements, new AI capabilities
• ⚙️ Core engine enhancements
• 🏗️ Architecture improvements
• 🔐 Security features

Step 3: Make Your Changes

# Create a new branch
git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

# Make your changes
# - Backend code: /backend/src/modules
# - Frontend code: /frontend/src
# - Database migrations: /backend/migrations

# Test your changes
npm test

# Commit with a clear message
git commit -m "feat: add new integration for XYZ"

Step 4: Submit Your Pull Request

# Push to your fork
git push origin feature/your-feature-name

# Open a PR on GitHub
# - Describe what you changed and why
# - Link to any related issues
# - Add screenshots if it's a UI change

What happens next?

• ✅ Automated tests run on your PR
• 👀 A maintainer reviews your code (usually within 48 hours)
• 💬 We may suggest changes or improvements
• 🎉 Once approved, your code gets merged!

Contribution Tips

✨ Start small -- Your first PR doesn't need to be a huge feature

📖 Read the code -- Browse existing modules in backend/src/modules for reference

❓ Ask questions -- Open a GitHub Discussion if you're stuck

🧪 Write tests -- PRs with tests get merged faster

📝 Document your code -- Add comments for complex logic

Need Help?

• 💡 GitHub Discussions -- Ask questions, share ideas
• 📖 Contributing Guide -- Detailed contribution guidelines
• 🐛 GitHub Issues -- Report bugs or request features

Contributing

We welcome contributions! See our Contributing Guide to get started.

Ways to contribute:

• Report bugs or request features via GitHub Issues
• Submit pull requests for bug fixes or new features
• Add new integrations (see the Integration Guide)
• Improve documentation
• Add translations

Contributors

Thank you to all the amazing people who have contributed to Deskive! 🎉

Want to see your face here? Check out our Contributing Guide and start contributing today!

💬 Join Our Community

Connect with developers, get help, and stay updated on Deskive's latest developments!

Where to Find Us

Community Guidelines

• 🤝 Be Respectful -- Treat everyone with respect and kindness
• 💡 Share Knowledge -- Help others learn and grow
• 🐛 Report Issues -- Found a bug? Let us know on GitHub Issues
• 🎉 Celebrate Wins -- Share your Deskive implementations and use cases
• 🌍 Think Global -- We're a worldwide community supporting multiple languages

License

This project is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0.

Copyright 2025 Deskive Contributors.

Acknowledgments

Built with NestJS, React, PostgreSQL, Redis, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, LiveKit, OpenAI, and Qdrant.

Website | Docs | Discussions

Built with ❤️ by the Deskive community

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