I stumbled upon Eigenfocus while exploring various project management tools, and I was pleasantly surprised by its simplicity and flexibility. It's not a flashy or overly feature-rich tool, but it seems to get the job done without fussing too much about bells and whistles. Instead, Eigenfocus focuses on being a solid, simple way to manage projects and workflows, which is exactly what I think many teams need.

Eigenfocus Key Features

  • Projects: create/edit/update/archive you projects
  • Boards: each project has a board where you can customize columns to your workflow
  • Issues: create issues, write markdown descriptions and attach files
  • Workflow with Boards: Move issues between columns
  • Time Tracking: track time spent on a Project and a Specific Issue
  • Time Report: generate time reports by project and time periods
  • Themes: customize the UI to your taste

Install Eigenfocus using Docker Compose

If you don't have Docker installed and need help getting started, I recommend checking out our self-hosting guides for beginners. These guides cover the basics of setting up a small server to host apps using Docker. They're designed to help you get up and running smoothly, even if you're new to self-hosting.

Use the following Docker Compose to install Eigenfocus:

services:
  web:
    image: eigenfocus/eigenfocus:0.6.0
    restart: unless-stopped
    volumes:
      - /docker/eigenfocus:/eigenfocus-app/app-data
    environment:
     - DEFAULT_HOST_URL=http://localhost:3001
    ports:
      - 3001:3000

See more about installation on the Eigenfocus Github page.

As Eigenfocus continues to grow, the developers have introduced a 'Supporter Edition' that will add some extra features and perks for teams who want a bit more out of their project management tool. This may be a good thing for some users, but it also raises questions about the potential for fragmentation within the community.

Some of the premium features may include the following:

  • Inviting members
  • Other types of project views (boards, lists, custom matrices, calendar)
  • Multiple views per project
  • Project Hierarchization

Final Notes and Thoughts


I've tried out Eigenfocus and think it's definitely worth checking out if you're looking for a simple yet powerful project management tool. It's got some useful features like customizable boards and time tracking that I think would be a big help for most teams.

With that being said, adding premium features behind a paywall is a tactic that's often met with skepticism within the self-hosted software community, as it can be seen as a betrayal of the principles that made these tools accessible in the first place. Many users who have been drawn to open-source solutions are motivated by a desire for transparency and collaboration, and locking up premium features behind a paywall seems at odds with those values. It's worth noting that neither Eigenfocus's website nor its GitHub page explicitly label themselves as "open-source", which is an important distinction for any project looking to build trust with its user base.

If you have any suggestions, issues, or just want to say thank you, head over to the Eigenfocus project page on GitHub and check it out. Be sure to give the project a star!