Alfresco Content Services

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Alfresco Content Services

A curated collection of the 17 best self hosted alternatives to Alfresco Content Services.

Enterprise content management (ECM) platform for storing, organizing, securing, and governing documents and digital assets. Provides metadata, versioning, access controls, search, workflows, records management, and integrations with enterprise systems.

Alternatives List

#1
Paperless-ngx

Paperless-ngx

Paperless-ngx is an open-source document management system that ingests scans and files, runs OCR, and turns them into a searchable, taggable document archive.

Paperless-ngx screenshot

Paperless-ngx is a community-supported document management system that turns scanned paperwork and digital files into a searchable online archive. It ingests documents, performs OCR, and helps you organize and retrieve files using metadata and full-text search.

Key Features

  • OCR processing to make scanned documents searchable and selectable, leveraging the Tesseract OCR engine
  • Full-text search with relevance sorting, highlighting, auto-complete, and “similar documents” discovery
  • Organization with tags, correspondents, document types, and configurable storage paths/filenames
  • Modern web UI with dashboards, saved views, filtering, bulk edits, drag-and-drop uploads, and dark mode
  • Workflow automation to apply rules and actions throughout the document pipeline
  • Email ingestion with multiple accounts and rules, plus post-processing actions (mark read, delete, etc.)
  • Multi-user permissions with global and per-object/document access control
  • Document archival options including PDF/A storage for long-term preservation alongside originals

Use Cases

  • Digitize and archive household or small-office paperwork (invoices, contracts, tax documents)
  • Centralize document intake from scanners, folders, and email for consistent filing and retrieval
  • Build a searchable compliance or record-keeping archive with controlled user access

Limitations and Considerations

  • Documents are stored unencrypted by default (including extracted text), so it should be deployed only on trusted infrastructure with appropriate access controls and backups

Paperless-ngx is well-suited for replacing paper filing with a searchable digital archive while adding automation for tagging and routing. Its OCR and search capabilities make it practical for long-term document retention and fast retrieval.

35.7kstars
2.3kforks
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#2
Paperless-AI

Paperless-AI

Extension for Paperless‑ngx that uses OpenAI-compatible backends and Ollama to auto-classify, tag, index, and enable RAG-powered document chat and semantic search.

Paperless-AI screenshot

Paperless-AI is an AI-powered extension for Paperless‑ngx that automates document classification, metadata extraction and semantic search. It integrates with OpenAI-compatible APIs and local model backends to provide chat-style Q&A over a Paperless‑ngx archive.

Key Features

  • Automated document processing: detects new documents in Paperless‑ngx and extracts title, tags, document type, and correspondent.
  • Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) chat: semantic search and contextual Q&A across the full document archive.
  • Multi-backend model support: works with OpenAI-compatible APIs, Ollama (local models), DeepSeek-r1, Azure and several other OpenAI-format backends.
  • Manual review UI: web interface to manually trigger AI processing, review results, and adjust settings.
  • Smart tagging and rule engine: configurable rules to control which documents are processed and what tags are applied.
  • Docker-first distribution: official Docker image and docker-compose support for containerized deployment and persistent storage.

Use Cases

  • Quickly find facts across scanned bills, contracts and receipts via natural-language Q&A instead of manual search.
  • Automatically tag and classify incoming documents to reduce manual filing and speed up archival workflows.
  • Create structured metadata from free-text documents for downstream automation or reporting.

Limitations and Considerations

  • Quality and consistency of automatic tags and correspondents varies by model and prompt; some users report noisy or incorrect tags that require manual cleanup.
  • Resource behavior with local model backends (e.g., Ollama) can be heavy; users have reported long-running sessions or elevated GPU/CPU usage depending on model choice and volume.
  • Processing can halt on model/API errors (for example, context-length or API failures); robust retry/monitoring may be required in large archives.
  • Requires a running Paperless‑ngx instance and appropriate API credentials and model/back-end configuration to operate.

Paperless-AI provides an accessible way to add AI-driven classification and semantic search to a Paperless‑ngx archive, with flexible backend choices and a modern web UI. It is best suited for users who want automated tagging and conversational access to large document collections but should be configured and monitored to manage resource use and tag quality.

5kstars
237forks
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#3
Papra

Papra

Minimalistic document management and archiving platform for long-term storage, full-text search, tagging, and automated ingestion via email or folders.

Papra screenshot

Papra is a minimalistic document management and archiving platform for long-term storage and retrieval of important files such as receipts, warranties, and personal records. It focuses on a simple UI while providing automation and integrations for building a reliable digital archive.

Key Features

  • Upload, store, and manage documents in a centralized library
  • Full-text search, including extracted text from images or scanned documents
  • Tags and automatic tagging rules to organize documents
  • Organizations for sharing management across family, friends, or teams
  • Email ingestion via generated addresses to import documents automatically
  • Folder ingestion for automatically importing files from a directory
  • API, SDK, and webhooks for integrations and custom workflows
  • CLI for managing documents from the command line

Use Cases

  • Personal or family archive for receipts, warranties, and administrative documents
  • Small team document archive with shared organization access and search
  • Automated ingestion pipelines (email/folder) feeding document storage and downstream systems via webhooks

Limitations and Considerations

  • The public demo runs without a backend and uses client-side local storage only
  • Some features are explicitly marked as coming soon (for example, document sharing and document requests)

Papra is well-suited for users who want a clean, straightforward document archive without the complexity of larger DMS suites. Its ingestion options and integration hooks make it practical for both personal use and lightweight team workflows.

3.3kstars
162forks
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#4
Papermerge

Papermerge

Open-source DMS that OCRs, indexes, and manages scanned PDFs, TIFFs and images with tagging, versioning, metadata and full-text search support.

Papermerge screenshot

Papermerge is a web-based document management system focused on scanned documents and digital archives. It extracts text via OCR, indexes documents for full-text search, and provides a desktop-like web UI for organizing and managing document collections.

Key Features

  • OCR processing of scanned PDFs and images (uses open-source OCR tooling to extract searchable text).
  • Full-text search with support for multiple search backends and indexing options.
  • OpenAPI-compliant REST API for automation and integrations.
  • Document versioning so original and processed versions (for example OCRed versions) are retained.
  • Categories, tags and user-defined custom fields (metadata) per document type for structured organization.
  • Page management: reorder, rotate, cut, move or extract individual pages within documents.
  • Multi-user access, group ownership and share controls for documents and folders.
  • Modern, responsive frontend with dual-panel browsing, drag-and-drop and internationalization.

Use Cases

  • Long-term archival of scanned documents for small-to-medium organizations and personal archives.
  • Processing receipts, invoices and administrative paperwork with metadata and searchable OCR text.
  • Managing contract and record versioning with searchable history and page-level edits.

Limitations and Considerations

  • Robust full-text search typically requires deploying an external search backend (e.g., Elasticsearch, Solr, Xapian) for large archives; bundled minimal setups may omit advanced search.
  • OCR and indexing are resource-intensive at scale and commonly run in background workers; production deployments should provision worker processes and sufficient CPU/RAM.
  • The public demo instance is intentionally limited (for example, OCR and full-text search may be disabled) and is reset periodically, so it is useful only for exploring the UI and basic flows.

Papermerge is a focused solution for turning scanned documents into searchable, organized archives with metadata and version control. It exposes a programmable API and can be integrated into automated ingestion pipelines for document-centric workflows.

2.9kstars
303forks
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#5
Docspell

Docspell

Docspell is a self-hosted document management system that imports scanned files and email attachments, runs OCR, and helps organize documents with tags, metadata, and search.

Docspell screenshot

Docspell is a personal document management system designed to collect documents from scanners, email, and file uploads, then organize them for fast retrieval. It combines OCR and assisted metadata extraction to reduce manual tagging and improve searchability.

Key Features

  • Document ingestion from multiple sources, including email integration and file uploads
  • OCR processing (when needed) to enable searchable text from scans
  • Full-text search with filters based on tags and other metadata
  • Tagging and metadata management, including custom metadata fields
  • Assisted metadata suggestions (for example correspondents, tags, and dates) using NLP-based extraction
  • REST/HTTP API for automation and external integrations
  • Mobile-friendly single-page web application interface

Use Cases

  • Digitizing and organizing household paperwork (bills, letters, contracts)
  • Centralizing small team or office document archives with searchable metadata
  • Automating document intake from email and scanners into a searchable repository

Limitations and Considerations

  • OCR and document conversion depend on external tools (for example Tesseract and related converters) and may require additional setup
  • NLP/auto-suggestion capabilities rely on Stanford CoreNLP and can increase resource usage

Docspell is well-suited for individuals and small groups who want an efficient workflow for collecting, tagging, and searching documents. Its API, OCR pipeline, and assisted metadata extraction make it a practical choice for building a lightweight document archive with minimal manual effort.

2kstars
154forks
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#6
DSpace

DSpace

DSpace is an open source institutional repository and digital asset management system for preserving, managing, and providing access to digital content.

DSpace screenshot

DSpace is an open source repository platform used by institutions to preserve and provide durable access to digital resources such as research outputs, theses, and other scholarly materials. It combines a Java-based backend with a web user interface and standard machine interfaces for interoperability.

Key Features

  • Institutional repository capabilities for managing and publishing digital content
  • REST API backend with an Angular-based web UI (v7+)
  • Interoperability interfaces for repository integrations (including OAI-PMH and SWORD)
  • Metadata and content management designed for long-term preservation and access
  • Extensible platform commonly used for open access and scholarly communications workflows

Use Cases

  • University or research institute repository for publications, theses, and datasets
  • Digital collections portal for libraries, archives, and cultural heritage institutions
  • Organization-wide preservation repository providing long-term access to digital resources

Limitations and Considerations

  • Requires PostgreSQL and a servlet container (commonly Tomcat) to run
  • Official Docker images are not production-ready; provided Docker Compose resources are intended for development/testing
  • Legacy user interfaces from older versions (XMLUI/JSPUI) are not supported in v7 and above

DSpace is a widely adopted, standards-aware repository system suited to institutions that need robust digital preservation and access workflows. Its API-driven architecture supports integrations and customization while maintaining a stable foundation for institutional repositories.

1kstars
1.4kforks
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#7
VoucherVault

VoucherVault

Mobile-optimized Django web portal for storing and managing vouchers, coupons, gift cards and loyalty cards with QR/barcode support, expiry alerts and OIDC SSO.

VoucherVault is a Django-based web application for digitally storing and managing vouchers, coupons, gift cards and loyalty cards. It provides a mobile-optimized portal with scanning, barcode/QR rendering and notification capabilities for personal or small-business use.

Key Features

  • Store vouchers, coupons, gift cards and loyalty cards with metadata and optional file attachments (images, PDFs)
  • Display redeem codes as QR codes or many barcode formats; client-side scanning (camera or file) with automatic type detection
  • Transaction history support for gift cards and basic item sharing between users
  • Expiry checking and notifications via Apprise integration with configurable thresholds and schedules
  • Single Sign-On support using OpenID Connect (OIDC) with options for automatic account creation
  • REST API endpoint providing stats for dashboards and integrations (e.g., Home Assistant)
  • Docker-ready deployment with example docker-compose stacks; supports SQLite and PostgreSQL databases
  • Multi-language support and light/dark themes; optional Celery worker support for background tasks

Use Cases

  • Personal organization of digital coupons, loyalty cards and gift cards with searchable, mobile-friendly access
  • Small businesses or clubs tracking issued gift cards, transaction history and automated expiry reminders
  • Integration with home automation or dashboard systems to surface voucher counts and expiry stats via the REST API

Limitations and Considerations

  • Notifications rely on Apprise; configuring specific delivery channels requires separate Apprise setup
  • Client-side scanning depends on browser/device camera support and may vary across mobile browsers
  • Transaction history is limited to gift cards; other item types have more limited auditing
  • Docker container runs as a low-privileged www-data user, which may require adjusting host volume permissions

VoucherVault is a focused, lightweight solution for managing digital vouchers and related items. It is suitable for personal use and small deployments that need barcode/QR handling, expiry alerts and simple integration points via OIDC and a REST API.

422stars
17forks
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#8
ArchivesSpace

ArchivesSpace

Open-source archives information management application for accessioning, describing, preserving, and providing access to archival collections and digital objects.

ArchivesSpace screenshot

ArchivesSpace is an open-source archives information management application designed for archivists and cultural heritage institutions. It provides tools to manage archival descriptions, digital objects, and discovery interfaces for researchers and staff.

Key Features

  • Structured archival description supporting accessioning, arrangement, and descriptive metadata workflows
  • Management of digital objects and file uploads tied to descriptive records
  • RESTful API for integration, batch import/export, and programmatic access
  • Full-text and indexed search backed by a search engine for discovery and finding aids
  • Role-based access controls and user management for staff workflows and permissions
  • Deployments supported via packaged releases and containerized setups for production environments

Use Cases

  • Managing institutional archival collections, finding aids, and descriptive metadata
  • Publishing searchable discovery interfaces and providing researcher access to digital objects
  • Integrating archival metadata with institutional systems via the provided API

Limitations and Considerations

  • Typical deployments require a relational database and a search index; initial installation and configuration can be complex for smaller teams
  • Community membership provides access to some support channels and member-only documentation resources; non-members rely on community forums and public docs

ArchivesSpace is focused on archival standards and workflows, prioritizing structured metadata, preservation-aware object management, and interoperability. It is widely used by libraries, museums, and archives to centralize collection control and provide researcher access.

395stars
243forks
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#9
CollectiveAccess Providence

CollectiveAccess Providence

Providence is the backend of CollectiveAccess: a PHP-based collections management system for cataloging complex metadata and media with search, GraphQL API, import/export and reporting.

CollectiveAccess Providence screenshot

CollectiveAccess Providence is the backend/cataloguing component of the CollectiveAccess collections management suite. It provides a configurable framework for describing, managing and indexing complex digital and physical collections, supporting diverse metadata schemas and many media types.

Key Features

  • Flexible data model and configurable metadata profiles to support multiple standards and custom fields
  • Multi-format media support (images, audio, video, documents, 3D) with media metadata extraction and processing
  • Built-in indexing and full-text search with support for hierarchical indexing and non-roman characters
  • GraphQL-based API for search, browsing, introspection and editing
  • Background processing for media handling, indexing and large exports
  • Importers and exporters for many formats and systems, including batch export workflows and BagIt packaging for preservation
  • Reporting and export capabilities with background processing for large datasets
  • Support for automated translation of interface/profile text and automated transcription for audio/video via integrated services

Use Cases

  • Museums, archives and libraries cataloguing and managing complex collections and associated media
  • Research institutions or projects needing structured metadata, advanced search and bulk import/export workflows
  • Institutions requiring preservation-ready exports and integration with external digital preservation systems

Limitations and Considerations

  • Installation and configuration are non-trivial and typically require familiarity with PHP, a supported RDBMS, web server configuration and Composer dependency management
  • Large collections can require careful tuning of background job/work queue settings and server resources for indexing and media processing
  • Providence provides the backend/cataloguing layer; public-facing presentation typically requires the companion front-end or custom development

CollectiveAccess Providence is a mature, feature-rich backend for institutions that need a highly configurable collections management system with advanced indexing, APIs and preservation-oriented export features.

352stars
188forks
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#10
I, Librarian

I, Librarian

Web application to manage, annotate, and share academic PDFs with full-text search, OCR, citation import, and team collaboration.

I, Librarian screenshot

I, Librarian is a web-based application for organizing, annotating and sharing collections of PDF papers and office documents. It targets individual researchers and small-to-medium research groups, providing centralized storage, in-browser PDF annotation and advanced full-text search including OCR support. (i-librarian.net)

Key Features

  • Centralized library management with multi-user access and project-based collaboration.
  • In-browser PDF viewer with multicolor highlighting, pinned/shared notes and exportable annotations.
  • Powerful full-text search across metadata, PDF text and annotations with multilingual OCR for scanned documents.
  • Import and metadata harvesting from scientific sources (arXiv, PubMed, NASA, IEEE, Crossref, etc.) and citation export (BibTeX/EndNote/etc.).
  • Multiple deployment options: hosted service, Docker deployment or manual install; optional integrations such as SSO (OpenID/SAML/LDAP). (i-librarian.net)

Use Cases

  • Research labs or departments that need a shared, searchable repository of papers and collaborative annotations.
  • Individual academics or students who want a personal reference manager with in-browser annotation and full-text search.
  • Institutions that need controlled access to a centrally hosted PDF library with audit and group features. (linuxlinks.com)

Limitations and Considerations

  • Self-hosted installations require a PHP-capable web server and a database backend; official instructions reference Apache + PHP 8+, and optional external tools (LibreOffice, Tesseract OCR) for Office import and OCR functionality. Installation and OCR depend on those external components being present and configured. (github.com)

I, Librarian is available as a hosted SaaS or as a GPL-3.0 free edition for self-hosting; the project repository and deployment artifacts (Dockerfile, Caddyfile) are publicly maintained. It is focused on research-oriented PDF management and team collaboration. (github.com)

319stars
32forks
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#11
EveryDocs

EveryDocs

Ruby on Rails document management server for uploading, organizing, encrypting and full-text searching PDF documents. Provides a REST API and mobile-friendly web UI.

EveryDocs is a lightweight document management system focused on PDF documents. It provides server-side APIs and file storage for uploading, organizing and searching documents, and is designed for private or small-team use.

Key Features

  • Upload PDF files with title, description and document date metadata
  • Organize documents in folders and nested subfolders
  • Associate people and processing states with documents for simple workflows
  • Extract text from PDFs to enable full-text search across document content
  • Encrypted storage of PDF files on disk with per-user encryption flag and secret key support
  • Authentication via JSON Web Tokens (JWT) and a RESTful API for CRUD operations on documents, folders, persons and states
  • Mobile-friendly web UI and provided Docker / Docker Compose deployment options for easy setup

Use Cases

  • Personal or small-team digital archive for receipts, invoices and scanned documents
  • Lightweight document workflow tracking using people and processing states
  • Secure local storage of sensitive PDFs with optional per-user encryption

Limitations and Considerations

  • Account creation is open by default; there is no built-in registration restriction mechanism out of the box
  • When encryption is activated for a user, content extraction is disabled and those documents are not included in full-text search
  • Intended for basic/private use; lacks advanced enterprise features such as fine-grained RBAC, SSO integrations, or multi-tenant isolation

EveryDocs is suited for users who need a simple, self-hosted PDF DMS with searchable content and optional on-disk encryption. It is pragmatic and easy to deploy but may require additional tooling or configuration for larger or security-sensitive deployments.

314stars
19forks
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#12
Fedora Repository

Fedora Repository

Java-based, modular digital repository for libraries and archives. Provides a RESTful HTTP API, Linked Data support, flexible storage backends and preservation features.

Fedora Repository screenshot

Fedora Repository is a modular, Java-based backend for managing, preserving, and delivering complex digital content collections. It is designed for libraries, archives, museums, and research institutions needing robust repository services and Linked Data interoperability.

Key Features

  • RESTful HTTP API exposing resources as Linked Data and binary content
  • RDF/Linked Data-first model for metadata and relationships
  • Flexible storage backend options supporting filesystem and object storage backends
  • Deployable as a WAR to servlet containers; built with Java and Maven
  • Modular architecture enabling integration with search indexers, triplestores, and preservation tools
  • Focus on preservation concerns (durability, storage transparency) and large collection scalability

Use Cases

  • Institutional repositories and digital libraries managing curated cultural heritage collections
  • Preservation and archival storage of scholarly datasets, images, audio, and composite objects
  • Backend for digital scholarship platforms that expose content via REST/Linked Data APIs

Limitations and Considerations

  • Fedora is a backend repository and typically requires external services (search index, triplestore, UI) to provide a complete user-facing system
  • Operational setup and scaling require Java/Maven and familiarity with servlet containers and storage backends

Fedora Repository is a mature, preservation-aware platform intended for organizations that need a flexible, standards-aligned repository backend. It emphasizes interoperability and long-term content management while relying on complementary components to provide full-feature functionality.

242stars
135forks
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#13
Alfresco Community Edition

Alfresco Community Edition

Open-source ECM for documents, web content, and team collaboration.

Alfresco Community Edition screenshot

Alfresco Community Edition is an open-source Enterprise Content Management (ECM) platform that manages the organization’s content and provides management services. It is a Java-based system with a repository-first architecture enabling document management and web content management.

Key Features

  • Central content repository with versioning and metadata
  • RESTful web scripts and APIs for customization
  • Out-of-the-box document management and web content management
  • Site-based collaboration via Alfresco Share
  • Cross-database deployment with PostgreSQL and MySQL
  • Java-based platform built on Spring
  • Open-source LGPL license

Use Cases

  • Enterprise document management and archiving
  • Web content management for corporate sites and intranets
  • Team collaboration on projects via sites and dashboards

Limitations and Considerations

  • Community support is provided by the user and community; no official commercial support.
  • Some enterprise features (e.g., governance-related capabilities) are not included in the Community Edition.

Conclusion: Alfresco Community Edition provides a scalable, open-source ECM for organizations seeking self-hosted content management and collaboration. It supports a broad range of deployment options and can be extended via standard APIs.

196stars
104forks
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#14
Hyrax

Hyrax

Open-source repository engine from the Samvera community for building institutional digital repositories with flexible metadata, workflows, and search integration.

Hyrax screenshot

Hyrax is a Ruby on Rails repository engine developed by the Samvera community that provides a foundation for building customizable digital repositories and collection front-ends. It supplies domain-specific features and UI components while letting implementers choose how to mount Hyrax inside a Rails application and which persistence and indexing backends to use.

Key Features

  • Rails engine architecture that is mounted inside a host Rails application, enabling reusable repository components and extension points
  • Flexible metadata modeling and configurable work/object types to represent diverse collection items
  • Configurable deposit and review workflows, role- and group-based access controls, and administrative dashboards
  • Support for multiple persistence/indexing adapters (Valkyrie-based adapters) allowing Postgres or Fedora for metadata and Apache Solr/Blacklight for search
  • Background job support and activity streams integrations (Redis-backed queues such as Sidekiq are commonly used)
  • Media derivative generation and processing integrations (image and document derivatives, thumbnailing, and media processing)
  • Development and deployment tooling included: Docker / docker-compose support and JavaScript tooling for front-end assets

Use Cases

  • Institutional repositories and academic library collections for preserving and exposing scholarly outputs and archival materials
  • Digital asset management for library/archives collections that need flexible metadata, workflows, and discovery interfaces
  • Project-specific or departmental digital collections that require custom metadata profiles, moderation workflows, and search-driven discovery

Limitations and Considerations

  • Significant infrastructure and integration needs: a Hyrax deployment typically requires additional services (search index, database, Redis, media tools) and configuration effort
  • Requires substantial Rails development and Samvera-specific knowledge for non-trivial customizations, upgrades, or adapter changes
  • Because Hyrax is a feature-rich framework, deployments can be complex to tune for high-scale performance and may require careful planning of indexing and background-job strategies

In summary, Hyrax is a mature, community-maintained framework for building institutional digital repositories with strong metadata, workflow, and search capabilities. It is most appropriate for institutions that can invest in the required infrastructure and Rails development to customize and operate a production repository.

193stars
131forks
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#15
Islandora

Islandora

Islandora is a Drupal module ecosystem for building institutional digital repositories with Fedora and Solr integrations, IIIF support, background processing and modular media handling.

Islandora screenshot

Islandora is an open-source framework of Drupal modules that enables institutions to build and operate digital repositories and manage diverse digital assets. It connects Drupal content management with preservation and discovery services to provide indexing, metadata, derivative generation, and standardized delivery formats.

Key Features

  • Modular Drupal modules that add repository functionality, metadata handling, and collection management
  • Integration with Fedora Commons for optional preservation and linked-data storage
  • Enterprise indexing and search via Apache Solr integration
  • IIIF manifest generation and support for delivering images and media at-scale
  • Background processing and message-queue based workflows for generating derivatives and running transcodes
  • Pluggable derivative services (image, audio, video, OCR/text extraction) using external processors
  • Configurable admin UI, JWT-based token settings, and Flysystem storage abstraction for flexible backends

Use Cases

  • Institutional repositories for libraries, archives, museums, and research data centers
  • Public discovery portals combining rich metadata, IIIF-enabled viewers, and Solr search
  • Managed preservation workflows that create derivatives, run OCR, and index content for discovery

Limitations and Considerations

  • Installation and operation require significant infrastructure and Drupal expertise; multiple external services (Fedora, Solr, image/video/OCR processors, message broker) are commonly needed
  • Can be complex to configure and tune for large-scale collections; resource usage grows with external processing services and indexing volume

Islandora provides a flexible, community-driven platform for building full-featured digital repositories on top of Drupal, suited for organizations that need preservation, discovery, and rich media delivery capabilities.

156stars
120forks
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#16
Mayan EDMS

Mayan EDMS

Mayan EDMS is an open source document management system for ingesting, indexing, organizing, and securing documents with workflows, OCR, and audit trails.

Mayan EDMS screenshot

Mayan EDMS is a mature electronic document management system (EDMS) for capturing, storing, organizing, and retrieving documents at scale. It provides centralized document storage with search, metadata, automation, and security controls suitable for regulated or high-volume environments.

Key Features

  • Document ingestion from multiple sources with configurable document types
  • Full-text search and indexing with metadata, tags, and custom fields
  • OCR and text extraction to make scanned documents searchable
  • Versioning, document previews, and transformations
  • Workflow and automation capabilities (events, actions, and business rules)
  • Role-based access control, permissions, and audit logging
  • Retention policies and controlled document lifecycle management

Use Cases

  • Digital archiving and retrieval for offices with large paper-to-digital intake
  • Compliance-oriented document control for regulated industries and public sector
  • Internal knowledge repositories with structured metadata and full-text search

Limitations and Considerations

  • Feature-rich setup can be complex and typically requires careful planning of document types, permissions, and storage

Mayan EDMS is well-suited for organizations that need a robust, scalable document management platform with strong security and traceability. It balances long-term maturity with extensibility for diverse document-centric workflows.

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#17
ResourceSpace

ResourceSpace

ResourceSpace is an open-source digital asset management (DAM) system for storing, organizing, searching, and securely sharing files with metadata, permissions, and auditing.

ResourceSpace screenshot

ResourceSpace is an open-source digital asset management (DAM) platform for centralizing, organizing, and distributing digital files across teams. It focuses on metadata-driven search, controlled sharing, and governance features suited to organizations that need structured asset libraries.

Key Features

  • Centralized library for digital assets with metadata fields for structured cataloging
  • Advanced search and filtering to quickly find assets across large collections
  • Granular permissions and role-based access controls for secure collaboration
  • Audit trails and activity logging for governance and compliance workflows
  • Version control to manage updates and maintain asset history
  • Usage reporting and download logs to understand how assets are consumed
  • Integrations via plugins and an API, including support for single sign-on deployments

Use Cases

  • Managing brand, marketing, and communications assets across distributed teams
  • Building searchable archives for museums, cultural institutions, and publishers
  • Secure distribution of approved assets to internal stakeholders or external partners

Limitations and Considerations

  • Source distribution is maintained in Subversion; Git workflows typically use a git-svn bridge

ResourceSpace is a solid choice for teams needing a flexible DAM with strong permissions, auditing, and metadata-driven discovery. It fits well in environments where controlled access and structured asset governance are required.

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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running