Fossil

Fossil is a distributed software configuration management (SCM) system that combines version control with an integrated project website. It is designed to be reliable, efficient, and easy to host, providing core collaboration tools without requiring multiple separate services.

Key Features

• Distributed version control with simple workflows and optional autosync to reduce needless forking
• Integrated project management tools: ticketing/bug tracking, wiki, forum, chat, technotes, and email alerts
• Built-in, themeable web interface for browsing code, history, tickets, and documentation
• Single self-contained executable for easy installation and deployment
• Repository stored in an SQLite database with atomic transactions and automatic consistency checks
• Network protocol over HTTPS (or SSH) designed to work well behind proxies and over low bandwidth links

Use Cases

• Hosting an all-in-one project forge for small teams (source control, tickets, and documentation)
• Maintaining a lightweight internal code server on a VPS or small device (for example, a Raspberry Pi)
• Managing software projects that benefit from tightly coupled docs, discussions, and change history

Fossil is a strong fit when you want a cohesive, low-ops alternative to assembling separate tools for Git hosting, issue tracking, and documentation. Its single-binary approach and integrated web UI make it especially practical for small deployments that still need full project collaboration features.