Redmine

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Introduction

Redmine is a flexible, self-hosted project management web application with issue tracking. Its site describes it as written in Ruby on Rails, cross-platform and cross-database, and released under the GNU General Public License v2. The latest releases listed on redmine.org were 7.0.3, 6.1.6 and 6.0.12, all dated 1 November 2026, and its GitHub mirror shows commits in November 2026.

Redmine’s main features include multiple projects, flexible role-based access control, a flexible issue tracking system, Gantt charts and calendars, news, documents and file management, per-project wikis and forums, time tracking, custom fields, email notifications and issue creation via email, SCM integration (Git, Subversion and others), and multiple database support. A large ecosystem of plug-ins and themes extends it, including test management plug-ins.

How it compares: MantisBT and Bugzilla are other long-standing open-source trackers; Jira is the commercial standard. Redmine stands out for combining issue tracking with project management features such as wikis, Gantt charts and time tracking in a free, self-hosted package.

In the quality loop Redmine is a system of record for bugs and tasks.

Features

1. Issue tracking: Configurable trackers, statuses and workflows.
2. Multiple projects and roles: Role-based access across projects.
3. Gantt and calendar: Project scheduling views.
4. Wiki and forums: Per-project documentation and discussion.
5. Time tracking: Log time against issues.
6. SCM integration: Link issues to Git or Subversion commits.
7. Plug-ins: Extend with community plug-ins and themes.

Pros

1. Free and open source: GPL v2, self-hosted.
2. Actively maintained: Three release lines updated in November 2026.
3. All-in-one: Issues, wiki, time tracking and Gantt.

Cons

1. Self-hosting effort: You manage Ruby on Rails, database and upgrades.
2. Dated UI: The default interface looks old without themes.

Usage and Links (Example)

Install Redmine on a Ruby on Rails stack (or use a container image or hosted provider), create projects and trackers (for example Bug and Feature), configure workflows per role, and connect your repository. Enable email integration so testers can file issues by email.

For QA teams, the practical test of any tracker is the bug lifecycle: can testers file a reproducible bug with environment details and attachments in under a minute, can developers see it in their normal workflow, and can a test management or automation tool link failed tests to it automatically? Trial it with a real sprint’s bugs before standardising.

Pricing

Free and open source under GPL v2. Hosting costs are yours, or use a third-party hosted service.

Recommended for?

• Teams that need a free, self-hosted tracker with project management
• Organisations with data residency requirements
• Teams comfortable administering Ruby on Rails apps

Conclusion

Redmine is a mature, actively maintained open-source tracker with built-in project management features. It is a strong choice for teams that want self-hosting and flexibility without licence costs.