Freedom251 › Artifact repository software
OpenRepo

What OpenRepo is
OpenRepo is a free, open-source, self-hosted web server for managing Debian apt/deb, Red Hat rpm, and generic package repositories. It generates repositories compatible with Debian and Ubuntu apt-get tools and Red Hat yum tools. Users can upload, delete, copy, and promote packages between stages such as development, QA, beta, and production. Package version management and PGP signing-key creation and administration are included. Regular users can read every repository but need explicit write permission for each one; super users have repository-wide read, write, and administrative access. A REST API and command-line app support repository, package, and signing-key actions, including CI uploads and promotions. Docker Compose is the preferred deployment method and creates a PostgreSQL database. The setup stores database contents, cache data, PGP keys, and package files in an openrepo-data folder. PostgreSQL is recommended for production, while SQLite is mentioned for development. The project is licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Who it suits
OpenRepo suits teams that host internal or public package repositories and need staged promotion, signing, access control, or CI integration. It is intended for self-hosted deployments managed with Docker Compose or another supported database setup.
What it does well
- Hosts Deb, RPM, and generic repositories
- Supports package promotion between release stages
- Includes PGP signing-key management
- Provides REST API and CLI for CI
- Explicit repository write permissions
What to know first
- Self-hosted deployment is required
- PostgreSQL is recommended for production
- Administrators must change the default password
Verdict
OpenRepo provides repository hosting and package workflow controls in a self-managed web server. Its API, CLI, signing, and permission model fit teams building controlled package-delivery processes.
Facts from OpenRepo's own pages
- Access control
- Super users have read/write access to all repositories, while regular users have read access and need explicit permission to write to each repository. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- API
- OpenRepo provides a REST API for repository, package, and signing-key actions. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- API and CI
- OpenRepo provides a REST API and a CLI app for CI integration, including uploading and promoting or copying packages. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
- CI integration
- Its CLI or REST API can push packages and promote or copy them between repositories for CI workflows. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Database
- PostgreSQL is the default database and is recommended for production; other databases are possible. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
- Data storage
- The Docker Compose setup stores the database, cache data, PGP keys, and package files in a relative folder named openrepo-data. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- The project recommends running OpenRepo with Docker Compose, which starts the required services and a PostgreSQL database. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- License
- The repository is licensed under AGPL-3.0. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Maker
- The GitHub repository is maintained under the openkilt account. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
- Package management
- Users can upload, delete, copy, and promote packages between repositories. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Production database
- PostgreSQL is the default database and is recommended for production; SQLite is mentioned as an option for development. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- OpenRepo is a web-based server for managing and hosting Debian apt/deb, Red Hat rpm, and generic package repositories. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Repository formats
- It generates and hosts RPM, Deb, and generic repositories compatible with Debian/Ubuntu apt-get and Red Hat yum tools. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
- Repository types
- It generates and hosts RPM, Deb, and generic repositories compatible with Debian/Ubuntu apt-get and Red Hat yum tools. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Security setup
- The README instructs administrators to change the default admin password immediately after first login and documents environment variables for a custom Django secret key and PostgreSQL password. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Signing
- OpenRepo supports creating and managing PGP signing keys. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Signing and versions
- The server supports PGP signing key creation and management, and package version management. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
- Version management
- The server supports package version management. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Where OpenRepo stands on Freedom251
- Artifact repository software#37 of 64