Hey everybody, and welcome to another deep dive.
Today we're diving into WeKan.
But first, a quick shout out to Safe Server.
They can help with hosting WeKan.
Or if you're just looking for some help
on a digital transformation project,
more information on them over at www.safeserver.de.
Now you're probably listening to this deep dive
because you're interested in WeKan.
You might be thinking about using it
to manage projects and tasks and get organized.
Yeah, that's right.
So today we're gonna be looking at what makes WeKan
so special and why is it becoming so popular
and we'll be going straight to the source.
No marketing hype, just straight from WeKan's website
and GitHub page.
All right.
Sounds good.
Okay, so have you ever heard of Canban?
I have, yeah.
Yeah, so it's kind of a visual way to organize work.
Imagine a whiteboard maybe divided up into columns.
Each column represents a different stage of project.
So common ones would be to do, in progress, and done.
Got your sticky notes.
And you're moving those sticky notes
between those columns as you progress, right?
So that's kind of Canban in a nutshell.
So WeKan is a digital version of that.
It's a free, open source alternative
to popular tools like Trello.
Okay.
And when I say open source,
that means it's totally free to use.
And actually anyone can take a look at the code behind it.
Interesting.
So the WeKan website, they highlight some key features
like boards, lists, and cards.
So you can kind of think of it like a digital whiteboard
where you can have multiple boards for different projects.
And then the lists, those are like the columns
on the board, you know?
And then the cards are those virtual sticky notes
where you can represent those individual tasks.
Pretty straightforward.
Yeah, absolutely.
It's a really visual way to manage your work.
And I think that's one of the things
that makes WeKan so appealing.
Right.
It's very simple, you know, kind of get started.
You don't need to spend hours learning how to use it.
Exactly.
So, you know, speaking of, you know, being appealing,
I was reading on the WeKan website
that their largest user had 30,000 people
at their company using WeKan.
Wow, that's a lot of users.
Yeah, that's a lot of users.
So that made me wonder,
why would such a large organization choose WeKan?
Well, I think there are a few reasons.
First of all, it's free.
You know, there's no expensive software licenses
to worry about.
That can be a huge saving for a large organization.
But it also offers incredible flexibility.
You can customize WeKan to fit
your specific needs and workflow,
which is something that you can't always do
with commercial software.
And let's not forget about transparency.
With open source, you can see exactly
what's going on under the hood,
which can, you know, build trust and confidence.
Yeah, makes sense.
So let's move on.
Let's take a look at the WeKan GitHub page.
This is where all the technical stuff happens,
you know, all the code and everything.
And I was looking at the download section
and there are so many ways to install it.
Docker, Snap, Sandstorm.
It's kind of a bit overwhelming.
What's with all the different options?
Yeah, don't worry.
It's not as complicated as it sounds.
All those options are there to cater to different levels
of technical expertise.
So Docker's very popular among developers.
Something like Snap is super user-friendly,
even for beginners.
So WeKan tries to make itself accessible to everyone.
Oh, that's good.
Yeah.
I did notice though, that in the requirements section,
it mentions needing a 64-bit system
and a certain amount of RAM.
So is that something that those people
would need to worry about?
Not really.
I mean, most computers these days are 64-bit,
and the RAM requirements are pretty standard.
It's just about ensuring that WeKan has the resources it
needs to run smoothly.
OK, so it's like making sure you have enough gas in your car
before you head out on a road trip.
Exactly.
OK, and they also emphasize the importance
of keeping WeKan updated.
So is that just for getting new features,
or is there more to it than that?
Well, updates are crucial for security.
You know, they patch vulnerabilities,
which are basically weaknesses in the code
that hackers could exploit.
It's like locking your doors and windows.
You're protecting your data from potential threats.
So it's not just about the shiny new features.
It's about keeping things safe and sound.
What I find really exciting is the roadmap section on GitHub.
It kind of gives you a sneak peek
at what the developers are working
on for the future of WeKan.
And it seems like they've got new features and bug fixes
planned.
That's good to know.
Yeah, and that's a big plus for any software, especially
open source.
It means that it's constantly evolving and adapting
to user needs.
Right, and that's something that you don't always
get with commercial software, which
can often be quite static.
So speaking of adapting to needs,
how do WeKan's features actually help people manage projects
and work together?
That's a good question.
We'll dive into that right after a quick word from our sponsor.
Stay with us.
Welcome back to the deep dive.
Before we jump back into WeKan, let's take a moment
to thank our sponsor, SafeServer.
If you're thinking about maybe making the leap
to open source software, or maybe just
need some help navigating the digital world,
SafeServer has your back.
You can find them over at www.safeserver.de.
Great, thanks for that.
All right, so we were talking about how WeKan can help people
manage projects and work together better,
collaborate.
And I remember from the website, they
highlight these features, boards, lists, and cards
as the core building blocks.
Yeah, and those are really intuitive ways
to organize your work.
You can think of boards, like separate white boards,
for different projects or teams, or even for personal to-dos.
So if I'm working on redesigning a website that
could be one board, and maybe I have another board
for planning a vacation or something.
Exactly, and within each of those boards,
you have the lists, which are those columns
that we were talking about before,
representing the different stages of a project.
So you could have a list for to-do, in progress, needs
review, and done.
Gotcha, and then each task goes on a card,
which is like that digital sticky note.
Right.
OK, and then you just move those between the lists.
Exactly, and it's so visual, you can really
see your progress at a glance.
Yeah, I like that.
And each card can actually hold a lot of information.
You can add a description, you can add due dates,
you can attach files, you can even assign them
to different people on your team.
Oh, cool.
So if I was working on that website with a developer,
I could create a card and assign it
to the developer for coding a specific page or something.
And then I could set a due date on that card.
Exactly, yeah.
It's a great way to keep everyone on the same page
and make collaboration much easier.
One thing that really impresses me about WeKan,
though, is the emphasis on security.
Yeah, especially considering it's open source.
Right.
I mean, you would think that with the code being open
for anyone to see, there might be more security risks.
It's actually quite the opposite.
Really?
Yeah, because that transparency means
that more eyes are on the code looking for vulnerabilities.
Think of it like a neighborhood watch
program for your software.
Makes sense.
And plus, with WeKan, you have the option to self-host it.
Right, so you're not relying on some big company
to keep your data safe.
Exactly.
You have complete control over where your information is stored
and who has access to it.
OK, so you mentioned self-hosting.
That sounds kind of complicated, though.
It can be, but WeKan provides a lot of resources
and documentation to help you get set up.
And if you're not comfortable with the technical aspects,
you can always partner with a company like Safe Server
to take care of that for you.
Right, I mean, they're the pros.
That's what they do.
Exactly.
So beyond these core features, you know, boards, lists, and cards,
what else makes WeKan stand out?
I remember seeing something about customization
on the website.
Oh, yeah.
WeKan is incredibly customizable.
You can change the appearance to match your brand.
You can create custom fields for your cards,
set up email notifications, really just make
it work the way you want it to.
That's great.
It sounds like you could really make it work for any project
or any team, really.
Absolutely.
I wonder if that's part of the reason why they've
got such a diverse range of users.
I think so, yeah.
It's not a one-size-fits-all solution.
It adapts to your unique needs and workflows.
So we've been talking about all these features and benefits,
but I think it's time to address the elephant in the room here.
OK, what's that?
Open source.
I mean, sometimes it can be a little bit
intimidating for people who aren't super tech savvy.
So do you need to be like a coding whiz to use WeKan?
Not at all.
I was a little intimidated at first myself,
but once you start using it, you realize it's really
designed to be very user friendly.
OK, that's good.
The interface is clean, it's intuitive, even for beginners.
And remember, there are lots of resources and support
available, too, if you do get stuck.
WeKan community is incredibly helpful and welcoming.
So what about people who they want to go beyond the basics
and maybe actually tinker with the code a bit?
Well, then that's where that GitHub page comes in handy.
It's like a treasure trove of information for developers.
You can access the source code, you can see how everything works,
and you can even contribute your own improvements.
Nice.
So we talked about earlier all these different installation
methods, like Docker and Snap.
Is there one that you would recommend for someone just
starting out with WeKan?
I think Snap is a great option for beginners.
It's really designed to be easy.
You just download the Snap package
and install it with a few clicks.
It's very straightforward.
OK, so kind of like installing an app on your phone.
Exactly, yeah.
No complicated commands or configurations to worry about.
And if you are comfortable with the command line,
Docker's another great option.
OK, so it's great that WeKan caters
to both ends of the spectrum there.
Yeah.
Speaking of catering, let's take a moment
to thank Safe Server once again for sponsoring
this deep dive into WeKan.
Check them out over at www.safeserver.de.
Absolutely.
OK, back to WeKan.
We've covered a lot of ground.
We've talked about the basics of Kanban, the ins
and outs of open source, all that.
But there's one crucial aspect that we haven't touched on yet,
and that is that requirements section on that GitHub page.
Ah, yeah, the nitty gritty detail.
Yeah, it can seem a bit daunting at first,
but it's pretty straightforward.
It is.
So they mentioned needing a 64-bit system
and a certain amount of RAM.
Is that something to be concerned about?
Not really.
I mean, most modern computers and servers
meet those requirements.
It's just like checking if your car has
enough fuel before a road trip.
Yeah, just make sure WeKan has enough resources
to run smoothly.
Exactly.
And they also emphasize the importance
of those frequent updates, which, why are those so crucial,
especially in the world of open source software?
We'll explore that right after a quick message,
don't go anywhere.
And welcome back to the Deep Dive.
Before we wrap up our exploration of WeKan,
let's give another shout out to Safe Server for supporting
this Deep Dive.
You can find them at www.safeserver.de.
If you are interested in WeKan and maybe need
some help with hosting or any aspect
of your digital transformation, go check them out.
They're the experts.
Yeah, absolutely.
All right, so we were just about to jump into the requirements
section on that WeKan GitHub page.
Right.
And they mentioned needing frequent updates, right?
So why is that so important, especially
when we're talking about open source software?
Well, it really boils down to security.
Updates often include patches for vulnerabilities,
which are like weaknesses in the code.
Hackers could exploit those.
So think of it like you're reinforcing the walls
of your digital fortress.
So it's like getting those regular security upgrades.
Keeps your data safe.
Exactly.
OK, so are updates just about security?
Or are there other benefits as well?
No, there are other benefits too.
Updates can also bring performance improvements,
new features, bug fixes.
It's about keeping WeKan running smoothly
and making sure you have the latest and greatest tools
at your disposal.
Right.
Makes sense.
And speaking of latest and greatest,
WeKan has that roadmap section on their GitHub page, which
kind of gives you an idea of what the developers are
working on, what the future of WeKan looks like.
And they seem to be constantly adding
new features and improvements, which is really cool.
Yeah, and that's a real testament
to the vibrancy of that open source community.
Developers are always working to make it better.
And users can even contribute their own ideas and even code.
It's a very collaborative ecosystem.
OK, so we've covered a lot of ground
in this deep dive into WeKan.
We talked about its features, open source nature, benefits
of self-hosting.
But I think the big question here is,
is WeKan right for you, the listener?
What do you think?
Well, that's the million dollar question, isn't it?
And the answer, as with most things in life, is it depends.
OK, so let's break that down a bit.
Who do you think WeKan would be a good fit for?
Well, I think WeKan is a fantastic tool for anyone
who wants a really visual and flexible way to manage
their projects and tasks, individuals, small teams, even
large organizations.
OK, so what about those people who
maybe are a little hesitant about open source software?
What would you say to them?
I'd say, don't be afraid to give it a try.
It's surprisingly user friendly, and there's
a wealth of resources and support available.
And plus, that open source nature
means you can see exactly what's going on, which can really
help build trust and confidence.
And it's also completely free to use.
No need to worry about those expensive software licenses.
So if you're looking for a powerful, customizable, cost
effective way to manage projects,
definitely check out WeKan.
Absolutely.
Well, that wraps up our deep dive into the world of WeKan.
We hope you surface with a newfound understanding
of this incredible open source tool.
And a big thank you again to SafeServer
for supporting this episode.
If you're thinking about making the move to open source
software, or just need a helping hand
in navigating your digital journey,
you know where to find them, www.safeserver.de.
Absolutely.
All right, and to all our listeners out there,
Keep exploring, keep learning, and keep diving deep.