Community OpenKM Docker Container

Most organizations don't have a document problem. They have a finding problem. Contracts, invoices and policies are scattered across inboxes, shared drives and filing cabinets, and the right version never seems to be where you need it.

OpenKM Community Edition, developed by the OpenKM team, addresses that with a free, open-source document management system. It gives your files one searchable home, with version history, access control and the ability to read scanned paper.

This project doesn't change OpenKM itself. It's an unofficial Docker packaging, maintained by FlyingFlip Studios, that bundles OpenKM Community Edition and everything it depends on into ready-to-use containers. You can go from nothing to a working system in minutes.

What it does and the problems it solves

OpenKM gives your documents one central, organized home. Here are the everyday problems it's built to fix:

• "Where is that file?" Documents spread across email, laptops and shared drives end up in one repository. Full-text search looks inside the files, not just at their names.
• "Which version is current?" Every change is kept as a new version with a history of who changed what and when. Check-out and check-in stop two people from overwriting each other's work.
• "It's only on paper." Scanned documents are run through OCR, so the words on a scanned invoice or signed contract become searchable.
• "Who can see this?" Permissions can be set down to the folder and document, so sensitive files are visible only to the right people, and they stay hidden in search results too.
• "How was this filed again?" Folders, keywords and categories let one document be found several ways, however each person thinks about it.

Where the container helps is getting started. Installing OpenKM by hand means setting up Java, a Tomcat application server, a database, OCR tools and document converters, then wiring them together. The container handles that setup, including fixes for configuration quirks that commonly trip people up when running OpenKM in Docker.

What you get

Both versions of the container come with the same foundation:

• Up and running in one command. OpenKM, its application server and its supporting tools start together, with no manual installation.
• Your documents stay safe. Files, search indexes and settings live outside the container, so updates and rebuilds don't touch your data.
• Scanned paper becomes searchable. Built-in OCR reads scanned documents, so you can find an invoice by the words printed on it.
• Previews and conversions. LibreOffice is included for viewing and converting everyday office documents.
• Runs on the hardware you have. Native builds for standard Intel and AMD servers and for ARM machines, including Apple Silicon Macs.
• Your choice of database. Versions are available for MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Oracle and SQL Server.

OpenKM 7.0.3: the current release

OpenKM 7.0.3 is the newest Community Edition and the recommended starting point for anyone new to OpenKM.

• The latest OpenKM. The current Community release, running on a modern Java 11 platform.
• Built for new installations. Start clean with the version that will carry you forward.
• Reliable document previews. The container sets the database connection's time zone to match, so preview links don't expire the moment they're created.
• Ready for what's next. The KEA keyword extraction service is already included, so it can be switched on as soon as a 7.0-compatible version is available.

OpenKM 6.3.13: the proven workhorse

Many organizations built their document libraries on OpenKM 6.3, and it's still a solid, well-understood platform. The 6.3.13 container gives those teams a maintained way to run it in Docker.

• Automatic keyword tagging that works today. The KEA service reads your documents and suggests consistent keywords from a controlled vocabulary, so files are easier to find without extra typing.
• A home for existing repositories. Keep running the version your documents already live in, now in a maintained container.
• Works with MySQL 8. The container adds the database connection setting OpenKM 6.3 needs to connect to MySQL 8.
• Protection for your data. The container recognizes an existing repository on startup and turns off a first-run setting that would otherwise rebuild the database over your documents.
• A clear path to 7.0. When you're ready, you can export your repository and bring it into a fresh 7.0 installation.

Which version is right for you?

Not sure? Start with 7.0.3. It's the current OpenKM Community release.

Get started

Ready to try it? Our setup guide covers everything you need:

• A step-by-step Docker Compose setup for both versions
• How to choose tags, databases and settings
• Moving from OpenKM 6.3 to 7.0
• Full demonstration walkthroughs for 7.0.3 and 6.3.13, from first login to search, versioning and permissions

Read the setup guide and walkthroughs

Prefer to dive straight in? The images are on Docker Hub.

About this project

OpenKM Community Edition is developed and maintained by the OpenKM team at openkm.com and published as open source on GitHub. FlyingFlip Studios did not develop OpenKM. Our role is limited to the Docker packaging: the image builds, startup scripts and container configuration. This is an independent project and isn't affiliated with or endorsed by OpenKM.

The container's build files are open source on GitHub. Anyone can inspect them, build their own images or contribute improvements.

Getting help

• Container issues, such as images that won't start, database connection errors, volumes or environment settings: open an issue in the container's GitHub issue queue.
• OpenKM issues, such as how a feature works or a bug in the application itself: these are outside the container's scope. Use OpenKM's documentation and project on GitHub.