jira_clone vs WeKan
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A simplified Jira-style issue tracker built with React and Node, meant as a code example.
Open source · MIT
Free, open-source kanban board for organizing tasks, runnable on your own computer or server.
The short answer
Choose jira_clone if you need…
- React developers who want to study a real-world, non-trivial codebase
- Developers learning how a React client pairs with a TypeORM and PostgreSQL API
- Developers who want a starting point to fork and extend a Jira-like app
- Students looking at project structure, custom UI components, and end-to-end testing with Cypress
Choose WeKan if you need…
- People who want a self-hosted kanban board and keep their own data
- Small teams that want real-time board updates
- Users migrating from Trello, Jira or similar tools, since the README lists many import formats
- Anyone who wants a simple personal to-do board without running a database server, using the default SQLite setup
Side-by-side
| jira_clone | WeKan | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 11.1k | 21.1k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Clone and build from source | Run with Docker |
| Main language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 2 years ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
jira_clone
This is a simplified clone of Jira, the project and issue tracking tool, built with a React front end and a Node/TypeScript API backed by PostgreSQL. The author describes it as a showcase project rather than a product, intended to show how a modern React codebase can be organized. It includes a live demo and uses Cypress for end-to-end tests.
WeKan
WeKan is a collaborative kanban board application, licensed under MIT, where tasks are shown as cards moved across columns to reflect their status. It is built with Meteor and is meant for personal to-do lists as well as team projects. Because it is free software, you can host it yourself rather than trusting a hosted service with your data.
Best for
jira_clone
- React developers who want to study a real-world, non-trivial codebase
- Developers learning how a React client pairs with a TypeORM and PostgreSQL API
- Developers who want a starting point to fork and extend a Jira-like app
- Students looking at project structure, custom UI components, and end-to-end testing with Cypress
WeKan
- People who want a self-hosted kanban board and keep their own data
- Small teams that want real-time board updates
- Users migrating from Trello, Jira or similar tools, since the README lists many import formats
- Anyone who wants a simple personal to-do board without running a database server, using the default SQLite setup
Strengths
jira_clone
- The README describes a clear, relatively small structure intended for learning
- Uses modern React with functional components and hooks and a custom webpack setup
- Released under the MIT license, so forking and reuse are permitted
WeKan
- Free and open source under the MIT license, with the README stating no telemetry
- Offers several install routes, including bundle, Snap, AppImage, Docker and Kubernetes
- Supports many import and export formats, which eases moving data in and out
Not ideal for
jira_clone
- People who need a production-ready Jira replacement, since the README lists missing migrations, proper authentication, accessibility, and unit tests
- Anyone who wants to submit changes upstream, since the author states they will not accept pull requests
- Beginners with no Node, PostgreSQL, or React experience, since setup involves a database and environment file configuration
WeKan
- People who want a zero-setup hosted service, since the README points to a separate SaaS offering and self-hosting requires installation
- Users needing advanced features listed in the README if they cannot verify them; the feature list is long and some items are described briefly
- Teams needing guaranteed support SLAs, since public support is through GitHub issues and paid support is separate
Trade-offs
jira_clone
- The README states it lacks migrations, real authentication, full accessibility support, and unit or integration tests
- The author says they will not accept pull requests, so improvements stay in forks
- Auth is effectively automatic for any visitor to the API, which the README itself flags as a placeholder
WeKan
- The README is long and truncated in places, so some feature claims are hard to verify from it alone
- Database support varies: FerretDB with SQLite is the default, while MySQL, MariaDB and SAP HANA are described as experimental
- Public support is limited to GitHub issues; private support is paid
Getting started
jira_clone
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/oldboyxx/jira_clone.gitInstall dependencies
npm run install-dependenciesWeKan
Pull the Docker image from GitHub Container Registry
docker pull ghcr.io/wekan/wekan:latestClone the repository to get docker-compose.yml
git clone https://github.com/wekan/wekanFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between jira_clone and WeKan?
jira_clone: A simplified Jira-style issue tracker built with React and Node, meant as a code example. WeKan: Free, open-source kanban board for organizing tasks, runnable on your own computer or server. jira_clone suits react developers who want to study a real-world, non-trivial codebase, while WeKan suits people who want a self-hosted kanban board and keep their own data.
Are jira_clone and WeKan free?
jira_clone: Free and open source. WeKan: Free and open source.
Is jira_clone or WeKan more popular?
WeKan has more GitHub stars (21.1k) than jira_clone (11.1k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to jira_clone and WeKan?
Other options people compare them with include react-admin, OneDev, Memos.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.