Interesting open source projects, tools and libraries worth knowing about.
Beekeeper Studio is the open-source SQL editor that makes DBeaver look like a Java IDE. Clean dark UI, tabbed queries, autocomplete, SSH tunnels, zero telemetry — free GPLv3 Community edition, $99/yr Ultimate adds Oracle, MongoDB, AI Shell. PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, SQL Server, 15+ databases.
Polar is the open-source Merchant of Record built for developers — subscriptions, one-time products, usage-based billing, license keys, and GitHub Sponsors integration, with VAT/GST/sales tax handled automatically across 60+ countries. Apache 2.0, YC W23, TypeScript SDK, free to start.
Memos is the self-hosted note-taking tool that gets out of your way. One Docker command, a timeline of Markdown notes, tags, full-text search, public or private visibility per note, REST API, and MCP integration. MIT, 61k+ stars, Go + SQLite. No folders, no workspaces, no friction.
CrowdSec is the collaborative open source IPS and WAF — detects brute-force, port scans and web exploits, blocks via bouncers at the firewall or reverse proxy. The community blocklist from 200,000+ installations means you block known attackers before they reach you. MIT, Go, free forever.
n8n is the workflow automation platform for technical teams — 400+ integrations, visual builder plus real code when you need it, native AI agents with human-in-the-loop, and self-hostable under a fair-code license. 197k+ GitHub stars, used by teams who outgrew Zapier.
Web-Check is the all-in-one OSINT tool for analysing any website — enter a URL and get 40+ data points back instantly: DNS records, SSL chain, open ports, tech stack, HTTP headers, WHOIS, redirect chain, firewall detection, TLS config, and more. MIT, 32k+ stars, self-hostable in one Docker command.
Weblate is the open source continuous localization platform that plugs directly into your Git workflow. Translators work in a browser UI, changes commit back to your repo automatically. GPLv3+, used by LibreOffice, Fedora, phpMyAdmin and 2,500+ projects across 165 countries.
Chatwoot is the self-hosted alternative to Intercom and Zendesk — omnichannel inbox for live chat, email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram and more, all in one dashboard. MIT-licensed core, Captain AI agent, 34.5k GitHub stars, used by 15,000+ organizations.
Metabase is the open source BI tool your non-technical teammates will actually use. Point-and-click dashboards without SQL, a real SQL editor when you need it, Metabot AI for data questions, and a self-hosted setup that takes five minutes. AGPL-3.0, 48k+ stars, used by 50,000+ companies.