Dokuly

Dokuly is a product lifecycle management system for engineering and operations teams coordinating product records with purchasing and production. It is best suited to teams able to run their own software. Its broad workflow coverage comes without a software charge, but self-hosting puts infrastructure operations on the team.

Overview

Dokuly brings parts, PCBAs, assemblies, bills of materials, revisions, and releases into a shared system alongside documents, requirements, purchasing, inventory, production, and project work. That connected scope is valuable when engineering changes need to reach the people buying components and building assemblies. It is less compelling for teams seeking a hosted service or a narrow tool focused only on design files.

Key features

Product records and documents

Multi-level BOMs, alternate parts, revision control, releases, and BOM comparison support teams managing changing product definitions. Document numbering, revision control, PDF front-page generation, and a built-in viewer bring controlled documents into the same workflow. Browser editing through OnlyOffice is useful when document updates need to stay close to the associated product records.

Purchasing, inventory, and production

Purchasing covers suppliers, price breaks, purchase orders, and order tracking, with an option to select the cheapest supplier for BOM orders. Configurable stock locations, transaction tracking, production lots, serial numbers, and assembly progress tracking connect purchasing decisions to shop-floor activity. This breadth should suit teams that want a shared operational record; it may be more system than needed for organizations that only need BOM control.

Requirements, changes, and projects

Requirements can be hierarchical, derived, or superseding, with verification tracking. Engineering change orders create a reviewable record linking affected items, which gives teams a way to trace changes beyond a simple revision label. Projects add access control, time tracking, task management, and Gantt charts, making Dokuly broader than a product-data repository.

Integrations and API

Dokuly lists DigiKey API, Nexar API, and OnlyOffice integrations. Its REST API uses project-scoped keys with configurable expiry and includes Swagger and ReDoc documentation. The documented project-level permissions provide a useful access boundary for API work, though no security certification is stated.

Pricing

Dokuly PLM (open source): free. The plan includes open-source PLM in a self-hosted Docker stack. There are no paid tiers described, so there is no lower-priced plan trading away capabilities; the cost to weigh is the effort of operating the deployment. Teams comfortable running Docker-based software get the full product without a subscription, while teams that need a hosted option should look elsewhere.

Platforms

Dokuly supports API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted deployment, web, and Windows. Its deployment is a Docker stack using PostgreSQL, Django, and nginx, so platform support does not remove the need to manage the application environment.

Who it's for

Dokuly fits engineering and operations teams that need product lifecycle records connected to sourcing, stock, production, requirements, and project coordination, and that can take responsibility for self-hosting. It is a weaker fit for teams prioritizing vendor-managed hosting or a narrowly scoped tool.

Pros and cons

Broad product-to-production scope: BOMs, purchasing, inventory, lots, serial numbers, and assembly progress sit in one system, helping teams connect product definitions to operational work.

Traceability beyond revisions: Requirements verification and change orders linked to affected items support reviewable engineering change processes.

No software charge: The open-source plan costs nothing, but the team must run the Docker deployment.

Self-hosting is a real commitment: Infrastructure operations are part of adopting Dokuly, which rules it out for teams that want a managed service.

Alternatives

Cascadia PLM is another free, self-hosted PLM option; its Self-Hosted Core plan specifies unlimited editors and viewers under AGPL-3.0, making it worth considering when those stated access terms matter.

NETVIBES is a paid option with a free plan and trial, and may suit readers comparing a product with Android and iOS support.

PDXpert PLM is a paid Windows and self-hosted alternative with a three-week fully functional evaluation, useful for teams that want to assess it before committing.

Creo is a paid design alternative for readers looking for a floating license with support and maintenance included.

Oracle Fusion Cloud PLM is a paid cloud option; its reviewer service is $100 a month with a three-year standard term and a 50-user minimum.

Aptean Industrial Manufacturing ERP Traverse Edition is a paid manufacturing ERP alternative with a free trial.

Centric PLM is another paid PLM option.

GitPLM is a free alternative for teams looking for a tool that runs on Linux, macOS, or Windows.

For broader comparisons, see Product Lifecycle Management Software and Bill of Materials Software.

Verdict

Choose Dokuly if your engineering and operations teams want product records, purchasing, inventory, production, requirements, and project tools together without a software subscription, and can manage a Docker deployment. Its strongest reason to choose it is that unusually wide operational scope; the main reason to look elsewhere is the responsibility for self-hosting.