Best / Internal developer portals
Best open-source Internal developer portals
The best self-hosted developer-portal split in the c17.io catalog is Backstage for an Apache-2.0 CNCF software catalog (the published Port stack), Port Ocean when the job is that Apache-2.0 integration framework rather than a portal, Coolify when the job is a self-hosted PaaS rather than a catalog, and GLPI when the job is ITSM assets rather than an IDP. OpsLevel and Cortex stay skipped: closed-source SaaS. This is not Port's every scorecard or AI-agent SKU. An internal admin stays on /best/internal-apps. ITSM stays on /best/itsm.
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Ranked picks
1
BackstageApache-2.0 CNCF developer portal — the c17 Port path. /compare/backstage-vs-port.
When to pick it: A software catalog, templates, and TechDocs you host.
34,707 stars in the catalog
2
Port OceanApache-2.0 integration framework from Port Labs. Not a portal. /compare/backstage-vs-port.
When to pick it: Exporters into a catalog, not the catalog itself.
193 stars in the catalog
3
CoolifyOpen-source PaaS already on /best/self-hosted-paas. Not a software catalog.
When to pick it: Git-push hosting, not an IDP.
63,083 stars in the catalog
4
GLPIGPL-3.0 IT asset desk already on /best/itsm. Not a developer portal.
When to pick it: Assets and an ITIL queue, not a service catalog for engineers.
6,485 stars in the catalog
How they compare
| Tool | License | Self-host | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backstage | Apache License 2.0 | Medium | A software catalog, templates, and TechDocs you host. |
| Port Ocean | Apache License 2.0 | Medium | Exporters into a catalog, not the catalog itself. |
| Coolify | Apache License 2.0 | Medium | Git-push hosting, not an IDP. |
| GLPI | GNU General Public License v3.0 | Medium | Assets and an ITIL queue, not a service catalog for engineers. |
Related pages
- Backstage stack
- Coolify + Cloudron stack
- GLPI / Zammad stack
- Baserow + Appsmith stack
- Replace Port
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- Replace ServiceNow
- Replace Freshservice
- Replace Jira Service Management
- Replace Airtable
- Replace Retool
- Replace Smartsheet
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- Backstage vs Port
- All best open-source pages
- All compare pages
- All replace pages
- All stacks
- Tools catalog
FAQ
- Backstage or Port?
- Backstage if you want the published self-hosted path. Port if you want the hosted SaaS — /compare/backstage-vs-port and /replace/port.
- Why is Port Ocean second?
- Ocean is real Apache-2.0 code and people search it. It is an exporter, not a portal. Do not install Ocean and call that a Port replacement.
- OpsLevel or Cortex?
- Closed-source SaaS. Not ranked. There is no product-level OSS OpsLevel or Cortex path in this catalog.
- Is this Retool?
- An internal admin stays on /replace/retool. This page is a developer portal.
- Are these free?
- Backstage and Port Ocean are Apache-2.0. Coolify is the published PaaS path. GLPI is GPL-3.0. You pay hosting. Template users never pay c17.
- How do I deploy it?
- Open /stacks/backstage-portal. Persist Postgres. Register one catalog entity.
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