Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about GoatFlow installation, configuration, and usage.

General Questions

What is GoatFlow?

GoatFlow is a modern, open-source ticketing system designed to replace OTRS with better performance, security, and user experience. Built on GoatKit with Go and HTMX, it provides a scalable, container-native solution for IT service management.

How is GoatFlow different from OTRS?

Key Differences:

• Modern Architecture: Go backend with React frontend vs Perl/Apache
• Container Native: First-class Docker/Podman support out of the box
• Better Performance: Significantly faster response times and lower resource usage
• Security First: Rootless containers, modern authentication, comprehensive security scanning
• Cloud Ready: Kubernetes and OpenShift compatible from day one

Is GoatFlow compatible with OTRS?

Yes, GoatFlow is designed with OTRS Community Edition compatibility in mind:

• Compatible database schema for smooth migration
• Similar workflow concepts and terminology
• Migration tools to import OTRS data
• Familiar user interface patterns

Installation and Setup

What are the system requirements?

Minimum Requirements:

• 2 CPU cores
• 4GB RAM
• 20GB disk space
• Docker or Podman

Recommended for Production:

• 4+ CPU cores
• 8GB+ RAM
• SSD storage
• Load balancer
• External database

Can I run GoatFlow without containers?

While GoatFlow is designed for containers, it can run natively. However, we strongly recommend using containers for:

• Simplified deployment and updates
• Better security isolation
• Easier scaling and management
• Consistent environments across dev/staging/prod

Does GoatFlow support Kubernetes?

Yes! GoatFlow is designed to run well in Kubernetes:

• Rootless containers for security
• Health checks and probes
• ConfigMap and Secret support
• Horizontal pod autoscaling
• OpenShift SCC compatible

Features and Functionality

What features are currently available?

Current Status: GoatFlow v0.6.2 is released with core functionality complete.

Available Features (v0.6.2):

• Core ticket management with full CRUD operations
• User authentication, RBAC, and LDAP integration
• Email integration (SMTP/IMAP, email-to-ticket)
• REST and SOAP APIs with GenericInterface
• Modern web interface with 4 themes and dark mode
• OTRS migration tools
• GenericAgent automation
• Access Control Lists (ACLs)
• 15 languages with RTL support

Roadmap Features:

• Knowledge Base / FAQ system
• Reporting and analytics
• Process management workflows
• Multi-tenancy
• SSO integration

How do I migrate from OTRS?

See our detailed Migration Guide for step-by-step instructions. Key points:

• Database compatibility layer
• Automated migration tools (in development)
• Professional migration services available
• Minimal downtime migration possible

Does GoatFlow support email integration?

Yes, email integration is fully implemented:

• Incoming email processing (POP3/IMAP)
• Outgoing email notifications
• Email templates with variable substitution
• SMTP configuration
• Postmaster filters for routing

Technical Questions

What database does GoatFlow use?

GoatFlow uses MariaDB 10.6+ / MySQL 8+ as the default database, with full PostgreSQL 14+ support:

• OTRS-compatible schema for easy migration
• ACID compliance and reliability
• Excellent performance for ticketing workloads
• Your choice: MariaDB/MySQL (default) or PostgreSQL

Can I use external databases?

Yes, GoatFlow supports external databases:

• Cloud databases (AWS RDS, Google Cloud SQL, Azure Database, etc.)
• On-premises MariaDB/MySQL or PostgreSQL clusters
• Managed database services
• High availability configurations

How do I configure HTTPS/TLS?

GoatFlow supports multiple TLS configurations:

• Reverse proxy (Nginx, Traefik, etc.)
• Load balancer termination
• Built-in TLS support (coming soon)
• Let’s Encrypt integration

What about backups?

Backup strategy depends on your deployment:

• Database: MariaDB/MySQL or PostgreSQL dump/restore
• Files: Volume backups for attachments and uploads
• Configuration: GitOps for configuration management
• Automation: Scheduled backup scripts included

Support and Community

Where can I get help?

Community Support:

• GitHub Discussions for questions
• GitHub Issues for bugs
• Community documentation and wiki

Professional Support:

• Commercial support by Gibbsoft Ltd (coming Q2 2026)
• Professional services and consulting
• SLA-based support plans
• Custom development and integrations

How can I contribute?

We welcome contributions! See our Contributing Guide for:

• Code contributions and bug fixes
• Documentation improvements
• Translation support (future)
• Community support and testing

What’s the project roadmap?

See our detailed Roadmap for development plans:

• v0.6.x: Core platform with themes, automation, ACLs (released)
• v0.7.0: Statistics & reporting, REST API v2 (May 2026)
• v0.8.0: Knowledge Base, Calendar (September 2026)
• v0.9.0: Process Management (January 2027)
• v1.0.0: Production release (April 2027)

Licensing and Legal

What license does GoatFlow use?

GoatFlow Community Edition is licensed under Apache License 2.0:

• Open source and free to use
• Permissive license allowing commercial use and modification
• No copyleft requirements
• Website content under Creative Commons

Can I use GoatFlow commercially?

Yes! GoatFlow can be used commercially under Apache 2.0:

• No licensing fees
• No requirement to disclose modifications
• Commercial support and services available from Gibbsoft Ltd
• Trademark usage guidelines apply

Who develops GoatFlow?

GoatFlow is developed by Gibbsoft Ltd with community contributions:

• Open development process on GitHub
• Community-driven feature requests
• Professional development team
• Commercial support and services

Don’t see your question? Ask on GitHub Discussions or check our documentation.