Open-Source ERP · totumonline

totum-mit

Totum is a self-hosted, low-code database platform that lets non-programmers build internal tools and business applications through a visual UI and simple scripting language, without needing SQL or traditional programming knowledge.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/totumonline/totum-mit

983

GitHub stars

Forks

PHP

Primary language

MIT

License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.

Field	Value
Repository	totumonline/totum-mit
Owner	totumonline
Primary language	PHP
License	MIT — OSI-approved
Stars	983
Forks	56
Open issues	0
Latest release	7.17.63.0 (2025-06-12)
Last updated	2026-05-30
Source	https://github.com/totumonline/totum-mit

What totum-mit is

PHP-based, PostgreSQL-backed platform with a proprietary 'totum code' scripting language for business logic, atomic transactions, role-based access control, and a REST API. Designed for rapid internal application development with auto-UI generation from database schema.

Quickstart

Get the totum-mit source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/totumonline/totum-mit.git2cd totum-mit3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

Need it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.

Best use cases

Internal CRM and order management systems

Rapid deployment of CRM, order tracking, and customer management systems where non-technical business users can both develop and operate the application without IT overhead.

Financial and inventory accounting applications

Build complex accounting, stock tracking, and production management systems with audit logging, access controls, and transaction integrity built-in.

Departmental productivity tools on secured company networks

Self-hosted deployment behind corporate firewalls for departments needing custom database-driven workflows without external SaaS dependencies or data egress concerns.

Implementation considerations

Installation via automated script supports only Ubuntu 24.04 and requires clean system; other OS/environments require manual setup—evaluate DevOps resource availability.
Non-programmer developers can be productive within 30 minutes per README, but adoption depends on organization's comfort with the proprietary 'totum code' syntax—training course availability is a plus.
PostgreSQL dependency means database administration (backups, replication, security hardening) remains a technical responsibility; ensure ops team is ready.
PRO version features (API, file handling) are locked behind licensing; budget for upgrades if integration or multi-user scenarios become critical.
Atomic transactions and automatic chain restart on errors provide data integrity, but transaction design and concurrency tuning should be reviewed during pilot phase.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

You need enterprise-grade API ecosystem out-of-the-box — API features are marked as PRO-only. MIT version has limited integration capabilities; third-party integrations require PRO licensing or custom development.
Your team has no PHP/PostgreSQL infrastructure experience — Installation requires manual server setup or clean Ubuntu 24.04 system. No managed hosting or turnkey deployment options evident. DevOps overhead may exceed low-code savings for non-technical organizations.
You need multi-tenant SaaS or rapid scaling across diverse deployments — Platform is designed for self-hosted single-instance deployment. Scaling, clustering, and multi-tenancy architecture requirements are not addressed in documentation.
Compliance requires independent security audits or certifications — No security audit reports, penetration test results, or compliance certifications (SOC 2, ISO 27001, etc.) mentioned. Security posture must be independently verified before regulated use.

License & commercial use

MIT License (OSI-compliant, permissive). Source code is available; modifications and redistribution are permitted under MIT terms. No proprietary restrictions on the MIT version itself.

MIT License permits commercial use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions (attribution required). However, PRO features (API, files, advanced features) require a separate PRO license purchase from totum.online. Free PRO license available for up to 2 additional users (admin-only beyond that). Verify current licensing terms with vendor before large-scale commercial deployment.

DEV.co evaluation signals

Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.

Signal	Assessment
Maintenance	Active
Documentation	Strong
License clarity	Clear
Deployment complexity	Moderate
DEV.co fit	Good
Assessment confidence	High

Security considerations

Self-hosted deployment gives full control over network and data perimeter—a significant advantage for regulated or sensitive workflows. However: no public security audit, penetration test, or threat model is documented. PHP-based applications require standard hardening practices (dependency updates, SQL injection prevention in totum code, access control validation). PostgreSQL database security (authentication, encryption, backups) is operator responsibility. Authentication mechanism (LDAP, SSO, 2FA, etc.) not detailed. Recommend security review before handling PII or regulated data.

Alternatives to consider

Airtable / Nocodb

Spreadsheet-like low-code UI with built-in collaboration, but typically cloud-hosted (SaaS). Airtable is closed-source; Nocodb is OSS but simpler logic than Totum. No self-hosted database-as-interface as deep as Totum's.

Budibase / Appsmith

Open-source low-code platforms focused on rapid CRUD app generation. Both support self-hosting and API integrations out-of-the-box, but require more traditional coding for complex logic compared to Totum's proprietary language.

Microsoft Power Apps / Salesforce Lightning

Enterprise low-code/no-code platforms with extensive integrations, SLA, and vendor support. Cloud-only or hybrid; higher licensing cost and vendor lock-in vs. Totum's MIT license and self-hosting model.

Software development agency

Build on totum-mit with DEV.co software developers

Review the full documentation at docs.totum.online, try the free training course, and assess fit with your infrastructure and licensing needs. Contact totum at totum.online with deployment questions.

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totum-mit FAQ

Can I use Totum MIT for commercial purposes?

Yes—MIT License permits commercial use. However, PRO features (API, files) require a separate PRO license. Clarify licensing terms with totum.online before full production deployment.

Do I need programming skills to develop in Totum?

No—the proprietary 'totum code' language is designed for non-programmers. SQL is not required. A 30-minute quickstart and free training course are available.

What databases does Totum support?

PostgreSQL is the primary (and appears to be only) supported database. No mention of MySQL, SQLite, or other engines.

Is there a hosted or managed version available?

Not documented. Totum is self-hosted only. You must deploy and maintain it on your own server. No managed SaaS option is mentioned.

Software development & web development with DEV.co

From first prototype to production, DEV.co delivers software development services around tools like totum-mit. Our software development agency staffs experienced software developers and web developers for custom software development, web development, integrations, and ongoing support across open-source erp and beyond.

Ready to evaluate Totum for your team?

Review the full documentation at docs.totum.online, try the free training course, and assess fit with your infrastructure and licensing needs. Contact totum at totum.online with deployment questions.

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