A Fully Open-Source Spring Boot Platform With Workflow, CRM, ERP, and AI Modules Built In
You've probably been here before: you need to stand up an admin backend, a permissions system, and maybe a workflow engine, and you're staring down weeks of boilerplate before you write a single line of actual business logic. Ruoyi-vue-pro (also known as Yudao) is an attempt to solve exactly that problem—a Spring Boot platform that ships with the scaffolding most projects end up rebuilding from scratch.
What It Does
At its core, this is a rapid development platform built around Spring Boot on the backend and Vue on the frontend. The backend uses a multi-module architecture with MySQL and MyBatis Plus for persistence, plus Redis and Redisson for caching and distributed coordination. The admin frontend comes in several flavors: Vue3 with element-plus, Vue3 with vben (ant-design-vue), and a Vue2 element-ui version. There's also a mobile client built with uni-app that targets apps, mini-programs, and H5 from a single codebase.
The full version bundles a lot: system functions, infrastructure, member center, data reports, workflow, e-commerce, WeChat integration, CRM, ERP, WMS, MES, HRM, FMS, PMS, IM, AI large model integration, and IoT. That's a wide net. There's also a trimmed-down version (yudao-boot-mini) that keeps only system and infrastructure features, and the README notes you can migrate modules from the full version to the mini version in 5-10 minutes if you want to start small and add on later.
On the technical side, the platform supports multiple databases (MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, MariaDB, Dameng DM, TiDB), multiple message queues (Event, Redis, RabbitMQ, Kafka, RocketMQ), and authentication via Spring Security with Token and Redis. It handles SaaS multi-tenancy, dynamic permission menus with button-level control, and SSO single sign-on.
Why It's Cool
The licensing stance is refreshingly clear. The README states outright that there will never be a commercial version and all code is fully open source, free for both individuals and enterprises. In a space where "open core" often means "open until you need the useful part," that's worth noting.
Multiple JDK and Spring Boot branches. You're not locked into one runtime. There's a master branch on JDK 8 with Spring Boot 2.7, a master-jdk17 branch on JDK 17/21 with Spring Boot 3.5, and a master-jdk25 branch on JDK 25 with Spring Boot 4.x. If you're maintaining a legacy system or pushing forward on the newest stack, there's a path for you.
The workflow engine is a real one. It uses Flowable, and supports dynamic forms, online process design, countersign/or-sign, and multiple task assignment methods. Building a workflow layer from scratch is a common source of pain—having it integrated and configured is a meaningful head start.
Code generation that actually covers the full stack. The built-in generator produces Java and Vue code, SQL scripts, and API documentation, with support for single tables, tree tables, and master-detail tables. That's the kind of feature that saves days, not hours.
Broad integration surface. WeChat mini-programs, official accounts, WeCom, DingTalk login; Alipay and WeChat payment and refunds; SMS channels from Aliyun and Tencent Cloud; storage via MinIO, Aliyun, Tencent, and Qiniu. Plus report and dashboard designers that work through drag-and-drop.
Multi-tenancy is handled at the framework level. Rather than asking you to bolt on tenant isolation yourself, the platform provides a transparent multi-tenant wrapper with per-tenant permissions.
How to Try It
The README points to live demos so you can poke around before committing to anything:
- Vue3 + element-plus: http://dashboard-vue3.yudao.iocoder.cn
- Vue3 + vben (ant-design-vue): http://dashboard-vben.yudao.iocoder.cn
- Vue2 + element-ui: http://dashboard.yudao.iocoder.cn
For setup, the quick-start documentation is at https://doc.iocoder.cn/quick-start/ and there's a video tutorial series at https://doc.iocoder.cn/video/.
The repository itself is at https://github.com/yunaiv/ruoyi-vue-pro. Before you clone, decide which branch matches your environment—master for JDK 8, master-jdk17 for JDK 17/21, or master-jdk25 for JDK 25. If you want the leaner starting point, look at yudao-boot-mini and migrate modules in as needed using the migration documentation.
Final Thoughts
This is a big platform, and big platforms come with a learning curve. The full version includes a lot of modules you may never touch, and the README itself acknowledges the value of the mini version for teams that want to start focused. If you're building an admin-heavy application with workflow, multi-tenancy, and integration requirements, this could save you a substantial amount of groundwork. If you only need a small piece of it, the modular migration path is your friend. Either way, the all-in open-source commitment makes it worth a look.
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