OSEM

Self-Hosted

Open-source conference and event management platform

Overview

OSEM is an open-source tool for organizing conferences, workshops, and meetups. It streamlines key workflows: call for papers (CFP) management, speaker submissions, peer reviews, attendee registration, schedule creation, and ticketing. With customizable branding, role-based access control, and payment gateway integrations, it suits community or professional events. Deployable via Docker containers or manual Linux setup, OSEM gives full data privacy control, avoiding reliance on proprietary event platforms.

Self-Hosting Resources

Find Official Image on Docker Hub View Source & Docs

Below is a reference structure for docker-compose.yml. ⚠️ Do NOT run blindly. Replace placeholders with official values.

docker-compose.template.yml TEMPLATE


version: '3'
services:
  osem:
    image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
    container_name: osem
    ports:
      - "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

Key Features

Call for Papers (CFP) and speaker submission workflows
Peer review system for talk proposals
Attendee registration and ticketing with payment integration
Customizable event scheduling and branding
Role-based access control for organizers and reviewers

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is OSEM hard to install?

OSEM can be installed easily via Docker (using provided docker-compose files) for those familiar with containerization. Manual setup requires knowledge of Ruby on Rails, PostgreSQL, and Linux server configuration, which may be challenging for beginners.

? Is it a good alternative to ConfTool?

Yes—OSEM offers core features like CFP management, speaker reviews, and scheduling similar to ConfTool, but as open-source software, it allows full customization and data ownership without proprietary licensing fees, making it ideal for community-driven events.

? Is OSEM completely free?

Yes—OSEM is licensed under MIT, so it’s free to use, modify, and self-host. There are no costs for the software itself, though you’ll need to cover server hosting and any associated infrastructure expenses.

Top Alternatives

Tool Info

Pricing Free/Open Source

Category Conference Management

Platform Self-Hosted

Pros

⊕ Full data ownership and privacy
⊕ No subscription fees or per-event costs
⊕ Docker support for simplified deployment
⊕ Highly customizable via open-source codebase

Cons

⊖ Requires basic server administration knowledge for setup
⊖ Limited third-party integrations compared to SaaS tools
⊖ Smaller user community than major proprietary platforms