Take a photo
Capture an object or a box while it is already in your hand. Suggested fields remain editable before saving.
All use cases
Open Inventory for Family
Know what you own and which box it is in.
Open Inventory gives a household a searchable catalogue with photos, containers, locations, and optional read-only shares. It is self-hosted and does not require storing the family archive in a proprietary inventory service.
MIT licenseSelf-hostedNative iOS app
Capture path
Take a photo · review the draft · save the record
Operational problem
Less reconstruction, more traceable state.
Seasonal equipment, spare parts, documents, and inherited objects often disappear into nested boxes. The useful question is usually not whether something exists, but where it is, what belongs with it, and whether a manual or receipt was kept.
- Start with photos and add only the structure that is useful
- Represent rooms, shelves, boxes, and relationships between objects
- Share selected records without exposing the complete inventory
Real web app capture · demo data
A workflow at the point of use
From a physical object to a usable record.
Capture starts with a camera or an existing code. Structured fields and deeper workflows are added without hiding the transaction being made.
Add the location
Assign a room, shelf, or container. Containers can themselves be inventory records, so nested storage remains searchable.
Attach context
Keep manuals, receipts, related accessories, and notes with the record instead of spreading them across different apps.
Find it later
Search by name, description, tag, code, or location and open the relevant record on the web or iPhone.
Relevant capabilities
The data model behind this use case.
These capabilities are part of the same MIT-licensed application. Open Inventory does not split them into closed industry editions.
Photo-first capture
Use several views and keep original media with the structured record. AI assistance is optional and reviewable.
Boxes and relationships
Link an item to its container, accessories, replacement parts, or other records without flattening everything into tags.
Rooms and storage places
Describe the physical hierarchy from building and room down to shelf or box.
Selective read-only sharing
Publish a deliberately selected view instead of giving another person access to the full workspace.
Portable core data
Validated CSV import and export support common inventory fields. A complete restore still requires the database and uploaded media.
Controlled collaboration
Give household members only the read or edit permissions they need for the shared catalogue.
Native iOS app
SwiftUI · included in the repository
Capture an item while unpacking the box.
The native iOS app connects directly to the household's server. Camera capture, code lookup, search, and editing use the same records as the web interface.
- Take several photos before putting an object away
- Scan an existing label to open the correct record
- Keep interrupted capture jobs in a persistent local outbox
Camera and scanner operations run on a physical iPhone
Read the iOS implementation notesOpen source is part of the operating model
A family archive without a proprietary exit gate.
Open Inventory is MIT-licensed and can run on infrastructure you choose. Database backups and the upload directory remain the authoritative recovery path; CSV is useful for exchange, but it is not presented as a full backup.
MIT-licensed source
Docker setup with PostgreSQL
Checked-in OpenAPI 3.1 contract
Native iOS source included
Run it on your infrastructure
Start with one reviewed record.
Start the Docker stack, photograph one real object, and inspect the resulting fields and media before choosing a wider rollout.