Photograph the instrument
Capture the device, nameplate, accessories, and condition in several ordered images, then review suggested fields.
All use cases
Open Inventory for Lab
Find test equipment, parts, and experimental assemblies again.
Open Inventory is an open inventory component for technical labs and prototyping spaces. It is not a LIMS: it does not manage samples, analytical results, or regulated laboratory processes.
MIT licenseSelf-hostedNative iOS app
Capture path
Take a photo · review the draft · save the record
Operational problem
Less reconstruction, more traceable state.
Shared instruments, components, and prototype assemblies move between benches. Serial data, accessories, revision, and current location need to stay connected without forcing the lab into a closed specialist inventory product.
- Connect instruments, probes, fixtures, and parts through relationships or bills of materials
- Use typed custom fields for calibration, procurement, revision, or ownership data
- Process inventory records through CSV and the checked-in OpenAPI contract
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 typed fields
Represent calibration date, manufacturer data, revision, or responsible group with explicit inventory types and fields.
Connect the assembly
Use relationships or bills of materials to link instruments, probes, fixtures, and consumed prototype parts.
Record use and movement
Keep assignments, transfers, and count results as dated records and expose supported data to further analysis.
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.
Several documented views
Keep instrument, nameplate, accessory, and condition images in a deliberate order with accessible alt text.
Instruments and part quantities
Use serial numbers for instruments and quantity tracking for sensors, connectors, and interchangeable parts.
Relationships and bills of materials
Link accessories and prototype components; assembly transactions can consume component stock atomically.
Benches and rooms
Use structured locations and optional room data for equipment shared across work areas.
Movements and count cycles
Retain transfers, assignments, and recurring reconciliation results rather than overwriting the previous state.
Checked-in API contract
Build internal analysis or automation against the versioned OpenAPI file and revocable scoped tokens.
Native iOS app
SwiftUI · included in the repository
Capture equipment at the test bench.
The native iOS app photographs equipment, recognises codes, and uses the same API as the web client. The server remains the lab's own instance.
- Prepare up to twelve photos in one capture job
- Resolve codes and serial numbers at the instrument
- Retry interrupted stages without duplicating the inventory record
Camera and scanner operations run on a physical iPhone
Read the iOS implementation notesOpen source is part of the operating model
Technical documentation needs an open way out.
Open Inventory publishes the web application, API, migrations, and iOS app under MIT. CSV and OpenAPI support reuse; external AI, map, authentication, or storage providers are optional configuration, not a hidden requirement.
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.