Show HN: An open-source manufacturing ERP/MES/QMS
Carbon is an open-source manufacturing ERP, MRP, MES, and QMS built on TypeScript and PostgreSQL for self-hosted or cloud deployment.
summary is enough The landing page outlines the core product clearly, and the comment thread provides candid insights from the founder on open-source monetization and ERP complexity.
summary
Carbon is a newly open-sourced manufacturing operations platform combining ERP, MRP, MES, and QMS capabilities in a TypeScript and Postgres stack. Designed for regulated environments like aerospace and defense, it supports self-hosting, air-gapped networks, and bring-your-own-cloud deployments. While the community edition covers core workflows, advanced enterprise features and AI integrations require a commercial license. In the discussion, the founder engages openly with community feedback regarding licensing models, website aesthetics, and the immense complexity of building an ERP.
key points
- Built as a TypeScript monorepo backed by PostgreSQL, offering a Community edition under AGPL-3.0 alongside commercial enterprise modules.
- Targets regulated industries like aerospace and defense by keeping production records and Controlled Unclassified Information within local infrastructure.
- Includes specialized manufacturing features like shop-floor digital travelers, traceability, and a built-in Model Context Protocol server for AI integration.
who should read it
Software engineers and manufacturing operations professionals interested in self-hosted enterprise software or open-source ERP tools.
discussion positive
consensus
Commenters acknowledge the immense complexity of building ERP systems and praise the open-source release while discussing the practicalities of monetization and self-hosted upgrades.
pushback
A veteran ERP implementer cautions that software developers often underestimate real-world manufacturing domain intricacies, and some users note frustrations with hidden enterprise pricing.
As a fellow ERP/MRP author/founder (PartsBox, specialized for electronics manufacturing), congratulations. These kinds of systems are very complex, much more so than it seems from the outside. Many people tend to think: "I could whip this up in a weekend." I also thought so 10 years ago when I started writing my own :-)
I do wonder about the value proposition of open sourcing the system, though. Apart from believing in open source and trying to do some good in the world, are there any practical reasons for you to maintain the system as open source? This is something that is very costly
A fellow ERP author shares perspective on the extreme complexity of building manufacturing software and questions the practical reasons for open-sourcing it.
Generated by an LLM from the article and thread. Check the sources before relying on it.