Windmill
Open-source developer platform for scripts, workflows, AI agents and internal apps, self-hostable.
Quick answer
Windmill is an open-source developer platform for scripts, workflows, AI agents and internal apps, self-hostable, listed under Workflow automation with AI. A typical small-business use: turn internal Python or SQL scripts into forms and scheduled jobs for non-developers. The project publishes no official RAM figure, so we do not estimate a monthly server cost. License: AGPLv3 + Apache-2.0 clients; proprietary enterprise code; Community Edition images under Windmill terms, which allows internal business use.
Last updated · facts verified against official docs on · sources
Activity data comes from GitHub and was last refreshed Oct 24, 2026.
What is Windmill?
Windmill turns scripts in Python, TypeScript, Go, Bash, SQL and other languages into APIs, scheduled jobs, workflows and internal apps with auto-generated UIs. Flows can include AI agent steps, and the platform has a web IDE, a CLI and a VS Code extension, approval steps, webhooks and many integrations. It positions itself as a self-hostable alternative to Retool, Pipedream and Superblocks. The Community Edition is free to self-host; an Enterprise Edition adds features such as SAML/SCIM, longer audit retention and Git sync.
Where it fits in a 10–200 person business
- Turn internal Python or SQL scripts into forms and scheduled jobs for non-developers
- Build workflows that call LLMs and AI agents alongside databases and business APIs
- Internal admin tools and dashboards on top of company databases
These use cases are our editorial suggestions, not claims made by the project.
Can a business use Windmill? (license)
| License | AGPLv3 + Apache-2.0 clients; proprietary enterprise code; Community Edition images under Windmill terms |
|---|---|
| Type | Open core: Core is MIT/Apache; enterprise folders need a paid license. |
| Internal business use | Allowed under the license text |
| What to watch | The source without the "enterprise" flag is AGPLv3 (clients and OpenAPI spec Apache-2.0). The official Community Edition images include proprietary code: free to use internally and redistribute as is, but not to sell, offer as a managed service, modify or wrap. Embedding it in a product you sell needs a commercial license. |
This is a plain-English summary of the license text, not legal advice. Third-party models you run with it have their own licenses.
Data & compliance: does Windmill phone home?
| Telemetry (usage data sent to the vendor) | On by default Anonymous usage data is sent once a day to stats.windmill.dev. On Community Edition it covers the instance version and base URL, job usage (language, duration, count), login types, worker vCPUs and memory, and user counts. On Enterprise Edition telemetry is required for license compliance and can only be reduced to a minimal mode. How to turn it off: On Community Edition, turn on "Disable telemetry" in the instance settings. |
|---|---|
| Other calls home by default (updates, marketplaces, default cloud services) | Not documented |
| Single sign-on (OIDC / SAML / LDAP) | Free with limits By protocol: OIDC free with limits · SAML paid. OAuth/OIDC SSO (Google, Microsoft, Okta, Keycloak, custom OIDC) works on Community Edition for up to 10 SSO users; SAML and SCIM need Enterprise Edition. Source: www.windmill.dev/docs/advanced/instance_settings · www.windmill.dev/docs/advanced/saml_and_scim |
| Audit log | Basic free, more in paid plan Audit logs exist on Community Edition with a 14-day default retention on self-hosted instances; Enterprise defaults to 365 days. |
| Role-based access control (RBAC) | Basic free, more in paid plan Instance and workspace roles are built in; custom instance roles, workspace-defined roles and service accounts require Enterprise Edition. Source: www.windmill.dev/docs/core_concepts/roles_and_permissions |
| Data residency / GDPR notes from the project | Not documented |
Checked against the project's own docs and repository on . "Not documented" means we could not find the answer in official sources; it does not mean the feature is missing or that no data is sent. Third-party services you connect (model APIs, vector databases, search engines) have their own data policies. Compare all apps.
What hardware does Windmill need?
The project does not publish a minimum CPU/RAM figure, so we leave the official value blank rather than guess.
No minimum server size is published. The README and self-host docs give a rule of thumb of 1 worker per 1 vCPU and 1-2 GB of RAM; the default Docker Compose file runs several worker replicas plus the server and Postgres, so total size depends on how many workers you keep.
How much does it cost to host Windmill per month?
The project publishes no RAM figure we could verify, so we do not estimate a cost.
How to deploy Windmill
Method: Docker Compose
curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/windmill-labs/windmill/main/docker-compose.yml -o docker-compose.yml
curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/windmill-labs/windmill/main/Caddyfile -o Caddyfile
curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/windmill-labs/windmill/main/.env -o .env
docker compose up -d
# open http://localhost (default login [email protected] / changeme)From the official instructions: github.com/windmill-labs/windmill#docker-compose. Always check the source for the current version before you run it.
Known gotchas when self-hosting Windmill
- The install starts with the default login [email protected] / changeme and the Compose file's Postgres password is changeme. Change both before exposing the instance. source
- Without Enterprise Edition the number of SSO users is limited to 10; SAML and SCIM are Enterprise only. source
- On Community Edition audit log entries are kept for 14 days by default (365 days on Enterprise). source
- The Community Edition Docker images contain proprietary code. Offering Windmill as a managed service, or embedding it in a product you sell, needs a commercial license. source
Alternatives in Workflow automation with AI
- n8n Workflow automation with 1,500+ integrations and built-in AI agent nodes. Compare n8n vs Windmill
- Activepieces Open-source Zapier alternative with AI agents, MCP and human-in-the-loop steps. Compare Activepieces vs Windmill
- Skyvern Browser automation agent that uses LLMs and computer vision to fill forms and run workflows on websites. Compare Skyvern vs Windmill
Windmill FAQ
How much RAM does Windmill need?
Windmill does not publish an official RAM figure, so we do not state one. No minimum server size is published. The README and self-host docs give a rule of thumb of 1 worker per 1 vCPU and 1-2 GB of RAM; the default Docker Compose file runs several worker replicas plus the server and Postgres, so total size depends on how many workers you keep.
How much does it cost to self-host Windmill?
The software is free to download. The project publishes no official RAM figure, so we do not estimate a monthly server cost.
Is Windmill free for commercial use?
Windmill is licensed under AGPLv3 + Apache-2.0 clients; proprietary enterprise code; Community Edition images under Windmill terms (Open core). Internal business use is allowed under the license text. The source without the "enterprise" flag is AGPLv3 (clients and OpenAPI spec Apache-2.0). The official Community Edition images include proprietary code: free to use internally and redistribute as is, but not to sell, offer as a managed service, modify or wrap. Embedding it in a product you sell needs a commercial license. This is a summary, not legal advice.
What are common problems when self-hosting Windmill?
The install starts with the default login [email protected] / changeme and the Compose file's Postgres password is changeme. Change both before exposing the instance. Without Enterprise Edition the number of SSO users is limited to 10; SAML and SCIM are Enterprise only. On Community Edition audit log entries are kept for 14 days by default (365 days on Enterprise). The Community Edition Docker images contain proprietary code. Offering Windmill as a managed service, or embedding it in a product you sell, needs a commercial license.
Is Windmill still maintained?
Yes, it is actively developed. Last commit: Oct 24, 2026. Latest release: v1.848.2 (Oct 24, 2026). Checked Oct 24, 2026.
How do I install Windmill?
The official method is Docker Compose. The exact commands are in the "How to deploy" section above and in the official instructions: https://github.com/windmill-labs/windmill#docker-compose
What are self-hosted alternatives to Windmill?
Other apps in Workflow automation with AI: n8n, Activepieces, Skyvern.
Sources
- GitHub repository: github.com/windmill-labs/windmill
- Official documentation: www.windmill.dev/docs/
- License text, Gotcha 4: github.com/windmill-labs/windmill/blob/main/LICENSE
- Hardware requirements, Gotcha 1: www.windmill.dev/docs/advanced/self_host
- Deploy instructions: github.com/windmill-labs/windmill#docker-compose
- Gotcha 2: www.windmill.dev/docs/advanced/instance_settings
- Gotcha 3: www.windmill.dev/docs/core_concepts/audit_logs
- Hetzner Cloud pricing (cost estimate): www.hetzner.com/cloud/regular-performance
- GitHub stars, commits and releases: GitHub REST API, fetched
Facts on this page were checked against the project's own repository and docs on 2026-10-24. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.