AI-native · Open source · v0.7.0
Build what's next.
Aravel is an AI-native, open-source developer ecosystem that unifies learning, collaboration, software development, knowledge sharing, professional networking, and intelligent assistance into one platform.
One place, not eleven tabs.
Modern software development is fragmented. A single developer might use GitHub for code, Stack Overflow for questions, Reddit for discussion, Dev.to for articles, LinkedIn for networking, Discord for community, and a handful of separate AI tools on top — each with its own account, its own rules, and its own notifications.
Each platform solves exactly one problem well. None of them solve the complete developer experience. Aravel exists to unify these experiences into a single intelligent platform, so individuals, teams, organizations, educators, and open-source communities can build, learn, share, and grow together — without leaving the platform.
Software development should encourage people, not discourage them. Too many beginners quit after a downvoted question or a hostile reply. Too many experienced developers lose hours jumping between disconnected tools instead of building. Aravel's mission is to remove those barriers with a welcoming, intelligent, and secure environment for developers of every level.
The developer ecosystem is scattered.
Every platform has different accounts, permissions, communities, moderation, and rules. Developers spend more time moving between tools than creating software. Aravel is built to solve five specific breakdowns.
Fragmented workflow
Instead of one workflow, developers constantly switch between code hosts, Q&A sites, forums, and AI tools. Aravel provides one unified ecosystem instead.
Beginner discouragement
Downvotes, ignored questions, hostile replies, and automated bans push beginners away. Aravel is designed to guide newcomers rather than punish them.
Knowledge fragmentation
Documentation, discussions, articles, and answers are scattered across countless sites. Aravel brings them into one searchable platform.
Community fragmentation
Open-source communities spread themselves across many disconnected platforms. Aravel lets them collaborate from one shared home.
AI fragmentation
Developers jump between multiple disconnected AI tools. Aravel integrates AI directly into the workflow instead of bolting it on as a separate service.
One ecosystem, five fewer problems.
Aravel doesn't add another tool to the pile — it replaces the need to juggle so many in the first place.
| Instead of… | Aravel gives you |
|---|---|
| Switching between a code host, a Q&A site, a forum, and an AI tool | One workflow — code, discussion, and AI assistance in the same place |
| Downvotes and silence for beginners | A platform designed to guide newcomers, not punish them |
| Docs, wikis, and answers scattered across the web | One searchable knowledge layer next to the code it describes |
| Open-source communities split across five platforms | Organizations, teams, and projects that live under one roof |
| A handful of disconnected AI tools | AI woven directly into the development workflow itself |
Everything a developer needs, in one ecosystem.
Aravel doesn't try to replace any one service — it connects the best ideas from many platforms into a single, coherent experience.
Developer community
A single, welcoming home for developers of every experience level to learn and grow together.
Professional networking
Public developer profiles, portfolios, and connections built for a technical audience.
Open-source collaboration
Organizations, teams, and projects designed around real open-source workflows.
Organizations & teams
Structured membership, roles, and permissions for organizations, teams, and projects alike.
Documentation & knowledge
Docs, wikis, discussions, and Q&A living next to the code they describe.
AI assistance
AI woven into the development workflow itself, not treated as a bolt-on separate service.
Integrated search
One search bar across users, organizations, projects, posts, and documentation.
Security & privacy first
Argon2id password hashing, rotating refresh tokens, and server-side permission checks on every request.
Shipped in the backend foundation — v0.7.0
Phase 1 completeA locked stack, chosen for the long term.
Aravel follows a strict layered architecture. Every layer has exactly one responsibility, and the stack is locked to protect long-term scalability, security, and maintainability.
Infrastructure — everything behind one gateway
gateway
Locked decisions
Security is never optional
Argon2id hashing, JWT verification, refresh-token rotation and reuse detection, and server-side permission checks on every endpoint.
UUID keys, Alembic-only migrations
Foreign keys everywhere, constraints for integrity, indexes for performance — never manual SQL in production.
One feature, one commit
Every feature moves through planning, implementation, security review, migration review, and regression testing before it ships.
| Layer | Technology | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Backend | FastAPI · Pydantic v2 | API framework and request/response validation |
| ORM & migrations | SQLAlchemy 2.x · Alembic | Database models and versioned schema migrations |
| Frontend | Next.js · TypeScript | App Router frontend consuming only the backend API |
| Database | PostgreSQL | Production-ready, ACID-compliant primary data store |
| Search | Meilisearch | Global search across users, projects, posts, and docs |
| Object storage | MinIO | Avatars, project assets, documentation files |
| Cache & queues | Valkey | Sessions, caching, notifications, API performance |
| Identity | Keycloak planned | Enterprise SSO, OAuth2, OpenID Connect |
| Reverse proxy | Traefik | HTTPS, certificates, routing, load balancing |
| Git hosting | Forgejo | Repository hosting, pull requests, code review |
| Docs & wiki | Docusaurus · Wiki.js | Official documentation and collaborative wiki |
| Community | Discourse | Long-form community discussions |
| AI layer | LiteLLM · Ollama planned | Local and cloud LLM routing for in-product AI |
Docs that read like they were handcrafted.
A preview of how Aravel renders documentation — headings, callouts, task lists, and inline code, styled consistently with the rest of the site.
Security checklist — every endpoint
Excerpted from the project's development rules. Every feature is checked against this list before it ships.
- Passwords hashed with
Argon2id - JWT verified and refresh tokens rotated on use
- Server-side permission checks on every request
- Keycloak-based SSO and OAuth2 / OIDC planned
A note on migrations
All schema changes go through Alembic — never manual SQL against production. Every migration is reviewed alongside the feature that needs it.
Callout types
planned are not yet implemented.Get the foundation running.
The backend foundation (auth, organizations, teams, projects) is live at v0.7.0. The source isn't public yet — this is what local setup will look like once the repository opens.
# source is not public yet — illustrative setup flow
git clone <repository-url> aravel
cd aravel/apps/api
python -m venv .venv && source .venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt
alembic upgrade head
uvicorn main:app --reloadcd aravel/web
npm install
npm run dev
# Swagger / OpenAPI docs are served
# by the backend at /docsAravel isn't public yet, so there's nothing to clone at that URL today — this block shows the intended workflow once the repository and setup docs are published. Real frontend development is still in its early stages.
The shape of the API.
An illustrative example of the REST API's shape, based on the documented CRUD-first architecture. The authoritative schema will ship with the public API docs.
POST /api/v1/projects HTTP/1.1
Authorization: Bearer <access_token>
Content-Type: application/json
{
"name": "aravel-web",
"organization_id": "org_9f2c...",
"visibility": "private"
}{
"id": "proj_4a91...",
"name": "aravel-web",
"organization_id": "org_9f2c...",
"visibility": "private",
"role": "owner",
"created_at": "2026-08-05T12:00:00Z"
}Illustrative only — endpoint names, fields, and IDs are representative examples, not a published spec.
Built deliberately, one feature at a time.
The hardest part — designing the architecture and building a secure backend foundation — is behind us. What's next is expanding features while preserving the locked architecture and security standards.
Shipped versions
Authentication foundation
Registration, login, JWT, refresh tokens, and user management.
Organizations
CRUD, ownership, and permissions.
Organization memberships
Membership system, roles, and permissions.
Teams
CRUD, memberships, and team roles.
Projects
CRUD, visibility, archive, restore, and permissions.
Project memberships
Membership management, project roles, and access control.
Project settings
Project configuration, settings management, validation, and security.
Next up
These modules are planned but not yet built.
Future ideas
These are ideas only — not implemented, and not commitments.
Nine rules that never change.
These principles guide every decision — from a single database column to the overall roadmap.
Developer first
Every decision must improve the developer experience.
Learning first
Learning should always be encouraged — no unnecessary barriers, no toxic culture.
Community first
Healthy communities create better software.
AI native
Artificial intelligence is a core capability, not an afterthought.
Open source first
Transparency builds trust. Open source encourages collaboration and innovation.
Security first
Security is never optional — it's part of every design decision.
Privacy first
Users control their own information. Privacy is never sacrificed for convenience.
Quality first
Shipping fewer high-quality features beats shipping many incomplete ones.
Long-term thinking
Every feature should support the platform years into the future.
Questions reviewers usually ask.
What is Aravel?
Is Aravel open source?
What's the technology stack?
Is Aravel ready to use today?
Why isn't there a live demo yet?
How can I contribute?
Built slowly, on purpose.
Aravel isn't optimizing for a fast release. It's optimizing for a platform developers can rely on for years.
Development rules — permanently locked
- One feature at a time — one feature equals one commit.
- Never rewrite the project or change the architecture.
- Reuse existing code and architecture whenever possible.
- Security may only improve — it never decreases.
- No placeholders, no TODOs, no incomplete implementations.
- Every feature is reviewed for regressions before it ships.
License
LICENSE file at the root of the repository.
Permission model
| Role | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Guest | Read public resources |
| User | Manage own profile |
| Org / team / project member | Resources according to role |
| Org / project admin | Manage the organization or project |
| Super administrator | Platform-wide control |