Help & Documentation

Install your plugins in minutes

Download the .zip from your account page, then follow the steps below.

Looking for Merlin?

This guide is for Redmine+ plugin installation. Merlin is a hosted service and requires no setup on your end.

Plugin Installation

Choose the method that matches your Redmine setup. Not sure? If you use docker-compose, go with Docker. Otherwise, use Bare Metal. Don't have Redmine yet?

Good news: Our plugins have zero external gem dependencies. No bundle install, no native compilation. Docker users just extract and restart.

  1. 1

    Extract the plugin

    Unzip the downloaded .zip into the plugins/ directory that is mounted into your Redmine container. You should end up with e.g. plugins/board_plus/.

  2. 2

    Enable automatic migrations (one-time setup)

    Add this environment variable to your docker-compose.yml:

    REDMINE_PLUGINS_MIGRATE=1

    This tells the official Redmine Docker image to run plugin migrations on every container start. It is safe to leave enabled permanently. Plugins without migrations (Board+, QoL+) are unaffected.

  3. 3

    Restart the container

    docker compose restart redmine
  4. 4

    Verify and enable

    Log in as admin. Go to Administration > Plugins to confirm the plugin is listed. Then go to each project's Settings > Modules and enable it.

Per-plugin notes

Board+

Zero migrations. Extract, restart, done.

Tags+

Requires migration (creates tag tables). Handled automatically by REDMINE_PLUGINS_MIGRATE=1.

QoL+

Zero migrations. Extract, restart, done.

Setting Up Redmine

If you already have Redmine running, head straight to the plugin installation section above.

Docker

Recommended

The fastest way to get Redmine running. Works on any machine with Docker installed: Linux servers, NAS devices (Synology, QNAP), or even your laptop for testing.

  • Official image maintained by Docker and the Redmine team
  • Built-in plugin migration support
  • Easy to back up, update, and migrate
Official Redmine Docker image

Managed Hosting

Hands-off

If you prefer not to manage servers, several providers offer turnkey Redmine hosting with plugin support. They handle infrastructure, backups, and updates.

Most managed hosts allow you to upload plugins via their admin panel. Contact your provider to confirm they support custom plugin installation.

Official Redmine installation guide

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the license work?

What are database migrations, and should I care?

Will installing a plugin affect my existing Redmine data?

Which Redmine versions are supported?

I want Redmine but I don't have it yet. What should I do?

Still need help?

If you run into any issue during installation or need technical assistance, we are here to help.

Contact Support