As someone who is passionate about web development, particularly in open-source contributions, Hacktoberfest 2024 was an exciting opportunity to dive deep into impactful projects. This year, I had the privilege of exploring Twenty CRM – an open-source alternative to Salesforce that’s making waves as a developer-friendly, self-hostable, and privacy-friendly solution. Here’s a rundown of my experience with Twenty CRM, from its incredible features to the community support that made working on this project a memorable experience.

Discovering Twenty CRM

My journey started with exploring the best open-source alternatives to popular products, and that’s when I discovered Twenty CRM. My curiosity led me straight to their GitHub repository, where I began exploring its features and setup. As I browsed through the codebase, documentation, and community discussions, my curiosity grew, and I knew I had to try it out for myself.

Setting up Twenty CRM locally turned out to be incredibly straightforward. Within just a few minutes, following their clear setup instructions, I had the CRM running on my machine, ready to explore its functionality firsthand. The process was smooth, and the ease of installation made an immediate, positive impression. It was clear that Twenty CRM was built to be accessible not only to seasoned developers but also to anyone who values control over their data and a self-hosted setup.

Once it was up and running, I took a closer look at its features. The platform’s privacy-friendly approach was evident, with options that allow users to own and control their data fully. The interface felt modern and intuitive, and I could already see how it could fit seamlessly into a variety of workflows. What impressed me even more was the strong community presence—contributors and users alike sharing tips, discussing features, and working together to push the project forward. This collaborative spirit, paired with Twenty’s polished, developer-friendly design, made for a powerful first impression and reinforced my excitement to dive deeper.

Why Twenty CRM Stands Out: Solving Real Problems in a Smart Way

I found that many popular CRM platforms come with limitations that can be challenging for developers. Often, traditional CRMs have high subscription costs, limited control over data, and restricted customization options that can make it difficult to tailor the CRM to specific needs. This is where Twenty CRM really shines.

With its open-source, developer-focused design, Twenty CRM provides a flexible solution that overcomes many of these typical CRM drawbacks. It allows users to set up a self-hosted instance, giving full ownership of their data and enabling easy integrations with existing systems. By offering REST and GraphQL APIs, Twenty CRM makes it seamless to connect with other tools and automate workflows, making it an ideal choice for developers who want to extend or adapt the platform as their projects evolve.

Beyond flexibility, Twenty CRM’s modern tech stack and Zapier integration make it a powerful, scalable CRM that’s built to grow alongside any business. Its clean, user-friendly interface, combined with a highly extensible structure, clearly shows that it was designed with developers in mind.

Let’s Explore the Key Features of Twenty CRM

Here are the standout features that make Twenty CRM an outstanding choice for developers and businesses alike. I’ll go through each one to share how it brings value and solves real-world CRM challenges.

A Open Source CRM With Modern Design & Features

One of the first things I noticed was Twenty CRM’s sleek, intuitive interface. Built with modern frameworks like React, Twenty feels like a solution designed for modern users. The layout is organized, making it easy to navigate through contacts, deals, and other CRM essentials without a steep learning curve. Additionally, the documentation is well-structured, a true lifesaver for developers like me diving into this vast open-source codebase.

With REST and GraphQL APIs, Twenty CRM shines in terms of integrability. You can seamlessly hook it into various tools and services, which means you can use it as a foundational CRM while building custom applications or automations on top of it. During my exploration, I found these APIs intuitive and well-documented, simplifying the integration process and allowing me to focus more on implementation than troubleshooting.

Effortless Automation & Integration

One of the standout features that makes Twenty CRM incredibly versatile is its support for seamless integrations, making automation both accessible and powerful. With direct integration options for platforms like Zapier, it’s easy to automate repetitive tasks—like syncing data across different platforms—without needing any coding skills. For instance, setting up custom workflows that sync data between tools or trigger notifications based on certain actions can be done with just a few clicks.

For developers looking to push the limits further, Twenty CRM’s REST and GraphQL APIs open the door to a wide array of integrations with other apps or work suites. Whether connecting to internal tools, cloud platforms, or other third-party services, the CRM allows for robust, developer-defined connections that can truly customize workflows. I tested this out by linking Twenty CRM with a mailing service, automatically adding new leads to a campaign, which made my workflow smoother and more efficient.

Extensibility: The Open-Source Advantage

One of the best things about using and contributing to an open-source project like Twenty CRM is the sheer freedom it offers to make the platform truly your own. Since it's open-source, Twenty CRM’s code is available to everyone, meaning you can tailor it to fit your specific needs without hitting a wall like you would with proprietary CRMs. This flexibility really shines if your business or project has unique requirements that standard CRMs just can’t accommodate.

Another huge plus is the ability to contribute back to the project. When you make improvements or add new features, you can share those contributions with the broader community, helping others who might benefit from the same functionality. Seeing my code actually make an impact on the project and knowing that others could use it was a really rewarding experience. It’s a rare feeling to have with proprietary software, where customization is usually limited. With Twenty CRM, you get the flexibility to adapt it to your exact needs—and that’s a game-changer for any developer or team looking to maximize productivity.

Community Support: Learning and Growing Together

One of the best parts of working with Twenty CRM has been the community behind it. It’s not just about coding here; it’s about learning from each other, sharing ideas, and building something meaningful as a team. The community is vibrant and always ready to offer insights, which made a big difference for me as I dove into contributing for Hacktoberfest. Even though open-source projects of this scale can sometimes feel overwhelming, the supportive community made things feel approachable.

There’s something motivating about being part of a community where everyone is pushing to make the project better. It’s not just about writing code—it’s about collaboration and getting inspired by each other’s ideas. This open and inclusive vibe is a huge reason why I’ve enjoyed contributing to Twenty CRM.

Built for Scalability

Lastly, I can’t overlook the importance of Twenty CRM’s tech stack. With React on the frontend and NestJS on the backend, it’s built for scalability – a must-have in today’s fast-growing tech landscape. This stack ensures that even if your business or team scales up, Twenty CRM can handle the load efficiently, while offering flexibility in terms of updates and customizations.

Wrapping Up

Contributing to Twenty CRM during Hacktoberfest 2024 has been more than just a learning experience; it’s been a chance to be part of something impactful.From privacy-focused self-hosting to integration capabilities and no-code automation with Zapier, Twenty CRM has truly redefined what a modern CRM can be. If you’re in the market for a CRM that respects privacy, offers extensibility, and provides a rich developer experience, Twenty CRM is well worth exploring.