Introduction
What is Opentix and why use it for ticket management.
What is Opentix?
Opentix is a VS Code extension for git-native ticket management. Instead of relying on external tools like Jira, Linear, or GitHub Issues, Opentix stores every ticket as a Markdown file with YAML frontmatter — right inside your repository.
You get a full-featured Kanban board inside VS Code, sprint management, team collaboration through Git, and AI-ready ticket context that works with any coding assistant.
Key Features
- Kanban Board — A drag-and-drop board inside VS Code. Move tickets between columns to change their status.
- Markdown Tickets — Each ticket is a
.mdfile with structured YAML frontmatter and Markdown sections for description, acceptance criteria, and comments. - Git-Native Storage — All ticket data lives in
.opentix/on your repository's default branch. It syncs through Git — no external server needed. - Worktree Isolation — Opentix uses a git worktree so your working branch is never affected by ticket operations.
- Auto-Sync — Background pull/push keeps the team in sync automatically.
- Sprint Management — Define sprints and breaks, assign tickets, and filter the board by sprint.
- Team & Assignees — Self-registering team member list. Assign tickets to yourself or teammates.
- AI Context — Automatically detects the current ticket from your branch name and writes context files for AI assistants like Cursor, Copilot, Windsurf, and Claude Code.
- Git Automations (Planned) — A future rule engine to auto-transition ticket status based on branch and pull request events.
How It Differs
| Opentix | Jira / Linear | GitHub Issues | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data location | In the repo | External server | GitHub API |
| Offline support | Full | None | Limited |
| Vendor lock-in | None | High | Medium |
| AI integration | Built-in context files | Requires plugins | Requires setup |
| Setup time | One command | Account + project setup | Per-repo config |
| Cost | Free & open source | Paid plans | Free (limited) |
Next Steps
- Install the extension and set it up in your project
- Learn about how Opentix works under the hood
- Explore the Kanban board and start managing tickets