Open-Source Customisation · Custom Software
Open-source software, made to fit
Proven open-source tools, customised for the way you work, or built into your own software so you are not paying to reinvent them.
Buy it, run it, adapt it, or build it
Most software decisions come down to four options. We are happy to talk you into whichever one is cheapest for what you actually need, including the ones we do not sell.
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Buy the subscription
If an off-the-shelf product already does the job, buy it. You will be live next week.
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Run the open-source version
Same job, no per-user fees, and your data stays on your own server. Rob reviews the options at rob-sherwood.co.uk.
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Adapt the open-source tool
It does 80% of what you need. We build the other 20% as a proper add-on, so it survives updates.
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Build it, borrowing the hard parts
Nothing fits, so we build it. But chat, files, reporting and logins come from proven tools, not from scratch.
Two ways we use open source
Doing it so it lasts
Customised open source goes wrong in predictable ways. These are the four things we do every time to avoid them.
Extend it, never fork it
Good open-source projects give you proper ways in: modules, apps, plugins, hooks and APIs. We build there. We do not edit the project's own code, because that is the change that breaks at every upgrade and quietly turns a free tool into an expensive one.
Check the licence first
Licences differ, and some (the AGPL, for example) can mean sharing your changes with the people who use them. Running a tool alongside your system is usually a different situation from changing it. We check before any work starts and tell you what it means for you, in plain English.
You own what we write
You get the code, written so another developer could pick it up. No lock-in to us. If a change would be useful to everyone, we will suggest offering it back to the project, so the project maintains it for you.
Updates keep coming
Open source only stays dependable if you keep it updated. We plan for that from the start, test your add-ons against new releases, and can look after it for you afterwards if you would rather not.
We already live in this stack
Most of these tools are written in PHP, which is what we have built in since 2008. Nextcloud, FreeScout, SuiteCRM and EspoCRM are PHP. Krayin is Laravel and Easy!Appointments is CodeIgniter, both of which we build in every week. ERPNext is the exception: it is Python, on the Frappe framework, and we will always tell you when a job sits outside our usual ground.
We also run our own business on software we built: a CRM we have used every day since 2011, written in plain PHP. And our sister company, Adept Data Services, builds the open-source reporting tool Metabase into its publishing software rather than writing its own reports from scratch. That is the approach on this page, done for real.
Not sure which tool you need in the first place? Rob writes honest reviews of the open-source alternatives to the big subscription products at rob-sherwood.co.uk/alternatives, including when you should stick with what you have.
What people ask us
Sometimes that is the right answer, and we build bespoke software every week. But plenty of what businesses ask for already exists as mature open-source software with years of fixes behind it. Customising that, or plugging it into your own system, usually costs a fraction of building it and gets you something more dependable on day one.
Not if it is done properly. We build changes as modules, apps or plugins using the extension points the project provides, or talk to it through its API. We do not edit the project's own code, because that is what breaks at the next upgrade. You keep taking updates from the project as normal.
You do. You get the code, and it is written so another developer could pick it up. The open-source tool itself stays under its own licence, which we explain before we start.
Usually not, but they matter. Some licences, such as the AGPL, can require you to share your changes with the people who use them. Running a tool as a separate service and talking to it through its API is generally a different situation from changing its code. We check the licence for your situation before any work starts and tell you what it means in plain English. For anything unusual, we will suggest you get legal advice.
Mostly tools built on PHP, which is our home ground: Nextcloud, FreeScout, Easy!Appointments, Krayin, EspoCRM and SuiteCRM. We also work with ERPNext, which is built on Python, and with tools like Mattermost, Metabase, Keycloak and DocuSeal that we connect to through their APIs. If your tool is not listed, ask.
What our clients say
19 clients. A few of their words.
A well-rounded team, ensuring a full suite of expertise & resource is always available. CDS Global have seen the successful completion of major projects over the years where Dev Partners' ability to grasp the underlying business needs to provide a future-proof solution has been invaluable.
We have worked with Jason & his team to develop our Shopify store, and the experience was outstanding from start to finish. The design is clean, modern, and perfectly aligned with our brand identity, while the build is fast, responsive, and easy to manage on the backend. They clearly understood our vision and delivered a store we're genuinely proud of. Highly recommend to any brand looking for a top-quality Shopify partner.
After ongoing issues and delays with our previous developers, we brought in Rob & Jason at Dev Partners to take over all our websites and bespoke software. What a breath of fresh air, fully focused, excellent pre-launch designs and clear communication throughout. Highly recommended.
BPC Energy Ltd turned to Dev Partners for a complete turnkey solution, and they exceeded our expectations. The team handled everything from project management to development and support with real care and attention. They understood what we were aiming for, stayed on top of every detail, and always delivered on schedule with excellent quality.
Working with Dev Partners to redesign and modernise our WMS system: the whole process has been thoroughly professional from the outset and a delight to work with. Cannot recommend enough.
Great agency. Have used Dev Partners for several years and they have built 20+ sites for us, in addition to taking on our legacy websites, upgrading and maintaining. Easy to work with and some great practical ideas to improve our digital offerings.
Jones Hire have been working with Dev Partners on several projects, which have been very successful. They linked our catering database to a new improved website so clients can easily place and update orders, created a custom warehouse picking app to fulfil all our challenging requirements, and are currently developing a custom transport app to streamline our loading and delivery process.
We have been trying to reinvent our website for over 5 years, trying to make it convert and failing each time. Spoke to Rob at Dev Partners, the team helped create our new site and the improvement was instant.
We have been working with Rob and the team for about 10 years now. Dev Partners helped us build a completely bespoke CRM from scratch which manages our daily business and is always well maintained. We have been able to use the system and roll it out in our new franchise branches.
We collaborated with Dev Partners on the front end of a fairly complex telemarketing platform. Rob and Jason took the time to properly understand the moving parts, asked the right questions, and delivered a clean, intuitive interface that's made the system far easier for our team to use.
I have been working with the team at Dev Partners for the last 3 years and we have always been impressed with the speed in which they act on things for us, along with the honest open communication. The team are a valuable and vital part of our supply chain.
We've had a program for our business in the electronic security sector that Dev Partners developed and keep up to date. They've never let us down, always there when needed. Thanks Rob and the team.
Dev Partners have been working with us for just over 2 years. They have significantly upgraded and redesigned our existing web platforms, and always deliver a first class service.
Dev Partners helped us build an event website. The team were very knowledgeable, easy to work with and quick to deliver a high quality product.
Working with Dev Partners has been an exceptional experience. Their team is highly skilled, professional, and committed to delivering results. What truly sets them apart is their communication and transparency; we always felt informed, supported, and confident.
We've worked with Dev Partners a few times to support us on bespoke web build tasks. They're very easy to work with, approachable, and explain the detail in a way that's understandable. A great partner for technical issues at sensible prices.
Excellent customer service backed up with solid experience. As a media business we have had five websites built by Dev Partners. I would certainly recommend them.
Found Dev Partners and they were great, nothing too much trouble. They managed to help us with integrating our old existing system with Shopify.
I've worked with Rob and his team off and on for many years and have always found them to be professional, knowledgeable, and best of all, they listen to their clients and deliver what is required.
We have worked with Dev Partners for 7 years and can highly recommend them for their expertise and excellent customer service.
Tell us what you are trying to do
Give us a call and we will tell you which of the four options is cheapest.
Tell us what the system needs to do, what you use now, and whether there is a tool you already have your eye on. If buying a subscription is the right answer, we will say so.
What we will cover:
- Whether an open-source tool already does most of it
- What would need building, and roughly how big that is
- What the licence means for you
- Who keeps it updated afterwards
We reply within one working day.
