the-dogfather-cto[bot]GroomBook
The open-source scheduling and client management platform built specifically for independent pet groomers — giving you the tools of enterprise software without the enterprise price tag or vendor lock-in.
Built for groomers, not corporations.
Key Features
Stop chasing confirmations
- Customer portal — Clients confirm or cancel appointments on their own. Reduce no-shows with an automated waitlist.
Your calendar, your way
- iCal calendar feed — Push GroomBook appointments directly into Google Calendar or Apple Calendar. No app switching.
Know every pet at a glance
- Client & pet records — Detailed profiles with grooming history, preferences, and breed-specific notes. Full appointment notes for context on every regular.
- Quick-find search — Find clients and pets instantly without digging through spreadsheets.
Staff access without stress
- Role-based access control (RBAC) — Front desk sees bookings; only you see financials. Right access for every role.
Everything else
- Appointment scheduling — Calendar management for single or multiple groomers
- Service management — Pricing, duration, and service catalog
- POS & invoicing — Payments, tips, and receipt generation
- Automated reminders — SMS and email notifications
- Reporting dashboard — Revenue, utilization, and trend analytics
- Staff impersonation — Managers can view the customer portal as any client, with full audit logging and session controls
- PWA — Installable on mobile devices, works offline
🚀 Try the Demo
Live Demo — explore GroomBook without installing anything.
Quick Start
Docker Compose (recommended for indie groomers)
Run GroomBook on your own hardware in minutes. Everything you need is in the box — no subscription, no vendor lock-in.
git clone https://github.com/groombook/groombook.git
cd groombook
# Start everything (Postgres + database migrations + API + web UI)
docker compose up --build
- Web UI: http://localhost:8080
- API: http://localhost:3000
The default docker-compose.yml sets AUTH_DISABLED=true so you can explore the app without configuring an OIDC provider. Important: Disable this in any internet-facing deployment.
Tech Stack
| Layer | Technology |
|---|---|
| Backend | Hono (TypeScript, Node.js) |
| Frontend | React 19 + Vite + vite-plugin-pwa |
| Database | PostgreSQL via CNPG + Drizzle ORM |
| Auth | OIDC via Authentik |
| Infra | Kubernetes (namespace: groombook), Flux GitOps |
| CI | GitHub Actions (self-hosted groombook-runners) |
Repository Structure
groombook/
├── apps/
│ ├── api/ # Hono REST API
│ └── web/ # React PWA
├── packages/
│ ├── db/ # Drizzle schema + migrations
│ └── types/ # Shared TypeScript types
├── .github/
│ └── workflows/ # CI/CD pipelines
└── docker-compose.yml
Getting Started
Prerequisites
- Node.js >= 20
- pnpm >= 9 (
npm install -g pnpm) - Docker & Docker Compose (for local Postgres)
Local Development
# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/groombook/groombook.git
cd groombook
# Install dependencies
pnpm install
# Start local Postgres
docker compose up postgres -d
# Run database migrations
DATABASE_URL=postgres://groombook:groombook@localhost:5432/groombook pnpm db:migrate
# Start API and Web in parallel
pnpm dev
API will be available at http://localhost:3000 Web will be available at http://localhost:5173
Environment Variables
API (apps/api/.env)
DATABASE_URL=postgres://groombook:groombook@localhost:5432/groombook
OIDC_ISSUER=https://authentik.example.com
OIDC_AUDIENCE=groombook
CORS_ORIGIN=http://localhost:5173
PORT=3000
Running Tests
# Unit tests (vitest)
pnpm test
# E2E tests (Playwright) — requires the full Docker Compose stack to be running
docker compose up -d --wait
pnpm --filter @groombook/e2e test
# Open the Playwright UI (interactive test runner)
pnpm --filter @groombook/e2e test:ui
# View the last E2E test report
pnpm --filter @groombook/e2e test:report
E2E tests target the Docker Compose stack (http://localhost:8080). They use API route mocking where needed so happy-path tests are deterministic without requiring seed data.
Building
pnpm build
Self-Hosting
Production Configuration
Copy .env.example to .env and configure:
cp .env.example .env
Key variables to update for production:
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
DATABASE_URL |
PostgreSQL connection string |
AUTH_DISABLED |
Set to false in production |
OIDC_ISSUER |
Authentik issuer URL |
OIDC_AUDIENCE |
OAuth2 audience (default: groombook) |
CORS_ORIGIN |
Public URL of the web frontend |
To use your .env file with Docker Compose:
docker compose --env-file .env up --build
Kubernetes (production-grade deployments)
See the groombook/infra repository for Kubernetes manifests and Flux configuration.
Groom Book is deployed in the groombook Kubernetes namespace using:
- CNPG for PostgreSQL
- Authentik for OIDC authentication
- Flux for GitOps-managed deployments
Contributing
GroomBook thrives on contributions from the grooming community. Whether you're a groomer with a feature request, a developer fixing a bug, or someone improving docs — we'd love your help.
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch (
git checkout -b feature/my-feature) - Commit your changes
- Open a pull request
All PRs require CI to pass before merge. See CONTRIBUTING.md for details.
Why GroomBook?
- Open source — You own your data. No vendor lock-in.
- Purpose-built — Features designed for grooming workflows, not generic scheduling.
- Self-hosted or managed — Run it yourself for free, or pay for hosted support (coming soon).
- Community-driven — Used and built by actual groomers.
License
AGPL-3.0