[opensourcedex]

shesha-framework is a free, open source automation project written in TypeScript and released under Apache-2.0. It has 514 GitHub stars, 144 forks and 430 open issues, and was last pushed 3 days ago. On this registry it ranks #60 of 66 tracked projects in Automation, with 5 head-to-head comparisons available. It gained 3 stars over the last 30 tracked days.

What is shesha-framework?

Shesha is an open-source low-code development framework for .NET developers that builds business applications on ASP.NET Core, the ABP Framework, React and Next.js while cutting the amount of code a typical project needs by more than 80 percent.

What it is

Shesha is a low-code framework aimed squarely at .NET developers. It sits on top of established libraries — most notably ASP.NET Core, Abp.io, React and NextJs — and layers low-code capabilities on top of them, including a drag-and-drop form builder and an application themer. It also ships standard administrative functionality such as user and security management. Development follows a domain-driven approach: the starting point is implementing Entity classes, either by creating new ones or extending base entities that come with the framework, such as Person, Organisation and Site.

The concrete problem it solves is repetitious plumbing. Rather than hand-writing the CRUD API layer, the front-end page code and the administrative scaffolding that nearly every business application requires, a developer exposes domain entities and receives dynamically generated CRUD APIs, with GraphQL endpoints available for flexible data retrieval. Pages are assembled through a drag-and-drop designer instead of being coded, and common admin screens arrive ready to use. The result is that effort shifts from boilerplate toward domain logic and the parts of the application that are genuinely specific to the business.

Key capabilities

  • Form Builder with a drag-and-drop page designer and more than 40 standard components, including tables, lists, forms, sub-forms and modals.
  • Dynamic CRUD APIs generated automatically from domain entities, secured through configuration rather than code, plus GraphQL endpoints.
  • App Themer for matching application branding without custom styling work.
  • Administration Panel supplied out of the box, covering User Management, Roles and permissions, API Configuration, Data change audits, Logon Audits, Settings management, Notification templates and audits, Scheduled and Background Jobs, and Reference/Lookup lists.
  • Escape hatches at every layer: custom APIs built with Visual Studio and ASP.NET Core, custom React components, and JavaScript snippets for advanced form behaviour.
  • Deployment as a standard ASP.NET Core website with Sql Server, on a preferred cloud or on-premise.
  • A domain model with reusable base entities such as Person, Organisation and Site that can be extended rather than rebuilt.

Who uses it and how

  • .NET teams building enterprise business applications where CRUD screens, admin panels and internal tooling dominate the workload.
  • Teams that want configuration-first UI construction but need to drop into React for custom components or entire custom pages when the designer is too limiting.
  • Organisations with on-premise or data-residency requirements, since deployment targets ordinary ASP.NET Core hosting with Sql Server rather than a vendor cloud.
  • Projects already standardised on ASP.NET Core or the ABP Framework, which can adopt Shesha as an additional layer instead of changing stack.
  • Developers learning the framework through the hosted demo site and tutorial site before committing to a build.

Getting started

The documented path is to download a starter template and follow the tutorial videos, which walk through the full process of building a first Shesha application. A demo site and a separate tutorial site are also available for exploration.

How it compares

No paid products that this project replaces are listed in the facts, and no direct competing tools are named either, so Shesha stands alone in this registry. It is best understood as a layer built on top of the ABP Framework and ASP.NET Core rather than a substitute for them.

When to use it — and when not to

A self-hoster must operate an ASP.NET Core application backed by Sql Server, so teams without .NET hosting experience or without a Sql Server instance should look elsewhere. The project is not a fit for non-.NET teams, since its extension points assume C#, Visual Studio and the ASP.NET Core ecosystem. One honest caveat: the repository carries 430 open issues against roughly 509 stars, a high ratio that suggests a substantial backlog, so anyone adopting it for a long-lived system should review that backlog before committing.

project readme (upstream, from github) — read inline

Shesha Logo

What is Shesha?

Shesha is an open-source Low-Code development framework specifically for .NET developers. You can build anything from simple CRUD apps, admin panels to complex business applications super quickly.

Shesha builds on top of other excellent frameworks and libraries (most notably ASP.NET Core, Abp.io, React, NextJs), layers on Low-Code capabilities (think drag & drop form builder and app themer), and incorporates standard admin functionality (e.g. User and security management) to drastically reduce the time and effort required to build applications.

In fact, in our experience, you will likely need >80% less code for most typical business applications.

👾 Embark on an adventure and explore the boundless possibilities of Shesha at our tutorial site! It's not just a playground; it's a vibrant universe where you can interact with the framework and witness its magic unfold.

More info from the Shesha website.

Features

Shesha comes with a range of features that massively reduce the effort required to create business applications:

  • Form Builder allows users to create application pages and by simply 'dragging and dropping' components onto a page designer. With over 40 components that come as standard, you will be able to create powerful and professional-looking applications without writing a line of front-end code. If the standard components aren't sufficient, simply create your own in React or create entirely custom pages.
  • Dynamic CRUD APIs get 'auto-magically' generated from your domain entities without the need for repetitive boilerplate code. APIs can be secured simply through configuration.
  • App Themer allows you to match your branding needs with zero effort.
  • Administration Panel provides the most common admin functionalities required by almost any business application 'out-of-the-box', including:
    • Security:
      • User Management
      • Roles and permissions management
      • API Configuration
      • Data change audits
      • Logon Audits
    • Settings management
    • Notification templates and audits
    • Scheduled and Background Jobs management
    • Reference/Lookup lists management

Get Started • YouTube • Demo Site


Build Apps in 4 Steps

1. Implement your Domain

Shesha takes a Domain-driven approach to application development, the starting point is therefore to implement your domain. This is done by implementing Entity classes as you would do for any business application. You can extend standard entities that come as part of the base Shesha model (e.g. Person, Organisation, Site, etc...) or by creating your own.

Create your domain

2. Expose your APIs

All it takes to expose your domain and data through dynamically generated CRUD APIs is the checking of a box and specifying the authorization rules.

You will immediately get full CRUD support as well as GraphQL endpoints for flexible and efficient data retrieval.

Expose your APIs

Where the dynamically generated APIs are insufficient, you still have the full power of Visual Studio and ASP.NET Core to create custom APIs the way you are used to.

3. Configure your UI

Once you have exposed your domain and APIs, you can build your UI through our drag-and-drop form builder. There are over 40 different components including tables, lists, forms, sub-forms, modals, and many more allowing you to build sophisticated and scalable enterprise applications without a line of front-end code.

Expose your APIs

Where the configuration-only approach is too limiting, you can add Javascript snippets to implement more advanced behavior or build custom components or entire pages using React.

4. Deploy your app

Simply deploy your application as you would any other ASP.NET Core website with Sql Server. Deploy on your favorite cloud or on-premise.

Getting Started

The easiest way to get started is by downloading a starter template and by following our tutorial videos that will take you through the full process of building your first Shesha application.

Support and Community

Issues are inevitable. When you have one, our entire team and our active developer community are around to help.

💬 Talk to us on Discord
📄 Find a solution in our Documentation
⚠️ Open an issue right here on GitHub
💡 Use our learning resources: Videos
👾 Play around with live configurations on our tutorial site

How to Contribute

We ❤️ our contributors. We're committed to fostering an open, welcoming, and safe environment in the community.

📕 We expect everyone participating in the community to abide by our Code of Conduct. Please read and follow it.
🤝 If you'd like to contribute, start by reading our Contribution Guide.
👾 Explore some good first issues.

Let's build great software together!

License

Shesha is available under the Apache License 2.0. Use it wisely!

Frequently asked questions

Is shesha-framework free to use?

shesha-framework is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. There is no licence fee and no seat count — you can self-host it or, where the project offers one, pay a vendor for a managed version instead.

What does shesha-framework do?

An open-source Low-Code development framework for .NET developers. Create .NET based business applications with 80% less code.

What is shesha-framework written in?

shesha-framework is primarily written in TypeScript. Its source is publicly available at https://github.com/shesha-io/shesha-framework, and it has 514 GitHub stars.