Doccano
Ranked in Data Labeling Software ·Free plan
About
Doccano is a free, open-source data labeling tool for machine-learning practitioners. It supports text classification, sequence labeling, and sequence-to-sequence annotation, with use cases such as sentiment analysis, named entity recognition, and text summarization. Users configure a project, import datasets, add collaborators, annotate examples, and export labeled datasets. REST APIs let scripts connect Doccano with machine-learning models for labeling, and multiple people can annotate collaboratively. Installation options include pip, Docker, Docker Compose, source, or cloud deployment; Linux, Windows, and macOS machines running Python 3.8 or later are listed. SQLite 3 is the default database, while the installation guide describes PostgreSQL configuration and mentions MySQL as an option. Imported datasets can be stored with Amazon S3 or Google Cloud Storage. Integration guidance includes Amazon Comprehend Sentiment Analysis and custom REST APIs for auto-labeling. The project also lists mobile support, emoji support, a dark theme, and multiple languages. An upgrade caveat matters for SQLite users: the installation guide warns that upgrading can result in database loss.
Who it is for
Doccano suits machine-learning practitioners who need collaborative labeling for text tasks and want to connect workflows through REST APIs. It can be installed on Linux, Windows, or macOS machines running Python 3.8 or later.
What is good
- Open-source and free to use
- Supports three listed text annotation tasks
- Collaborative annotation with REST API access
- Installation options include pip, Docker, and cloud
- Supports Amazon S3 and Google Cloud Storage
What to know first
- SQLite 3 is the default database
- Upgrading with SQLite 3 can result in database loss
- Listed machine requirement is Python 3.8 or later
Verdict
Doccano offers a self-hostable labeling workflow, collaboration, and API access without a listed price. If using the default SQLite database, account for the documented upgrade-related database-loss risk.
Compared on data labeling software
- Image annotation
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- Text annotation
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- Audio/video annotation
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- Model-assisted labeling
- Yesdoccano.github.io
- Review workflow
- Yesdoccano.github.io
- API or SDK access
- Yesdoccano.github.io
- Deployment
- bothdoccano.github.io
Facts
- Purpose
- Doccano is an open-source data labeling tool for machine learning practitioners.doccano.github.io · 2 Oct 2026
- Annotation tasks
- The roadmap lists text classification, sequence labeling, and sequence-to-sequence annotation as supported tasks.doccano.github.io · 2 Oct 2026
- Labeling workflow
- Users can configure a project, import datasets, add users, annotate data, and export labeled datasets.doccano.github.io · 2 Oct 2026
- REST API
- Doccano can be integrated with scripts through REST APIs for labeling data with machine learning models.doccano.github.io · 2 Oct 2026
- Web interface
- The frontend is a JavaScript web app built with Vue.js and Nuxt.js.doccano.github.io · 2 Oct 2026
- Supported systems
- The install guide says doccano can be installed on Linux, Windows, or macOS machines running Python 3.8 or later.doccano.github.io · 2 Oct 2026
- Cloud storage
- The cloud storage guide lists Amazon S3 and Google Cloud Storage for storing imported datasets.doccano.github.io · 2 Oct 2026
- Team collaboration
- The roadmap lists collaboration with multiple people as supported functionality.doccano.github.io · 2 Oct 2026
- Database options
- SQLite 3 is the default database, and the installation guide also describes PostgreSQL and mentions MySQL as an option.doccano.github.io · 2 Oct 2026
- Upgrade limitation
- The installation guide warns that upgrading can lose the database when SQLite3 is used.doccano.github.io · 2 Oct 2026
- Support
- The getting-started page directs users to the FAQ and says they can contact the author for help and feedback.doccano.github.io · 2 Oct 2026
- Use cases
- It can create labeled data for sentiment analysis, named entity recognition, and text summarization.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Collaboration
- Features include collaborative annotation and multi-language support.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Interface
- The project lists mobile support, emoji support, and a dark theme among its features.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- API
- Doccano provides a RESTful API, and its documentation says it can be integrated with scripts through REST APIs.doccano.github.io · 3 Oct 2026
- Installation
- Doccano can be installed using pip, Docker, or Docker Compose.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
- Operating systems
- The installation guide says doccano can be installed on Linux, Windows, or macOS machines running Python 3.8 or later.doccano.github.io · 3 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The auto-labeling guide demonstrates Amazon Comprehend Sentiment Analysis and allows users to configure a custom REST API.doccano.github.io · 3 Oct 2026
- Login integrations
- The OAuth guide describes social login via GitHub and Active Directory, and provides Okta setup instructions.doccano.github.io · 3 Oct 2026
- Data storage
- SQLite 3 is the default database; the installation guide also describes configuring PostgreSQL and other database systems.doccano.github.io · 3 Oct 2026
- Known upgrade limitation
- The installation guide warns that upgrading the package while using SQLite 3 can lose the database.doccano.github.io · 3 Oct 2026
- Project origin
- The repository citation lists the project year as 2018 and names Hiroki Nakayama and four coauthors.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
Company
- Founded
- 2018doccano.github.io · 28 Sept 2026
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Sources
- doccano.github.io/doccano/· checked 2 Oct 2026
- doccano.github.io/doccano/roadmap/· checked 2 Oct 2026
- doccano.github.io/doccano/install_and_upgrade_doccano/· checked 2 Oct 2026
- doccano.github.io/doccano/setup_cloud_storage/· checked 2 Oct 2026
- github.com/doccano/doccano· checked 3 Oct 2026
- doccano.github.io/doccano/advanced/auto_labelling_config/· checked 3 Oct 2026
- doccano.github.io/doccano/advanced/oauth2_settings/· checked 3 Oct 2026




