---
title: "Introduction to Rolebase"
url: "https://rolebase.io/en/docs"
---

[Rolebase](/) ⟩ [Documentation](/en/docs)

# Introduction to Rolebase

The open-source headquarters for self-governed organizations.

## What is Rolebase?

Rolebase is an open-source SaaS platform designed for organizations that practice **Holacracy**, **Sociocracy**, and other **self-governance models**. It provides a unified workspace where teams can define their structure, run meetings, manage tasks, hold discussions, and record decisions, all aligned with the principles of distributed authority.

Whether you are a [liberated company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberated_company), a cooperative, or any team experimenting with decentralized management, Rolebase gives you the tools to make self-governance practical and transparent.

## Who is it for?

*   **Organizations practicing Holacracy** can define roles (which act as circles when they contain sub-roles), purpose, domains, and accountabilities.
*   **Sociocracy teams** can structure consent-based decision-making with nested roles.
*   **Liberated companies** can give every team member clarity on responsibilities without top-down hierarchy.
*   **Any team exploring self-management** can start small and evolve their governance model over time.

## Core Concepts

Rolebase is built around a few key ideas:

### Organization

The top-level container. Everything (roles, members, meetings) lives inside an organization. Each organization has its own settings, subscription, and member list.

### Roles (and Circles)

In Rolebase, the concepts of circle and role are **unified into a single entity: the role**. A role can represent an individual responsibility, or it can contain other roles, in which case it acts as what Holacracy or Sociocracy would call a “circle”. Each role has a purpose, domain, and accountabilities. You can use the terms “circle” and “role” interchangeably. [Learn more about Roles](/en/docs/circles-and-roles).

### Members

People in your organization. Each member can hold one or more roles. Members are invited via email and assigned an organization-level role (Owner, Admin, Member, or Readonly). [Learn more about Members](/en/docs/members).

### Meetings

Structured meetings with defined steps including tours, checklists, indicators, tasks, and threads review. Meetings can follow templates and recur on a schedule. [Learn more about Meetings](/en/docs/meetings).

### Tasks

Actionable items assigned to roles and members with statuses, due dates, and two view modes: kanban board and list. [Learn more about Tasks](/en/docs/tasks).

### Threads

Asynchronous discussion spaces within roles. Threads support messaging, polls, and reactions for collaborative decision-making. [Learn more about Threads](/en/docs/threads).

### Decisions

Formal records of governance changes and agreements made within roles. [Learn more about Decisions](/en/docs/decisions).

## Explore the Guides

Guide

Description

[Getting Started](/en/docs/getting-started)

Create your account and set up your organization

[Organizations](/en/docs/organizations)

Create and configure your organization

[Org Chart](/en/docs/org-chart)

Visualize and navigate your structure

[Roles](/en/docs/circles-and-roles)

Build your organizational structure

[Members](/en/docs/members)

Manage team members and invitations

[Meetings](/en/docs/meetings)

Run structured meetings

[Tasks](/en/docs/tasks)

Track work with kanban and list views

[Threads](/en/docs/threads)

Hold async discussions and polls

[Decisions](/en/docs/decisions)

Record formal decisions

[News Feed](/en/docs/news-feed)

Stay updated on activity

[Apps & Integrations](/en/docs/apps-integrations)

Connect calendars and external tools

[Subscriptions](/en/docs/subscriptions)

Plans, billing, and invoices

[Import](/en/docs/import)

Migrate from Holaspirit and other tools

** Open Source**

Rolebase is fully open-source. If you are a developer, check out the [Developers](/en/developers) section to learn about self-hosting, contributing, and building custom integrations.