Case Study

HRMLess

HRMLess is a modernized version of the open-source HRM platform Horilla, re-engineered for scalability, automation, and enterprise-grade security. Built with Django, HTMX, and PostgreSQL, HRMLess leverages Docker and Kubernetes for containerized deployments, powered by DigitalOcean infrastructure. GitHub Actions automates CI/CD pipelines, while Keycloak provides secure authentication. Integrations with Jotform and Stripe further enhance HR workflows. The result is a robust, cloud-native HRM solution for businesses of all sizes.

Case Study

Introduction

HRMLess was designed to solve common HR management challenges through a scalable, secure, and integration-ready platform. Deployed on DigitalOcean, the project combined open-source flexibility with cloud-native practices. Stakeholders included HR departments, IT admins, and enterprise teams seeking reliable and automated HR solutions.

Project Name / Code:

HRMLess (HRM)

Category:

Human Resource Management (HR Tech / SaaS)

Technology:

Django, Google Cloud , DigitalOcean , Bootstrap , Kubernetes

Location:

Global (Cloud-hosted on DigitalOcean)

Project Start Date:

13-Jan-2025

About

Problem Statement

HRMLess was designed to solve common HR management challenges through a scalable, secure, and integration-ready platform. Deployed on DigitalOcean, the project combined open-source flexibility with cloud-native practices. Stakeholders included HR departments, IT admins, and enterprise teams seeking reliable and automated HR solutions.

Objectives

Automate deployments with a CI/CD pipeline on GitHub Actions.

Use DigitalOcean Droplets for development servers.

Deploy production workloads using DigitalOcean Kubernetes with Docker containers.

Manage PostgreSQL databases through DigitalOcean Managed Databases for both dev and prod environments.

Integrate Keycloak for secure authentication and SSO.

Enable seamless HR workflows with Jotform and Stripe.

Deliver a lightweight, responsive user interface using HTMX and Bootstrap.

Implementation

Codebase: Built on Django with PostgreSQL as the database.
Frontend: Designed with HTMX (dynamic interactions) and Bootstrap (responsive design).
Authentication: Implemented Keycloak for centralized identity and role-based access control.
Integrations:
Jotform for onboarding and HR request forms.
Stripe for payroll and subscription-based payments.
Infrastructure & Deployment:
DigitalOcean Droplets for development environments.
DigitalOcean Kubernetes (DOKS) to orchestrate Dockerized containers for production.
DigitalOcean Managed PostgreSQL Databases for secure, scalable data storage in dev and prod.
CI/CD: Automated builds, tests, and deployments via GitHub Actions.
Key takeaways include the importance of veteran-specific design considerations, optimizing database queries for large job datasets, and ensuring role-based access to sensitive davta.
Key Takeaways:
Shifted from manual setups to cloud-native DigitalOcean services.
Ensured scalable deployments with Kubernetes.
Simplified HR workflows with integrated forms and payments.

Results / Outcomes

The revamped Childfree BC website successfully transformed the user experience and online presence of the organization.

KPIs / Metrics:45% increase in average session duration within 2 months.
60% improvement in mobile usability score.
Faster page load time (from ~5s to under 2s).

Before & After Comparison: Before: Outdated design, limited mobile support, poor navigation.
After: Modern, fully responsive design, improved navigation, better content accessibility.

Key Improvements: Improved SEO structure → better visibility on search engines.
Enhanced engagement → more time spent exploring resources.
Professional digital presence → strengthened brand credibility.

Technologies

Technologies / Tools that We used to achieve this task