Self-Hosted RPA and Automation Platforms: OpenRPA vs TagUI vs Robot Framework

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) uses software robots to automate repetitive, rule-based tasks that humans perform across applications and systems. While commercial RPA platforms like UiPath and Automation Anywhere dominate the enterprise market, three open-source alternatives provide capable self-hosted automation: OpenRPA, TagUI, and Robot Framework. Each targets a different audience and automation style.

What Is RPA?

RPA software records, schedules, and executes user interface interactions — clicking buttons, filling forms, reading data from screens, and transferring information between systems. Unlike API-based automation, RPA works at the presentation layer, enabling automation of legacy applications that lack integration endpoints. Organizations use RPA for data entry, report generation, invoice processing, and system reconciliation.

Architecture Comparison

OpenRPA: Enterprise-Grade Visual RPA

OpenRPA is a full-featured RPA platform with a visual workflow designer, browser extension for web automation, and a separate orchestrator called OpenFlow for managing robot fleets. It targets Windows desktop automation and web-based workflows with a point-and-click interface.

Key strengths:

• Visual drag-and-drop workflow designer (no coding required)
• Built-in orchestrator for centralized robot management
• Active community with enterprise adoption
• Integrates with OpenFlow for scheduling and monitoring

Installation on Linux (server component):

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# Install OpenFlow orchestrator (requires Node.js 18+)
git clone https://github.com/open-rpa/openflow.git
cd openflow
npm install
npm run build

# Configure MongoDB backend
docker run -d --name mongodb -p 27017:27017 mongo:latest

# Start OpenFlow
export MONGO_URL=mongodb://localhost:27017/openflow
npm start

Docker Compose for OpenFlow:

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version: "3.8"
services:
  mongodb:
    image: mongo:latest
    ports:
      - "27017:27017"
    volumes:
      - mongodb_data:/data/db
  openflow:
    image: openiap/openflow:latest
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    environment:
      - MONGO_URL=mongodb://mongodb:27017/openflow
      - websocket_url=ws://localhost:3000
    depends_on:
      - mongodb
volumes:
  mongodb_data:

TagUI: Natural Language RPA Scripting

TagUI (developed by a Singapore national research program) uses a human-readable scripting syntax to define automation flows. Its natural-language-like commands make it accessible to non-programmers while remaining powerful enough for complex workflows involving web, desktop, and API interactions.

Key strengths:

• Simple natural-language syntax (click, type, read, snap)
• Chrome extension for visual debugging
• Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Built-in OCR and computer vision via Sikuli integration

Installation:

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# Download and install TagUI
wget https://github.com/kelaberetiv/TagUI/releases/latest/download/tagui_linux.zip
unzip tagui_linux.zip -d /opt/tagui
chmod +x /opt/tagui/src/tagui
export PATH=$PATH:/opt/tagui/src

# Create your first automation
cat > automate_flow.tag << 'FLOW'
// Navigate to a web page
https://example.com/admin

// Type credentials
type username as admin_user
type password as secure_password

// Click login button
click Login

// Read data from the page
read //table/tr/td[2] to report_data
echo report_data
FLOW

# Run the flow
tagui automate_flow.tag

Docker-based execution:

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FROM kelaberetiv/tagui:latest
WORKDIR /flows
COPY ./my_flows/*.tag /flows/
CMD ["tagui", "daily_report.tag"]

Robot Framework: Keyword-Driven Automation

Robot Framework is a generic automation framework that uses a keyword-driven testing approach. While originally designed for acceptance testing, its extensive library ecosystem makes it a powerful RPA tool. Combined with libraries like RPA.Browser, RPA.Excel, and RPA.Windows, it covers web, desktop, file, and database automation.

Key strengths:

• Massive ecosystem of libraries (300+ available)
• Keyword-driven DSL readable by business users
• Excellent reporting and logging out of the box
• Extensible with Python and Java

Installation and first automation:

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# Install Robot Framework and RPA libraries
pip install robotframework
pip install rpaframework

# Create an automation suite
cat > invoice_processing.robot << 'ROBOT'
*** Settings ***
Library    RPA.Browser.Playwright
Library    RPA.Excel.Files

*** Variables ***
${INVOICE_URL}    https://invoices.example.com/login
${USERNAME}       admin
${PASSWORD}       secret123

*** Test Cases ***
Process Monthly Invoices
    Open Available Browser    ${INVOICE_URL}
    Input Text    id=username    ${USERNAME}
    Input Text    id=password    ${PASSWORD}
    Click Button    Login
    Wait Until Page Contains    Invoice Dashboard
    ${data}=    Read Workbook Data    invoices.xlsx
    FOR    ${row}    IN    @{data}
        Input Text    css=#amount    ${row}[amount]
        Click Button    Submit
    END
    Close Browser
ROBOT

# Run with reporting
robot --outputdir results invoice_processing.robot

Docker Compose for scheduled execution:

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version: "3.8"
services:
  robot-runner:
    image: robocorp/rcc:latest
    volumes:
      - ./robot_workflows:/workflows
    working_dir: /workflows
    command: ["rcc", "run", "--space", "automation"]
    environment:
      - ROBOT_RESULTS_DIR=/results
    restart: "no"

Choosing the Right Platform

• Choose OpenRPA if you need a visual workflow designer with a built-in orchestrator, especially for Windows desktop automation. It provides the closest open-source equivalent to UiPath’s designer experience.
• Choose TagUI if you want simple, readable automation scripts that run anywhere. Its natural-language syntax is ideal for teams without dedicated developers.
• Choose Robot Framework if you need maximum extensibility and already work in Python. Its library ecosystem covers virtually every automation domain, and its reporting is unmatched.

Why Self-Host RPA Infrastructure?

Running RPA on your own servers provides advantages that cloud-hosted platforms cannot match:

Data privacy: RPA bots handle sensitive data — login credentials, financial records, customer information. Self-hosting ensures this data never traverses external networks or resides on third-party infrastructure. Your automation secrets stay within your network perimeter.

No per-bot licensing costs: Commercial RPA platforms charge per-robot, per-minute, or per-transaction. Open-source alternatives eliminate these recurring costs entirely. A single self-hosted orchestrator can manage dozens of bots without incremental licensing fees.

Custom integrations: Self-hosted RPA platforms integrate directly with your internal systems — databases, file shares, legacy applications — without requiring API gateways or cloud connectors. You control the integration topology.

Regulatory compliance: Industries like finance, healthcare, and government often prohibit sending operational data to external automation platforms. Self-hosted RPA keeps all execution, logs, and credentials within your compliance boundary.

For broader automation strategies, see our workflow automation comparison and security automation platforms. If you need scheduled task management, check our cron job scheduler guide.

Deployment Architecture for RPA Platforms

A self-hosted RPA deployment typically consists of three layers: the orchestrator (central management and scheduling), the workers (individual bots that execute automation flows), and the data layer (credentials, logs, and execution history). OpenRPA separates these concerns with OpenFlow as the orchestrator and Windows/Linux bots as workers. TagUI operates as a standalone CLI that can be deployed across multiple machines with a shared network drive for flow definitions. Robot Framework runs on any machine with Python installed, with results collected through a shared reporting directory or integrated CI/CD system.

For high-availability deployments, run the orchestrator behind a reverse proxy with load balancing, connect workers via WebSocket to the orchestrator, and use a replicated PostgreSQL or MongoDB instance for persistent state. Bot execution logs should be forwarded to your centralized logging infrastructure (ELK, Loki, or Graylog) for audit trail compliance.

FAQ

What is the difference between RPA and workflow automation?

RPA automates user interface interactions (clicking, typing, reading screens) across existing applications, while workflow automation orchestrates API-based processes and data flows. RPA works at the presentation layer; workflow automation works at the integration layer. OpenRPA and TagUI are RPA tools; n8n and Activepieces are workflow automation platforms.

Can open-source RPA handle desktop applications?

Yes. OpenRPA has native Windows desktop automation through its UI automation engine. TagUI supports desktop automation via Sikuli integration (image-based). Robot Framework handles desktop automation through the RPA.Windows and RPA.Desktop libraries.

Do I need a server to run RPA bots?

OpenRPA requires OpenFlow (orchestrator server) for centralized management and scheduling. TagUI runs standalone via CLI and can be scheduled with cron. Robot Framework is a command-line tool that runs wherever Python is available. For fleet management, all three benefit from a central orchestrator.

How do RPA bots handle authentication?

RPA bots can store credentials in the orchestrator’s secure vault (OpenRPA/OpenFlow), use environment variables (TagUI), or load from encrypted configuration files (Robot Framework). For production deployments, integrate with a secrets manager like HashiCorp Vault.

Can RPA work with CAPTCHAs?

RPA platforms generally cannot bypass CAPTCHAs automatically. Common workarounds include: using API endpoints instead of UI automation where possible, implementing CAPTCHA-solving services (third-party), or requesting CAPTCHA exemptions from the application owner for automated processes.

How do I monitor RPA bot performance?

OpenRPA/OpenFlow provides a built-in dashboard with execution history, success rates, and error logs. TagUI generates execution logs that can be parsed and sent to your monitoring stack. Robot Framework produces detailed HTML reports with execution times, pass/fail status, and screenshots of failures.