Yinsen is an open-source, self-hosted client portal for freelancers and small agencies. It brings project scope, conversations, milestones, deliverables and invoices into one private workspace, with one operator account and individual access for clients.
The Abyss case study
The product details are below, but Yinsen also serves as a clear case study of what Abyss can deliver.
The system was scoped end to end before implementation began, then built, tested and deployed in under one week from the start of the build. Delivery followed that planning through the full client workflow, installation and deployment.
This is a direct application of the approach described in the workflow article: front-loaded planning, clear implementation boundaries, active supervision and independent verification.
Yinsen is now running at app.abyss.global, where Abyss uses it as its own client portal. Taking the system from defined requirements to a deployed product within that timeframe gives a concrete example of the capacity available through disciplined execution.
The problem
Client work involves more than delivering code. Scope, conversations, milestones, files and invoices need a shared home where both sides can see what has been agreed and what happens next.
When those details are scattered across inboxes, chat threads and file-sharing links, keeping the agreement and the delivery aligned becomes another job in itself.
Yinsen gives the operator and their clients a shared place to follow the work.
The product
The portal follows a project from its initial proposal through agreed scope, milestones, delivery and completion:
- Proposals and approvals establish what has been agreed.
- Project and client conversations keep messages and private attachments alongside the work.
- Milestones track delivery, with versioned files and control over when downloads become available.
- Invoices connect payment records to the project and its deliverables.
- The operator dashboard brings active work, outstanding invoices and business activity together.
Clients sign in through individual login links and can access the work assigned to them. The operator manages the installation, client accounts and project workflow.
Self-hosting and ownership
Yinsen is available under the MIT licence. Each installation has its own operator, client accounts, branding, database and files. Self-hosting keeps the installation's data and configuration with its owner.
The core workflow supports manual client login links, local file storage and manual payment settlement. Optional integrations add email delivery, Stripe payments and private object storage. The installation documentation explains the required setup and credentials for each option.
Yinsen at Abyss
Abyss uses a separately configured Yinsen installation at app.abyss.global. The website and portal are separate applications, with the portal providing the private workspace for client work.
Source and documentation
The public GitHub repository contains the source, MIT licence and release information. The installation guide covers setup and credentials; the operations guide covers updates, backups and recovery.
If you would like Yinsen installed into your business workflow, enquire through the form on the main page.