Request Tracker (RT) is an enterprise-grade, open-source ticketing and workflow management platform developed by Best Practical Solutions LLC. Written primarily in Perl, it is used worldwide to track customer requests, coordinate internal IT operations, and manage complex business workflows. [1, 2, 3]
History and Origins
- 1996 Creation: The platform began as a ticket-tracking system created by Jesse Vincent to coordinate tasks within an online community. [1]
- 1999 Public Release: The initial version of RT was officially released to the public under the GNU General Public License (GPLv2). [1]
- 2001 Corporate Launch: Jesse Vincent founded Best Practical Solutions to provide enterprise-level commercial support, managed hosting, and custom development while keeping the core software open-source. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- RTIR Introduction: Best Practical expanded the platform by introducing Request Tracker for Incident Response (RTIR), a specialized distribution used globally by CERT and CSIRT teams for cybersecurity incident handling. [1, 2]
Core Architecture and Licensing
- No Per-Agent Fees: Unlike proprietary competitors, RT’s open-source model features a cost-free user structure with no licensing caps on seats or agents. [1]
- Extensive Customization: Users rely on “Scrips” (automated triggers) and customizable “Queues” to define distinct lifecycles, fields, and automation paths. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
- Self-Hosted or Cloud: It requires a Unix-like environment, a SQL database, and Perl, supporting full on-premise control or managed Cloud RT deployment. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Continued Modern Use
RT remains highly relevant in corporate environments through constant modernization by Best Practical: [1, 2, 3, 4]
Core API Ecosystem: Leveraging its modern REST 2 JSON API, RT bridges the gap with third-party environments by integrating via Zapier to connect tools like Slack, Teams, and HubSpot. [1, 2]
Modern Release Series: The ecosystem actively moves forward with RT 6.0 and RT 5.0, featuring deep database optimizations, restyled interfaces, and advanced chart dashboards. Legacy versions (like RT 4.4) officially reached End of Life in late 2025. [1, 2, 3, 4]
AI Integration: The platform has integrated artificial intelligence capabilities, including a native Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server to link tickets directly with AI assistants like Claude, alongside built-in sentiment detection and smart routing. [1, 2]
Ready to get started with Request Tracker? Get started with RT in 2026