Domibus

Domibus is an open-source AS4 access-point implementation for organisations exchanging documents and data through the European eDelivery network. It fits government bodies, businesses and software providers with Java and infrastructure expertise. The trade-off is clear: no licence bill, but your team owns deployment, operations and upgrade compatibility.

Overview

Domibus provides an interoperable route for sending documents across public or private networks. Its European Commission provenance and European Union Public Licence make it suitable when an organisation wants a standards-based component it can deploy on-premise and integrate into existing systems. It is not a hosted business application; choosing it means planning application-server, database, Java and plugin administration.

Key features

eDelivery exchanges use digital signatures and encryption for integrity and confidentiality, with a digitally signed receipt acknowledgement required for every message. That combination is valuable when counterparties need evidence that a message was protected and received, rather than simply transferred.

The authenticated REST Plugin exposes an OpenAPI-driven interface, webhook notifications, and workflows for resending or downloading messages. These functions give application teams a practical API and event path while retaining operational control. Default Web Service, File System and JMS plugins provide different integration approaches, and each has Jakarta EE 8 and Jakarta EE 10 variants. The choice is useful for connecting varied systems, but it also creates a compatibility decision at installation and upgrade time.

Domibus 5.2.1.3, released on 11 September 2026, is identified as the latest security patch. Domibus 5.2.1 supports Apache Tomcat 10.1 and WildFly 37.0.x on Jakarta EE 10, plus WebLogic 14.1.2 on Jakarta EE 8. MySQL 8 and Oracle 19c are supported database choices, while Oracle JDK 21 and Eclipse Temurin 21 are supported Java runtimes. Hardware security modules are supported for private-key storage; the listed UTIMACO simulator is useful for evaluation, but the specific HSM should be tested before production.

Upgrade planning matters. Plugins built for Domibus 5.1 or earlier are incompatible with Domibus 5.2 JEE10 because of the javax.*-to-jakarta.* namespace migration. WildFly is also a poor choice for a new installation because support ends after Domibus 5.2.

Pricing

There is no paid tier or free trial. The zero-price plan suits organisations able to fund their own hosting, security operations and integration work. It does not turn Domibus into a managed service, so teams wanting vendor-operated infrastructure should look elsewhere. Default support lasts at least one year from a minor release, or at least two years for releases designated LTS, and covers critical security patches and major bug fixes. The eDelivery Support Service operates from 8am to 6pm on normal European Commission working days.

Platforms

Domibus is offered for API use on Linux in a self-hosted, on-premise deployment. The supported runtime combinations are Apache Tomcat 10.1 or WildFly 37.0.x with Jakarta EE 10, or WebLogic 14.1.2 with Jakarta EE 8. Database support covers MySQL 8 and Oracle 19c; Java support covers Oracle JDK 21 and Eclipse Temurin 21.

Who it's for

Government entities can use Domibus where interoperable, acknowledged exchange is central to public-sector workflows. Private businesses and software or service providers can use it as an integration component when they have teams to operate Java application servers, databases, keys and plugins. It is a poor fit for a small organisation seeking a ready-to-use invoicing portal or a hosted connector with minimal administration.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Open-source and free: the 0.00 USD plan removes licence cost and permits an on-premise implementation under the European Union Public Licence.
• Strong message assurance: encryption, signatures and mandatory signed receipts support confidential, traceable exchanges.
• Flexible integration: REST, Web Service, File System and JMS options accommodate different existing architectures.
• Hardware-key support: HSM integration helps organisations keep private keys in dedicated security hardware.

Cons

• Operational burden: self-hosting leaves infrastructure, upgrades and security operations to your organisation.
• Upgrade risk: pre-5.2 plugins cannot run with the 5.2 JEE10 line without compatibility work.
• WildFly is a short-lived option: new deployments should avoid it because support ends after Domibus 5.2.
• Limited support scope: standard support focuses on critical security patches and major bugs during business-day European Commission hours.

Alternatives

Choose Billit instead if you want a freemium, web-and-mobile invoicing service with a free licence for Peppol sales invoices and a paid allowance of up to 25 documents per month.

phase4 is another free, open-source option for teams that can manually integrate an Apache 2.0 library across Linux, macOS, Windows or web environments.

Pick Holodeck B2B for free open-source software under GNU GPL 3 when a Java 11-or-later runtime is acceptable.

B2Brouter, BillingEngine, PeppolSoft, ONESOURCE Pagero and Tradeshift are alternatives for hosted or freemium business invoicing workflows rather than a self-managed AS4 access point.

For a broader category comparison, see Electronic Invoicing Software.

Verdict

Domibus is the right choice for technically capable public bodies, businesses and providers that need secure, acknowledged AS4 exchange and want a free, deployable foundation. Choose it for standards, integration control and on-premise operation. Look elsewhere if you need managed hosting, a polished invoicing product or support that extends beyond critical fixes and major bugs.