head to head · open source
ansible vs openworkflow
ansible has 71,204 GitHub stars, 24,474 forks, 837 open issues and last shipped yesterday. openworkflow has 1,346 stars, 73 forks, 12 open issues and last shipped 4 days ago. ansible leads on adoption by 5,190% (71,204 vs 1,346 stars). ansible is written in Python under GPL-3.0; openworkflow is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. ansible has attracted 34% as many forks as stars, openworkflow 5%. ansible was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| ansible | openworkflow | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 71K | ★ 1.3K |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Python | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-10-30 |
| Forks | ⑂ 24K | ⑂ 73 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick ansible if
- You weight community size — 71K stars and counting
- You want the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick openworkflow if
- You want the openworkflow feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and openworkflow fits your workflow better
About ansible
[ ][copying] Ansible Ansible is a radically simple IT automation system. It handles configuration management, application deployment, cloud provisioning, ad hoc task execution, network automation, and multi node orchestration. Ansible makes complex changes like zero downtime rolling updates with load balancers easy. More information on the Ansible website. Design Principles Have an extremely simple setup process with a minimal learning curve. Manage machines quickly and in parallel. Avoid custom agents and additional open ports, be agentless by leveraging the existing SSH daemon. Describe infrastructure in a…
read the full ansible overview →
About openworkflow
OpenWorkflow OpenWorkflow is a TypeScript framework for building durable, resumable workflows that can pause for seconds or months, survive crashes and deploys, and resume exactly where they left off all without extra servers to manage. Quick Start The CLI will guide you through setup and generate everything you need to get started. Documentation Documentation Quick Start Guide Core Concepts Advanced Patterns Production Checklist OpenTelemetry Architecture Read ARCHITECTURE.md for a deep dive into how OpenWorkflow works under the hood. Examples Check out examples/ for working examples. Contributing We welcome…
read the full openworkflow overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is ansible or openworkflow more popular?
ansible has 71,204 GitHub stars and openworkflow has 1,346. ansible has the larger community by that measure.
Are ansible and openworkflow free?
Both are open source. ansible is licensed under GPL-3.0 and openworkflow under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between ansible and openworkflow?
ansible is written in Python and openworkflow in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, ansible or openworkflow?
Choose ansible if you want the larger community (71,204 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose openworkflow if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.