head to head · open source
openapi-generator vs Apache APISIX
openapi-generator has 26,846 GitHub stars, 7,749 forks, 5,810 open issues and last shipped today. Apache APISIX has 17,289 stars, 2,989 forks, 235 open issues and last shipped yesterday. openapi-generator leads on adoption by 55% (26,846 vs 17,289 stars). openapi-generator is written in Java under Apache-2.0; Apache APISIX is written in Lua under Apache-2.0. openapi-generator has attracted 29% as many forks as stars, Apache APISIX 17%. openapi-generator was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (api), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
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
| openapi-generator | Apache APISIX | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 27K | ★ 17K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Java | Lua |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 7.7K | ⑂ 3.0K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick openapi-generator if
- You weight community size — 27K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Java
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Apache APISIX if
- You want the Apache APISIX feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Lua
- You evaluated both and Apache APISIX fits your workflow better
About openapi-generator
OpenAPI Generator Master ( 7.28.0 ): :star::star::star: If you would like to contribute, please refer to guidelines and a list of open tasks. :star::star::star: :bangbang: To migrate from Swagger Codegen to OpenAPI Generator, please refer to the migration guide :bangbang: :notebook with decorative cover: For more information, please refer to the Wiki page and FAQ :notebook with decorative cover: :notebook with decorative cover: The eBook A Beginner's Guide to Code Generation for REST APIs is a good starting point for beginners :notebook with decorative cover: :warning: If the OpenAPI spec, templates or any input…
read the full openapi-generator overview →
About Apache APISIX
Apache APISIX API Gateway ｜ AI Gateway Apache APISIX is a dynamic, real time, high performance API Gateway. APISIX API Gateway provides rich traffic management features such as load balancing, dynamic upstream, canary release, circuit breaking, authentication, observability, and more. You can use it to handle traditional north south traffic, as well as east west traffic between services. It can also be used as a Kubernetes ingress controller. Table of Contents Why APISIX AI Gateway Get Started Features Benchmark Community User Stories Who Uses APISIX API Gateway? Logos Acknowledgments License Why APISIX APISIX…
read the full Apache APISIX overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is openapi-generator or Apache APISIX more popular?
openapi-generator has 26,846 GitHub stars and Apache APISIX has 17,289. openapi-generator has the larger community by that measure.
Are openapi-generator and Apache APISIX free?
Both are open source. openapi-generator is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Apache APISIX under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between openapi-generator and Apache APISIX?
openapi-generator is written in Java and Apache APISIX in Lua. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, openapi-generator or Apache APISIX?
Choose openapi-generator if you want the larger community (26,846 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose Apache APISIX if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.