head to head · open source
code-server vs apkstudio
code-server has 79,867 GitHub stars, 6,943 forks, 152 open issues and last shipped today. apkstudio has 4,747 stars, 753 forks, 4 open issues and last shipped 18 days ago. code-server leads on adoption by 1,582% (79,867 vs 4,747 stars). code-server is written in TypeScript under MIT; apkstudio is written in C++ under LGPL-3.0. code-server has attracted 9% as many forks as stars, apkstudio 16%. code-server was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (ide), 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
| code-server | apkstudio | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 80K | ★ 4.7K |
| License | MIT | LGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-11-15 | 2026-10-28 |
| Forks | ⑂ 6.9K | ⑂ 753 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick code-server if
- You weight community size — 80K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick apkstudio if
- You want the apkstudio feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the LGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and apkstudio fits your workflow better
About code-server
code server Run VS Code on any machine anywhere and access it in the browser. Highlights Code on any device with a consistent development environment Use cloud servers to speed up tests, compilations, downloads, and more Preserve battery life when you're on the go; all intensive tasks run on your server Requirements See requirements for minimum specs, as well as instructions on how to set up a Google VM on which you can install code server. TL;DR: Linux machine with WebSockets enabled, 1 GB RAM, and 2 vCPUs Getting started There are five ways to get started: 1. Using the install script, which automates most of…
read the full code-server overview →
About apkstudio
APK Studio Open source, cross platform Qt6 based IDE for reverse engineering Android application packages. It features a friendly IDE like layout including code editor with syntax highlighting support for \ .smali code files. Features Cross platform, run on Linux , Mac OS X & Windows Decompile/recompile/sign & install APKs Automatic tool download & installation APK Studio can automatically download and install required tools (Java, Apktool, JADX, ADB, Uber APK Signer) Framework support Install and use manufacturer specific framework files (e.g., HTC, LG, Samsung) with optional tagging for decompiling and…
read the full apkstudio overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is code-server or apkstudio more popular?
code-server has 79,867 GitHub stars and apkstudio has 4,747. code-server has the larger community by that measure.
Are code-server and apkstudio free?
Both are open source. code-server is licensed under MIT and apkstudio under LGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between code-server and apkstudio?
code-server is written in TypeScript and apkstudio in C++. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, code-server or apkstudio?
Choose code-server if you want the larger community (79,867 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose apkstudio if its feature set, stack or LGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.