head to head · open source
espectre vs frontend
espectre has 9,488 GitHub stars, 720 forks, 13 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. frontend has 5,693 stars, 3,860 forks, 383 open issues and last shipped today. espectre leads on adoption by 67% (9,488 vs 5,693 stars). espectre is written in Python under GPL-3.0; frontend is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. espectre has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, frontend 68%. frontend was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (home-assistant), 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
| espectre | frontend | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 9.5K | ★ 5.7K |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Python | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-10-06 | 2026-10-08 |
| Forks | ⑂ 720 | ⑂ 3.9K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick espectre if
- You weight community size — 9.5K 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 frontend if
- You want the frontend 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 frontend fits your workflow better
About espectre
ESPectre is an open source Wi Fi CSI motion sensing platform that turns a supported ESP32 board into a private, local motion sensor reporting movement in real time, and it is built for embedded developers, Home Assistant users, and DIY builders who want room level sensing without cameras, microphones, wearables, or dedicated radar hardware.
read the full espectre overview →
About frontend
The Home Assistant Frontend is the official web interface for Home Assistant, built for home automation users and developers who want a browser based control panel for their smart home.
read the full frontend overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is espectre or frontend more popular?
espectre has 9,488 GitHub stars and frontend has 5,693. espectre has the larger community by that measure.
Are espectre and frontend free?
Both are open source. espectre is licensed under GPL-3.0 and frontend under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between espectre and frontend?
espectre is written in Python and frontend 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, espectre or frontend?
Choose espectre if you want the larger community (9,488 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose frontend if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.