head to head · open source
frontend vs HAP-NodeJS
frontend has 5,783 GitHub stars, 3,947 forks, 383 open issues and last shipped yesterday. HAP-NodeJS has 2,720 stars, 620 forks, 6 open issues and last shipped 5 days ago. frontend leads on adoption by 113% (5,783 vs 2,720 stars). frontend is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0; HAP-NodeJS is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. frontend has attracted 68% as many forks as stars, HAP-NodeJS 23%. frontend 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
| frontend | HAP-NodeJS | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 5.8K | ★ 2.7K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-05 | 2026-11-01 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.9K | ⑂ 620 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick frontend if
- You weight community size — 5.8K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick HAP-NodeJS if
- You want the HAP-NodeJS 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 HAP-NodeJS fits your workflow better
About frontend
Home Assistant Frontend This is the repository for the official Home Assistant frontend. View demo of Home Assistant More information about Home Assistant Frontend development instructions Development Initial setup: script/setup Development: Instructions Production build: pnpm build Gallery: cd gallery && script/develop gallery Frontend development Classic environment A complete guide can be found at the following link. It describes a short guide for the build of project. License Home Assistant is open source and Apache 2 licensed. Feel free to browse the repository, learn and reuse parts in your own projects…
read the full frontend overview →
About HAP-NodeJS
HAP NodeJS HAP NodeJS is an implementation of the HomeKit Accessory Server as specified in the HomeKit Accessory Protocol (HAP), which is defined by Apple as part of the HomeKit Framework. HAP NodeJS is intended to be used as a library to easily create your own HomeKit Accessory on a Raspberry Pi, Intel Edison, or any other platform that can run Node.js :) If you are searching for a pluggable HomeKit bridge with over a thousand community driven plugins to bring HomeKit support to devices which do not support HomeKit out of the box, you may want to look at the [homebridge][project homebridge] project (which also…
read the full HAP-NodeJS overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is frontend or HAP-NodeJS more popular?
frontend has 5,783 GitHub stars and HAP-NodeJS has 2,720. frontend has the larger community by that measure.
Are frontend and HAP-NodeJS free?
Both are open source. frontend is licensed under Apache-2.0 and HAP-NodeJS under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between frontend and HAP-NodeJS?
frontend is written in TypeScript and HAP-NodeJS 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, frontend or HAP-NodeJS?
Choose frontend if you want the larger community (5,783 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose HAP-NodeJS if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.