head to head · open source
frontend vs HomeSpan
frontend has 5,778 GitHub stars, 3,932 forks, 383 open issues and last shipped yesterday. HomeSpan has 2,203 stars, 205 forks, 9 open issues and last shipped 2 months ago. frontend leads on adoption by 162% (5,778 vs 2,203 stars). frontend is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0; HomeSpan is written in C++ under MIT. frontend has attracted 68% as many forks as stars, HomeSpan 9%. 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-automation), 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
| frontend | HomeSpan | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 5.8K | ★ 2.2K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | TypeScript | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-09-15 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.9K | ⑂ 205 |
| 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 HomeSpan if
- You want the HomeSpan feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and HomeSpan 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 HomeSpan
Welcome! Welcome to HomeSpan a robust and extremely easy to use Arduino library for creating your own ESP32 based HomeKit devices entirely within the Arduino IDE. HomeSpan provides a microcontroller focused implementation of Apple's HomeKit Accessory Protocol Specification Release R2 (HAP R2) designed specifically for the Espressif ESP32 microcontroller running within the Arduino IDE. HomeSpan pairs directly to HomeKit via your home WiFi network without the need for any external bridges or components. With HomeSpan you can use the full power of the ESP32's I/O functionality to create custom control software…
read the full HomeSpan overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is frontend or HomeSpan more popular?
frontend has 5,778 GitHub stars and HomeSpan has 2,203. frontend has the larger community by that measure.
Are frontend and HomeSpan free?
Both are open source. frontend is licensed under Apache-2.0 and HomeSpan under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between frontend and HomeSpan?
frontend is written in TypeScript and HomeSpan 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, frontend or HomeSpan?
Choose frontend if you want the larger community (5,778 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose HomeSpan if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.