head to head · open source
homebridge vs HAP-NodeJS
homebridge has 25,541 GitHub stars, 2,012 forks, 21 open issues and last shipped 5 days ago. HAP-NodeJS has 2,720 stars, 620 forks, 6 open issues and last shipped 5 days ago. homebridge leads on adoption by 839% (25,541 vs 2,720 stars). homebridge is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0; HAP-NodeJS is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. homebridge has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, HAP-NodeJS 23%. homebridge was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 4 topic tags (hap, homekit, homekit-accessory-protocol, siri), 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
| homebridge | HAP-NodeJS | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 26K | ★ 2.7K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-01 | 2026-11-01 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.0K | ⑂ 620 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick homebridge if
- You weight community size — 26K 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 homebridge
Homebridge Homebridge is a lightweight Node.js server you can run on your home network to emulate the HomeKit Accessory Protocol (HAP). It supports plugins, which are community contributed modules that provide a basic bridge from HomeKit to various 3rd party APIs provided by manufacturers of "smart home" devices. From v2, plugins can also expose accessories over Matter for use with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, SmartThings and other Matter capable controllers. Homebridge is a free, non commercial, community driven open source project. It is not affiliated with Apple, Google, Amazon, or the Connectivity…
read the full homebridge 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 homebridge or HAP-NodeJS more popular?
homebridge has 25,541 GitHub stars and HAP-NodeJS has 2,720. homebridge has the larger community by that measure.
Are homebridge and HAP-NodeJS free?
Both are open source. homebridge is licensed under Apache-2.0 and HAP-NodeJS under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between homebridge and HAP-NodeJS?
homebridge 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, homebridge or HAP-NodeJS?
Choose homebridge if you want the larger community (25,541 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.