head to head · open source
n8n vs ByteChef
n8n has 209,375 GitHub stars, 61,361 forks, 1,143 open issues and last shipped yesterday. ByteChef has 1,053 stars, 178 forks, 455 open issues and last shipped yesterday. n8n leads on adoption by 19,784% (209,375 vs 1,053 stars). n8n is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; ByteChef is written in Java under a custom or non-standard licence. n8n has attracted 29% as many forks as stars, ByteChef 17%. ByteChef was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 6 topic tags (ai, automation, integrations, ipaas), 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
| n8n | ByteChef | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 209K | ★ 1.1K |
| License | Custom / other | Custom / other |
| Written in | TypeScript | Java |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 61K | ⑂ 178 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick n8n if
- You weight community size — 209K stars and counting
- You want the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick ByteChef if
- You want the ByteChef feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches Java
- You evaluated both and ByteChef fits your workflow better
About n8n
n8n – The Platform for AI Agents and Workflow Automation Fair code platform to build and deploy AI agents and workflows. Combine a visual canvas with custom code, run it self hosted or in the cloud, and connect to 1500+ integrations. AI automation you can trust with real work, from prototype to production. Key Capabilities AI Native Automation Platform : Build and operationalize AI workflows and multi step agents using your own data, models, and tools Model Flexibility, No Lock In : Connect to OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, or open source models and switch providers without changing your architecture From Prototype…
About ByteChef
The open source platform that unifies AI agent orchestration and workflow automation Autonomy and precision — in one platform. Documentation · Live Demo · Discord · Connect on X · Roadmap [//]: ( ) [//]: ( About ByteChef) [//]: () [//]: (ByteChef is an open source platform for AI agents, workflow automation, and API integration.) [//]: () [//]: (Instead of using separate tools for AI agents and automated workflows, ByteChef brings both into a single platform with one orchestration layer, centralized management, and enterprise grade security.) [//]: () [//]: (Built for modern enterprises, ByteChef can run in…
read the full ByteChef overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is n8n or ByteChef more popular?
n8n has 209,375 GitHub stars and ByteChef has 1,053. n8n has the larger community by that measure.
Are n8n and ByteChef free?
Neither n8n nor ByteChef declares a licence in this registry, so check each project's own repository before relying on either for a commercial use. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between n8n and ByteChef?
n8n is written in TypeScript and ByteChef in Java. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, n8n or ByteChef?
Choose n8n if you want the larger community (209,375 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose ByteChef if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.