head to head · open source
n8n vs IRremoteESP8266
n8n has 204,887 GitHub stars, 60,739 forks, 1,143 open issues and last shipped yesterday. IRremoteESP8266 has 3,600 stars, 933 forks, 105 open issues and last shipped 26 days ago. n8n leads on adoption by 5,591% (204,887 vs 3,600 stars). n8n is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; IRremoteESP8266 is written in C++ under LGPL-2.1. n8n has attracted 30% as many forks as stars, IRremoteESP8266 26%. n8n 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
| n8n | IRremoteESP8266 | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 205K | ★ 3.6K |
| License | Custom / other | LGPL-2.1 |
| Written in | TypeScript | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-08-23 |
| Forks | ⑂ 61K | ⑂ 933 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick n8n if
- You weight community size — 205K 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 IRremoteESP8266 if
- You want the IRremoteESP8266 feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the LGPL-2.1 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and IRremoteESP8266 fits your workflow better
About n8n
n8n is a visual workflow automation platform built in TypeScript that combines a drag and drop editor with custom code execution. It lives in the integration and automation ecosystem, positioned as an open alternative to proprietary services like Zapier. Users design multi step workflows—called “n8n flows”—that connect apps, services, and custom logic to automate repetitive tasks.
About IRremoteESP8266
IRremoteESP8266 is an open source C++ library for the Arduino framework that lets ESP8266 and ESP32 boards send and receive infrared signals. It lives in the embedded home automation and HVAC control ecosystem and is based on Arduino IRremote. It uses common 940 nm infrared LEDs and common infrared receiver modules, including TSOP{17,22,24,36,38,44,48} demodulators.
read the full IRremoteESP8266 overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is n8n or IRremoteESP8266 more popular?
n8n has 204,887 GitHub stars and IRremoteESP8266 has 3,600. n8n has the larger community by that measure.
Are n8n and IRremoteESP8266 free?
Both are open source. n8n has no licence declared in this registry, and IRremoteESP8266 is licensed under LGPL-2.1. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between n8n and IRremoteESP8266?
n8n is written in TypeScript and IRremoteESP8266 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, n8n or IRremoteESP8266?
Choose n8n if you want the larger community (204,887 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose IRremoteESP8266 if its feature set, stack or LGPL-2.1 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.