head to head · open source
n8n vs OpenCCU
n8n has 204,887 GitHub stars, 60,739 forks, 1,143 open issues and last shipped yesterday. OpenCCU has 1,831 stars, 221 forks, 189 open issues and last shipped yesterday. n8n leads on adoption by 11,090% (204,887 vs 1,831 stars). n8n is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; OpenCCU is written in JavaScript under Apache-2.0. n8n has attracted 30% as many forks as stars, OpenCCU 12%. 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.
← all 8884 open source comparisons
Side by side
| n8n | OpenCCU | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 205K | ★ 1.8K |
| License | Custom / other | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 61K | ⑂ 221 |
| 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 OpenCCU if
- You want the OpenCCU feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You evaluated both and OpenCCU 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 OpenCCU
OpenCCU is a free, non commercial, open source Buildroot based operating system that turns Homematic IP and HomeMatic hardware into a cloud free smart home hub, aimed at owners of eQ 3 CCU3 or ELV Charly hardware, Raspberry Pi and other single board computers, and x86 64 or aarch64 hosts who want vendor grade CCU behaviour without depending on a vendor cloud.
read the full OpenCCU overview →
More in Productivity & Utilities
Related comparisons
More Automation projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Automation field.
Frequently asked questions
Is n8n or OpenCCU more popular?
n8n has 204,887 GitHub stars and OpenCCU has 1,831. n8n has the larger community by that measure.
Are n8n and OpenCCU free?
Both are open source. n8n has no licence declared in this registry, and OpenCCU is licensed under Apache-2.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between n8n and OpenCCU?
n8n is written in TypeScript and OpenCCU in JavaScript. 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 OpenCCU?
Choose n8n if you want the larger community (204,887 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose OpenCCU if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.