head to head · open source
n8n vs OpenProgram
n8n has 205,086 GitHub stars, 60,753 forks, 1,143 open issues and last shipped today. OpenProgram has 520 stars, 63 forks, 1 open issues and last shipped today. n8n leads on adoption by 39,340% (205,086 vs 520 stars). n8n is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; OpenProgram is written in Python under AGPL-3.0. n8n has attracted 30% as many forks as stars, OpenProgram 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.
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Side by side
| n8n | OpenProgram | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 205K | ★ 520 |
| License | Custom / other | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Python |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-18 |
| Forks | ⑂ 61K | ⑂ 63 |
| 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 OpenProgram if
- You want the OpenProgram feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and OpenProgram 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 OpenProgram
Self Programming AI Assistant. Capture, automate, and refine all your workflows. Getting Started · Install · Docs · API Reference · Philosophy · 中文 "The more constraints one imposes, the more one frees oneself." — Igor Stravinsky , Poetics of Music We propose Agentic Programming . An LLM is flexible; code is deterministic. Let the model run everything and you get chaos — unpredictable execution, context explosion, no output guarantees; hard code everything and you lose the intelligence. A harness balances the two, interleaved moment to moment — Python for the flow you want fixed…
read the full OpenProgram overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is n8n or OpenProgram more popular?
n8n has 205,086 GitHub stars and OpenProgram has 520. n8n has the larger community by that measure.
Are n8n and OpenProgram free?
Both are open source. n8n has no licence declared in this registry, and OpenProgram is licensed under AGPL-3.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between n8n and OpenProgram?
n8n is written in TypeScript and OpenProgram in Python. 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 OpenProgram?
Choose n8n if you want the larger community (205,086 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose OpenProgram if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.