head to head · open source
drawnix vs octo-server
drawnix has 14,738 GitHub stars, 1,267 forks, 31 open issues and last shipped 12 days ago. octo-server has 1,059 stars, 165 forks, 29 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. drawnix leads on adoption by 1,292% (14,738 vs 1,059 stars). drawnix is written in TypeScript under MIT; octo-server is written in Go under Apache-2.0. drawnix has attracted 9% as many forks as stars, octo-server 16%. octo-server was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (collaboration), 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
| drawnix | octo-server | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 15K | ★ 1.1K |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Go |
| Last push | 2026-09-08 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.3K | ⑂ 165 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick drawnix if
- You weight community size — 15K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick octo-server if
- You want the octo-server feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You evaluated both and octo-server fits your workflow better
About drawnix
Drawnix is a free, MIT licensed, all in one open source whiteboard tool written in TypeScript that combines mind mapping, flowcharts, and freehand drawing on a single infinite canvas, built for individuals and teams who want a self hostable or browser based alternative to commercial whiteboard SaaS.
read the full drawnix overview →
About octo-server
octo server is the Go backend at the centre of OCTO, an open workplace built for humans and AI agents, and it is aimed at teams that want to self host a collaboration platform where Lobster agents participate in conversations as first class members.
read the full octo-server overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is drawnix or octo-server more popular?
drawnix has 14,738 GitHub stars and octo-server has 1,059. drawnix has the larger community by that measure.
Are drawnix and octo-server free?
Both are open source. drawnix is licensed under MIT and octo-server under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between drawnix and octo-server?
drawnix is written in TypeScript and octo-server in Go. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, drawnix or octo-server?
Choose drawnix if you want the larger community (14,738 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose octo-server if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.