head to head · open source
OpenMQTTGateway vs HAP-NodeJS
OpenMQTTGateway has 4,095 GitHub stars, 906 forks, 48 open issues and last shipped yesterday. HAP-NodeJS has 2,722 stars, 619 forks, 6 open issues and last shipped 1 months ago. OpenMQTTGateway leads on adoption by 50% (4,095 vs 2,722 stars). OpenMQTTGateway is written in C++ under GPL-3.0; HAP-NodeJS is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. OpenMQTTGateway has attracted 22% as many forks as stars, HAP-NodeJS 23%. OpenMQTTGateway 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
| OpenMQTTGateway | HAP-NodeJS | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 4.1K | ★ 2.7K |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | C++ | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-21 | 2026-08-22 |
| Forks | ⑂ 906 | ⑂ 619 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick OpenMQTTGateway if
- You weight community size — 4.1K stars and counting
- You want the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick HAP-NodeJS if
- You want the HAP-NodeJS feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and HAP-NodeJS fits your workflow better
About OpenMQTTGateway
OpenMQTTGateway is an open source C++ gateway firmware for ESP8266 and ESP32 boards that connects local radio and sensor protocols to MQTT. It lives in the home automation ecosystem and is associated with Home Assistant, OpenHAB, NodeRed, and AWS IOT. The project aims to unify various technologies and protocols into a single firmware, reducing the need for multiple physical bridges.
read the full OpenMQTTGateway overview →
About HAP-NodeJS
HAP NodeJS is a TypeScript implementation of the server side of Apple's HomeKit Accessory Protocol (HAP), published under the Apache 2.0 licence as a library for developers who want to build their own HomeKit accessories on Raspberry Pi, Intel Edison, or any other platform that can run Node.js.
read the full HAP-NodeJS overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is OpenMQTTGateway or HAP-NodeJS more popular?
OpenMQTTGateway has 4,095 GitHub stars and HAP-NodeJS has 2,722. OpenMQTTGateway has the larger community by that measure.
Are OpenMQTTGateway and HAP-NodeJS free?
Both are open source. OpenMQTTGateway is licensed under GPL-3.0 and HAP-NodeJS under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between OpenMQTTGateway and HAP-NodeJS?
OpenMQTTGateway is written in C++ and HAP-NodeJS in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, OpenMQTTGateway or HAP-NodeJS?
Choose OpenMQTTGateway if you want the larger community (4,095 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose HAP-NodeJS if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.