head to head · open source
operating-system vs ring
operating-system has 7,492 GitHub stars, 1,293 forks, 95 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. ring has 1,523 stars, 213 forks, 37 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. operating-system leads on adoption by 392% (7,492 vs 1,523 stars). operating-system is written in Python under Apache-2.0; ring is written in TypeScript under MIT. operating-system has attracted 17% as many forks as stars, ring 14%. ring 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
| operating-system | ring | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 7.5K | ★ 1.5K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | Python | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-23 | 2026-09-23 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.3K | ⑂ 213 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick operating-system if
- You weight community size — 7.5K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick ring if
- You want the ring feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and ring fits your workflow better
About operating-system
The Home Assistant Operating System is a Linux based operating system built specifically to host Home Assistant and its Apps, intended for people running Home Assistant on a single board computer such as a Raspberry Pi or ODROID, or on an x86 64 machine with UEFI firmware.
read the full operating-system overview →
About ring
Ring is an unofficial, MIT licensed TypeScript project that packages interaction and automation for the majority of Ring doorbells, cameras, alarm systems and smart lighting, aimed at developers building their own Ring integrations and at homebridge users who want those devices inside Apple HomeKit.
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Frequently asked questions
Is operating-system or ring more popular?
operating-system has 7,492 GitHub stars and ring has 1,523. operating-system has the larger community by that measure.
Are operating-system and ring free?
Both are open source. operating-system is licensed under Apache-2.0 and ring under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between operating-system and ring?
operating-system is written in Python and ring 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, operating-system or ring?
Choose operating-system if you want the larger community (7,492 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose ring if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.