head to head · open source
ralph vs Part-DB-server
ralph has 2,516 GitHub stars, 593 forks, 124 open issues and last shipped 8 days ago. Part-DB-server has 1,767 stars, 235 forks, 209 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. ralph leads on adoption by 42% (2,516 vs 1,767 stars). ralph is written in Python under Apache-2.0; Part-DB-server is written in PHP under AGPL-3.0. ralph has attracted 24% as many forks as stars, Part-DB-server 13%. Part-DB-server was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (inventory, inventory-management), 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
| ralph | Part-DB-server | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 2.5K | ★ 1.8K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Python | PHP |
| Last push | 2026-09-10 | 2026-09-16 |
| Forks | ⑂ 593 | ⑂ 235 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick ralph if
- You weight community size — 2.5K 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 Part-DB-server if
- You want the Part-DB-server feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches PHP
- You evaluated both and Part-DB-server fits your workflow better
About ralph
Ralph is an open source asset management, DCIM, and CMDB system written in Python and built with Django. It is intended for organizations that need to manage data center hardware and back office hardware in one place under the Apache 2.0 license. The project lives in the business software and operations ecosystem.
read the full ralph overview →
About Part-DB-server
Part DB is an open source inventory management system for electronic components. It is a PHP and Symfony web application installed on a web server, so users access it through a browser without extra client software. The repository calls this version a complete rewrite of the legacy Part DB project, and it is licensed under AGPL 3.0.
read the full Part-DB-server overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is ralph or Part-DB-server more popular?
ralph has 2,516 GitHub stars and Part-DB-server has 1,767. ralph has the larger community by that measure.
Are ralph and Part-DB-server free?
Both are open source. ralph is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Part-DB-server under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between ralph and Part-DB-server?
ralph is written in Python and Part-DB-server in PHP. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, ralph or Part-DB-server?
Choose ralph if you want the larger community (2,516 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose Part-DB-server if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.