head to head · open source
rea vs PenguLoader
rea has 422,352 GitHub stars, 105,329 forks, 70 open issues and last shipped yesterday. PenguLoader has 755 stars, 85 forks, 5 open issues and last shipped 3 months ago. rea leads on adoption by 55,841% (422,352 vs 755 stars). rea is written in TypeScript under MIT; PenguLoader is written in C++ under MIT. rea has attracted 25% as many forks as stars, PenguLoader 11%. rea was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (javascript), 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
| rea | PenguLoader | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 422K | ★ 755 |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Written in | TypeScript | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-08-10 |
| Forks | ⑂ 105K | ⑂ 85 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick rea if
- You weight community size — 422K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick PenguLoader if
- You want the PenguLoader feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and PenguLoader fits your workflow better
About rea
English · 简体中文 · 繁體中文 · 日本語 · 한국어 · Türkçe · Русский · Tiếng Việt · ไทย · Deutsch · Español · Français · Українська · Polski · Português (Brasil) · العربية · فارسی REA: Reverse Engineer Anything One MCP for reverse engineering across binaries, applications, and runtime behavior. See a feature you like. Understand how it works, down to the binary level. Website · Guides · Showcases Quick start · How REA works · What you can analyze · Showcases · FAQ · Documentation npx rea agents setup Join the Reverse Engineering Community Discord · Q&A · Show and Tell See a feature in an app that you want in your own product?…
About PenguLoader
Pengu Loader ✨ The ultimate JavaScript plugin loader, build your unmatched LoL Client. About Pengu Loader — formerly League Loader — is a powerful plugin loader tailored for the League of Legends Client , enabling limitless customization and personalization. With Pengu Loader, you can seamlessly load JavaScript plugins directly into the Client, allowing you to transform its appearance, add unique features, and integrate custom content to enhance your overall experience. Features Plugin support to customize the League Client Personalize & theme with flexible web stacks Modern JavaScript compatibility Built in…
read the full PenguLoader overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is rea or PenguLoader more popular?
rea has 422,352 GitHub stars and PenguLoader has 755. rea has the larger community by that measure.
Are rea and PenguLoader free?
Both are open source. rea is licensed under MIT and PenguLoader under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between rea and PenguLoader?
rea is written in TypeScript and PenguLoader in C++. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, rea or PenguLoader?
Choose rea if you want the larger community (422,352 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose PenguLoader if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.