[opensourcedex]

OpenCCU is a free, open source internet of things (iot) project written in JavaScript and released under Apache-2.0. It has 1,852 GitHub stars, 225 forks and 189 open issues, and was last pushed 3 hours ago. On this registry it ranks #50 of 99 tracked projects in Internet of Things (IoT), with 5 head-to-head comparisons available. It gained 12 stars over the last 30 tracked days.

What is OpenCCU?

OpenCCU is a free, non-commercial, open-source Buildroot-based operating system that turns Homematic IP and HomeMatic hardware into a cloud-free smart-home hub, aimed at owners of eQ-3 CCU3 or ELV Charly hardware, Raspberry Pi and other single-board computers, and x86_64 or aarch64 hosts who want vendor-grade CCU behaviour without depending on a vendor cloud.

What it is

OpenCCU is an operating system image and deployment target for running a Homematic IP and HomeMatic smart-home hub. It was formerly known as RaspberryMatic, is written primarily in JavaScript, is licensed under Apache-2.0, and packages a Buildroot-based Linux system together with the CCU WebUI and add-on ecosystem. The project describes itself as targeting 100% compatibility with eQ-3's CCU3, so existing device pairings, WebUI workflows, and add-ons continue to work rather than being reimplemented.

The concrete problem it solves is dependency on the vendor firmware and the cloud services that accompany it. Instead of staying on the stock CCU3 firmware image, an operator installs OpenCCU directly on the same CCU3 or ELV Charly hardware, on a 64-bit capable single-board computer, on generic x86_64 or aarch64 hardware, or as a virtual appliance, and keeps the same Homematic and Homematic IP devices and WebUI. Backups are cross-compatible, which makes migrating in either direction between the vendor firmware and OpenCCU straightforward.

Key capabilities

  • Drop-in compatibility with the same Homematic and Homematic IP hardware, WebUI features, and add-on ecosystem as the vendor CCU firmware.
  • Backup interchangeability between the vendor CCU firmware and OpenCCU, enabling migration in both directions.
  • Direct installation on CCU3 and ELV Charly hardware, plus common 64-bit capable SBCs such as Raspberry Pi, Hardkernel ODROID, and ASUS Tinkerboard 2/2S.
  • Generic x86_64 and aarch64 support for non-SBC hosts.
  • Pure virtual appliance images for Proxmox VE, VirtualBox, and Synology VMM, alongside Docker/OCI, LXC, and Kubernetes deployment targets.
  • Native Home Assistant App packaging.
  • Enhancements beyond the vendor firmware covering WebUI improvements, Linux OS updates, stability and performance fixes, and capabilities that do not yet exist upstream.
  • Buildroot-based builds produced through a CI Build workflow, with snapshot images published under the snapshots release tag in addition to tagged releases.

Who uses it and how

  • CCU3 and ELV Charly owners who want to keep their existing Homematic and Homematic IP devices and add-ons but move off the vendor firmware image.
  • Home-automation builders running Raspberry Pi, ODROID, or ASUS Tinkerboard 2/2S boards as the hub for a single household installation.
  • Proxmox VE, VirtualBox, and Synology VMM operators who prefer to run the hub as a virtual appliance on hardware they already manage.
  • Docker/OCI, LXC, and Kubernetes users who deploy the hub as a container workload alongside their other services.
  • Home Assistant users who install OpenCCU as a native App rather than operating a separate physical CCU.
  • Operators migrating in either direction, using the cross-compatible backup format to move an existing CCU configuration onto OpenCCU or back.

Getting started

Install OpenCCU directly onto CCU3 or ELV Charly hardware, or download the image for a 64-bit SBC or x86_64/aarch64 host from the GitHub releases page (tagged releases and the snapshots tag). Alternatively deploy it as a virtual appliance on Proxmox VE, VirtualBox, or Synology VMM, as a Docker/OCI or LXC container, on Kubernetes, or as a native Home Assistant App; project documentation lives at openccu.de and in the repository wiki.

How it compares

Within this registry, the closest point of comparison named in the facts is the vendor CCU3 firmware that OpenCCU is built to replace while keeping 100% compatibility, rather than a paid alternative product list. It also sits alongside Home Assistant, where it can be installed as a native App, and alongside general virtualisation and container platforms such as Proxmox VE, VirtualBox, Synology VMM, Docker/OCI, and Kubernetes, which it treats as deployment targets rather than competitors.

When to use it — and when not to

A self-hoster must supply and maintain the host itself, whether that is CCU3 or ELV Charly hardware, a supported SBC, an x86_64 or aarch64 machine, or a hypervisor and container platform, and must be willing to follow wiki-based instructions that are partly written in German. Anyone unwilling to run and update their own hub host, or who needs a supported commercial product with vendor support contracts, should not choose it. The repository also carries a notable open-issue load (189 open issues against 1,831 stars and 221 forks), and the README excerpt supplied here documents deployment targets in more detail than day-to-day operational procedures, so prospective users should read the wiki before committing.

project readme (upstream, from github) — read inline

Your flexible, cloud-free Homematic IP® CCU smart-home solution

Current Release Downloads DownloadsSnapshots CI Build Snapshot Build Contributors Average time to resolve an issue Percentage of issues still open Commits since last release Artifact HUB License Donate GitHub sponsors GitHub stars

Deutschsprachiges 🇩🇪🇦🇹🇨🇭 ReadMe

OpenCCU – formerly known as RaspberryMatic – is a free, non-commercial, open-source operating system for running a cloud-free smart-home hub compatible with eQ-3’s Homematic IP and HomeMatic devices. It targets 100% compatibility with the vendor’s CCU3 and can be installed directly on CCU3 and ELV Charly hardware. It also runs on common 64-bit capable SBCs (e.g., Raspberry Pi, Hardkernel ODROID, ASUS Tinkerboard 2/2S) and generic x86_64 or aarch64 hardware. In addition, OpenCCU is available as a pure virtual appliance for popular hypervisors and container platforms (e.g., Proxmox VE, VirtualBox, Synology VMM, Docker/OCI, Kubernetes) and as a native Home Assistant App. Beyond CCU3 parity, it provides WebUI, OS-level, and connectivity enhancements for a more advanced user experience.

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:cookie: Features

  • Drop-in compatibility. Works with the same Homematic / Homematic IP hardware, WebUI features, and add-on ecosystem as the vendor CCU firmware.
  • Backup interchangeability. Backups are cross-compatible, enabling straightforward migration between the vendor CCU firmware and OpenCCU.
  • Enhancements beyond vendor firmware. Includes WebUI improvements, Linux OS updates, stability and performance fixes, and new capabilities that do not yet exist upstream.

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:computer: Requirements

OpenCCU can be installed on vendor CCU hardware, common 64-bit capable SBCs, and x86_64 / aarch64 systems—or deployed virtually:

Hardware

Virtualization & Containers

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:cloud: Quick-Start

  1. Download

    • Get the image for your target under Releases.
    • Filename pattern: OpenCCU-X.XX.XX.YYYYMMDD-.zip.

  2. Install (choose one)

    • Own hardware (e.g., Raspberry Pi): unzip and flash the *.img to a microSD card (e.g., with Etcher or dd).
    • Migrate from CCU2/CCU3: upload the OpenCCU package as a regular firmware update.
    • Virtualized environment: follow the installation procedure for your hypervisor/container platform.

  3. Boot

    • Start the device/VM. On first boot, OpenCCU detects available Homematic / Homematic IP RF modules (e.g., RPI-RF-MOD, HmIP-RFUSB) on GPIO or USB.

  4. Access the WebUI

    • Open http://openccu/ in your browser (or use the device’s DHCP-assigned IP if name resolution is unavailable).
    • You will land in the familiar CCU WebUI and can start configuring your Homematic / Homematic IP devices.
    • Optional: restore an existing CCU backup to migrate your setup.

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:memo: Documentation (🇩🇪/🇺🇸)

  1. Introduction
  2. Installation
  3. Administration
  4. Usage
  5. Support, Contributions

:yum: Support & Contributions

Where to discuss / ask

When to open an issue

  • After a discussion confirms a clear feature request or a reproducible bug, open an issue in Issues.
  • Please search for existing issues first and include: OpenCCU version, target/hardware or hypervisor, steps to reproduce, expected vs. actual behavior, and relevant logs.

Ways to contribute

Pull requests

  • Keep PRs focused (one topic per PR), link the related issue/discussion, and follow our guidelines in CONTRIBUTING.
  • By contributing, you agree that your work is licensed under the project’s Apache-2.0 license.

Community standards

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:scroll: Licenses

  • Project & release images. The OpenCCU project (this repository) and the downloadable images under Releases are provided under the Apache License 2.0, unless stated otherwise. OpenCCU is distributed free of charge and without commercial intent.

  • Third-party components. Some included components are licensed differently and remain under their respective terms. For example, Buildroot/Linux is licensed under GPLv2, which may have implications when modifying sources or redistributing derived images. OpenCCU-Base is redistributed under its respective component licenses—primarily HMSL 2.0, with documented exceptions.

  • Branding & artwork. The OpenCCU logo and other graphics in this repository and in the downloadable images are copyrighted by their respective authors. Any commercial or non-commercial reuse—especially in redistributed binaries or forks—is prohibited without prior written permission.

Disclaimer of Warranty

Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, OpenCCU is provided by the Contributors (and each Contributor provides its Contributions) on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied, including, without limitation, any warranties or conditions of TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY, or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. You are solely responsible for determining the appropriateness of using or redistributing OpenCCU and assume any risks associated with Your exercise of permissions under this License.

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:book: Literature

If, after reading this documentation, you are still unsure about the pros and cons of using OpenCCU compared to the vendor-provided CCU firmware—or if you would like to explore OpenCCU’s additional features in more depth—please refer to the following (mostly German-language) resources:

Usertreffen Kassel 2019 – OpenCCU Usertreffen Kassel 2018 – OpenCCU

:clap: Acknowledgements

In addition to all Contributors who helped make OpenCCU possible, we would like to thank:

  • Alexander Reinert (@alexreinert) — for the low-latency generic_raw_uart kernel module enabling the use of eQ-3 RF modules (RPI-RF-MOD, HM-MOD-RPI-PCB, HmIP-RFUSB), and for the open-hardware adapter boards HB-RF-USB, HB-RF-USB-2, and HB-RF-ETH providing USB/Ethernet interfaces for these modules.

:family: Authors

OpenCCU is developed by a broad community. For the complete and up-to-date list of authors and contributors, please see Contributors.

:construction: Changelog

For a detailed, version-by-version list of changes, see Releases in this repository. Each release includes notes on new features, fixes, and other changes.

Frequently asked questions

Is OpenCCU free to use?

OpenCCU is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. There is no licence fee and no seat count — you can self-host it or, where the project offers one, pay a vendor for a managed version instead.

What does OpenCCU do?

:house: Buildroot-based, cloud-free smart-home platform for a Homematic IP CCU (CCU3/ELV-Charly). Runs on Raspberry Pi & x86/ARM or as a virtual appliance (Prox

What is OpenCCU written in?

OpenCCU is primarily written in JavaScript. Its source is publicly available at https://github.com/OpenCCU/OpenCCU, and it has 1,852 GitHub stars.