CommaFeed vs osmos::feed
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted rss & news readers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
CommaFeed
Google Reader-inspired self-hosted RSS reader
VS
osmos::feed
Build an RSS reader as a static site with GitHub Actions
| Feature | CommaFeed | osmos::feed |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 14 · At risk |
| Category | RSS & News Readers | RSS & News Readers |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Java | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | docker | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,626 | ★ 989 |
| First released | 2013 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Feedly, Google Reader | Feedly |
What are CommaFeed and osmos::feed?
CommaFeed
CommaFeed is a self-hosted RSS reader inspired by the look and feel of the discontinued Google Reader. It targets users who miss the classic Google Reader experience. It is deployed via Docker.
- Google Reader-style interface
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Multi-user support
- REST API
osmos::feed
osmos::feed is a tool that turns a list of feeds into a self-hosted static RSS reader website using GitHub Actions. It requires no server and rebuilds the reader on a schedule.
- Static site RSS reader
- Runs on GitHub Actions
- No server required
CommaFeed vs osmos::feed: key differences
CommaFeed is written in Java, while osmos::feed is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for CommaFeed versus MIT for osmos::feed. Osmos::feed is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 512 MB for CommaFeed. CommaFeed is the more established project (first released 2013), while osmos::feed arrived in 2021. CommaFeed has the considerably larger community, at 3,626 GitHub stars versus 989. CommaFeed lists first-class Docker deployment; osmos::feed does not.
Why pick each one
Choose CommaFeed if…
- Familiar classic layout
- Easy to deploy
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Java runtime overhead
- Fewer advanced features
Choose osmos::feed if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 32 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is CommaFeed or osmos::feed better?
Neither is universally better. CommaFeed has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are CommaFeed and osmos::feed free and open-source?
Yes. CommaFeed is licensed under Apache-2.0 and osmos::feed under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CommaFeed and osmos::feed with Docker?
CommaFeed: yes. osmos::feed: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, CommaFeed or osmos::feed?
osmos::feed has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for CommaFeed. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.