Cosmos Server vs Hajimari
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted dashboards & startpages options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Cosmos Server | Hajimari |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 63 · Good |
| Category | Dashboards & Startpages | Dashboards & Startpages |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, kubernetes, helm |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,164 | ★ 822 |
| First released | 2023 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Google homepage | Google homepage |
What are Cosmos Server and Hajimari?
Cosmos Server
Cosmos is a self-hosted server platform with an application dashboard, app store, reverse proxy, and security features. It makes managing and accessing homelab applications simple from one interface.
- App dashboard and store
- Built-in reverse proxy
- Authentication and SSO
- Security monitoring
Hajimari
Hajimari is a self-hosted startpage and dashboard for Kubernetes clusters. It auto-discovers applications from ingress annotations and presents them in a themeable grid alongside custom bookmarks and a built-in search bar.
- Kubernetes app auto-discovery
- Customizable bookmarks
- Built-in search bar
- Themeable interface
Cosmos Server vs Hajimari: key differences
Both projects are written in Go. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Cosmos Server versus MIT for Hajimari. Hajimari is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Cosmos Server. Hajimari is the more established project (first released 2021), while Cosmos Server arrived in 2023. Cosmos Server has the considerably larger community, at 6,164 GitHub stars versus 822.
Why pick each one
Choose Cosmos Server if…
- All-in-one server platform
- Easy app installs
Watch out for
- Opinionated approach
- Heavier than a plain dashboard
Choose Hajimari if…
- Great Kubernetes integration
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Less active development
- Fewer widgets than rivals
Frequently asked questions
Is Cosmos Server or Hajimari better?
Neither is universally better. Cosmos Server has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Cosmos Server and Hajimari free and open-source?
Yes. Cosmos Server is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Hajimari under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cosmos Server and Hajimari with Docker?
Cosmos Server: yes. Hajimari: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Cosmos Server or Hajimari?
Hajimari has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Cosmos Server. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.