DOODS2 vs go2rtc
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted video surveillance options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
go2rtc
Ultimate camera streaming gateway with low latency
| Feature | DOODS2 | go2rtc |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 50 · Fair | 90 · Excellent |
| Category | Video Surveillance | Video Surveillance |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Python | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 277 | ★ 14,247 |
| First released | 2020 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Nest Cam | Nest Cam |
What are DOODS2 and go2rtc?
DOODS2
DOODS2 is a dedicated open object detection service written in Python. It exposes REST and gRPC APIs for running detection on images and video streams, supports Coral EdgeTPU and GPU acceleration, and is commonly paired with NVR software rather than being an NVR itself.
- Standalone object detection service
- REST and gRPC APIs
- Coral and GPU support
- Integrates with NVR software
go2rtc
go2rtc is a camera streaming application that supports RTSP, WebRTC, HomeKit, and many other protocols with very low latency. It is widely used as a streaming layer for surveillance and smart-home camera setups.
- Multi-protocol camera streaming
- Ultra-low latency WebRTC
- HomeKit support
- Single binary
DOODS2 vs go2rtc: key differences
DOODS2 is written in Python, while go2rtc is built with Go. Go2rtc is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for DOODS2. DOODS2 is the more established project (first released 2020), while go2rtc arrived in 2022. Go2rtc has the considerably larger community, at 14,247 GitHub stars versus 277.
Why pick each one
Choose DOODS2 if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Python
Watch out for
- Detection service only
- Needs an NVR to pair with
Choose go2rtc if…
- Very low latency
- Lightweight and flexible
Watch out for
- Streaming layer, not a full NVR
- Config requires some knowledge
Frequently asked questions
Is DOODS2 or go2rtc better?
Neither is universally better. go2rtc has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are DOODS2 and go2rtc free and open-source?
Yes. DOODS2 is licensed under MIT and go2rtc under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run DOODS2 and go2rtc with Docker?
DOODS2: yes. go2rtc: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, DOODS2 or go2rtc?
go2rtc has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for DOODS2. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.