Glance vs Apache SkyWalking

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
FeatureGlanceApache SkyWalking
CategoryDashboards & StartpagesMonitoring & Status
LicenseAGPL-3.0Apache-2.0
LanguageGoJava
Setup difficultyEasyHard
Min. RAM128 MB2,048 MB
Deploymentdocker, binarydocker, kubernetes, helm
GitHub stars★ 36,179★ 24,915
First released20242015
ReplacesHeimdallNew Relic, Datadog

Why pick each one

Choose Glance if…

  • Information-dense layout
  • Very lightweight
  • Easy config
Glance details

Choose Apache SkyWalking if…

  • Full observability suite
  • Strong Apache governance
Apache SkyWalking details

Frequently asked questions

Is Glance or Apache SkyWalking better?

Glance is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Apache SkyWalking if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Glance and Apache SkyWalking free and open-source?

Yes. Glance is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Apache SkyWalking under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Glance and Apache SkyWalking with Docker?

Glance: yes. Apache SkyWalking: yes.

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