Heimdall vs Smashing
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted dashboards & startpages options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Heimdall
Simple application dashboard and launcher
VS
Smashing
Sinatra-based dashboard framework for custom widgets
| Feature | Heimdall | Smashing |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Dashboards & Startpages | Dashboards & Startpages |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 9,291 | ★ 3,301 |
| First released | 2017 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Heimdall | Geckoboard |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Heimdall or Smashing better?
Heimdall is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Smashing if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Heimdall and Smashing free and open-source?
Yes. Heimdall is licensed under MIT and Smashing under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Heimdall and Smashing with Docker?
Heimdall: yes. Smashing: yes.