Hound vs OpenGrok
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?
Hound
Lightning-fast code search across many Git repositories
VS
OpenGrok
Fast source code search and cross-reference engine
| Feature | Hound | OpenGrok |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Search Engines | Developer Tools & Git |
| License | MIT | CDDL-1.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,865 | ★ 4,902 |
| First released | 2015 | 2005 |
| Replaces | GitHub Code Search | GitHub Code Search |
Why pick each one
Choose Hound if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.9k GitHub stars
Choose OpenGrok if…
- Released under the CDDL-1.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
Frequently asked questions
Is Hound or OpenGrok better?
Hound is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider OpenGrok if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Hound and OpenGrok free and open-source?
Yes. Hound is licensed under MIT and OpenGrok under CDDL-1.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Hound and OpenGrok with Docker?
Hound: yes. OpenGrok: yes.