json-server vs Whoami

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted developer tools & git options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
Featurejson-serverWhoami
CategoryDeveloper Tools & GitDeveloper Tools & Git
LicenseMITfree
LanguageJavaScriptGo
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM128 MB512 MB
Deploymentsource, dockerdocker, one-click
GitHub stars★ 75,695★ 1,408
First released20142023
ReplacesMockoon, Postman Mock

Why pick each one

Choose json-server if…

  • Released under the MIT license
  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Mature project with 75.7k GitHub stars
json-server details

Choose Whoami if…

  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • One-click install on common self-host platforms
  • Active community (1.4k GitHub stars)
Whoami details

Frequently asked questions

Is json-server or Whoami better?

Neither is universally better. json-server has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are json-server and Whoami free and open-source?

Yes. json-server is licensed under MIT and Whoami under free. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run json-server and Whoami with Docker?

json-server: yes. Whoami: yes.

Related comparisons