llama.cpp vs One API
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted local llm runners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
llama.cpp
High-performance LLM inference in plain C/C++
VS
One API
Unified OpenAI-compatible gateway for many LLM providers
| Feature | llama.cpp | One API |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Local LLM Runners |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | C++ | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal, docker | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 123,039 | ★ 36,253 |
| First released | 2023 | 2023 |
| Replaces | OpenAI API | OpenAI API, OpenRouter |
Why pick each one
Choose llama.cpp if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 123k GitHub stars
- Written in C++
Choose One API if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 36.3k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is llama.cpp or One API better?
Neither is universally better. llama.cpp has the larger community, while One API is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are llama.cpp and One API free and open-source?
Yes. llama.cpp is licensed under MIT and One API under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run llama.cpp and One API with Docker?
llama.cpp: yes. One API: yes.