New API vs Hugging Face Transformers
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?
New API
Next-gen LLM gateway and AI asset management system
VS
Hugging Face Transformers
State-of-the-art machine learning model library
| Feature | New API | Hugging Face Transformers |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Self-Hosted AI |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Go | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 8,192 MB |
| Deployment | docker | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 44,636 | ★ 163,456 |
| First released | 2024 | 2018 |
| Replaces | OpenRouter, OpenAI API | OpenAI API |
Why pick each one
Choose New API if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 44.6k GitHub stars
- Written in Go
Choose Hugging Face Transformers if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Mature project with 163.5k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
Frequently asked questions
Is New API or Hugging Face Transformers better?
Neither is universally better. Hugging Face Transformers has the larger community, while New API is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are New API and Hugging Face Transformers free and open-source?
Yes. New API is licensed under MIT and Hugging Face Transformers under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run New API and Hugging Face Transformers with Docker?
New API: yes. Hugging Face Transformers: check the project docs for container support.