OpenGrok vs Sourcebot
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?
OpenGrok
Fast source code search and cross-reference engine
VS
Sourcebot
Self-hosted code search and understanding tool
| Feature | OpenGrok | Sourcebot |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Developer Tools & Git | Git Hosting & Forges |
| License | CDDL-1.0 | MIT |
| Language | Java | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,902 | ★ 3,659 |
| First released | 2005 | 2024 |
| Replaces | GitHub Code Search | GitHub Code Search, Sourcegraph |
Why pick each one
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
Choose Sourcebot if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.7k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenGrok or Sourcebot better?
Neither is universally better. OpenGrok has the larger community, while Sourcebot is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are OpenGrok and Sourcebot free and open-source?
Yes. OpenGrok is licensed under CDDL-1.0 and Sourcebot under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenGrok and Sourcebot with Docker?
OpenGrok: yes. Sourcebot: yes.