openHAB vs Zwave-JS Server
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted home automation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
openHAB
Vendor-neutral open-source home automation
VS
Zwave-JS Server
Small server wrapping the Z-Wave JS driver over WebSocket
| Feature | openHAB | Zwave-JS Server |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Home Automation | Home Automation |
| License | EPL-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Java | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,134 | ★ 162 |
| First released | 2010 | 2021 |
| Replaces | SmartThings, Google Home | SmartThings |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is openHAB or Zwave-JS Server better?
Neither is universally better. openHAB has the larger community, while Zwave-JS Server is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are openHAB and Zwave-JS Server free and open-source?
Yes. openHAB is licensed under EPL-2.0 and Zwave-JS Server under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run openHAB and Zwave-JS Server with Docker?
openHAB: yes. Zwave-JS Server: yes.