What is openHAB used for?

openHAB Core is the Java framework of core bundles that underpins the openHAB smart home and IoT automation runtime. It is a good fit for developing openHAB runtime components and building smart home products on OSGi.

Is openHAB open source?

Yes. openHAB is open source under the EPL-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at openhab/openhab-core and is written mainly in Java.

Yes. openHAB is open source, so the software itself is free to use.

Can I self-host openHAB?

Yes. openHAB can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.

What is openHAB an alternative to?

openHAB is an open-source alternative to SmartThings, Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Apple Home. Other open-source alternatives to SmartThings include Home Assistant, Gladys Assistant and Home Assistant OS.

Is openHAB actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to openHAB was on 2 October 2026. The project has 1.1k stars on GitHub.

openHAB: open-source alternative to SmartThings, Google Home

About openHAB

openHAB Core contains the core bundles of the openHAB runtime, an open-source platform for home automation and the Internet of Things. The README is explicit that Core is not a product by itself but a framework for building solutions on top of it. The repository is mainly an artifact repository of OSGi bundles that the main openHAB distribution picks up and that can be used within smart home products.

Building it uses Maven and a Java SE Development Kit 21. The README walks through checking out the source, setting Maven options, and running a clean install with the spotless formatter, with quicker variants that skip tests or checks for faster local builds. The code is Java and licensed under EPL-2.0.

People who want to run openHAB at home normally install the main distribution instead of building Core. The repository itself is aimed at developers and contributors, and it points to contribution guidelines. Topics mention home automation, the Internet of Things and Java.

Key features

OSGi bundles for the openHAB runtime
Framework for smart home solutions
Maven-based build
Picked up by the main openHAB distribution
Contribution guidelines for developers

Good fit for

→Developing openHAB runtime components
→Building smart home products on OSGi

Built with: Java
Tags: home-automation; iot; openhab; java; osgi; smart-home; framework; maven

openHAB: questions and answers

What is openHAB used for?: openHAB Core is the Java framework of core bundles that underpins the openHAB smart home and IoT automation runtime. It is a good fit for developing openHAB runtime components and building smart home products on OSGi.
Is openHAB open source?: Yes. openHAB is open source under the EPL-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at openhab/openhab-core and is written mainly in Java.
Is openHAB free?: Yes. openHAB is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
Can I self-host openHAB?: Yes. openHAB can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
What is openHAB an alternative to?: openHAB is an open-source alternative to SmartThings, Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Apple Home. Other open-source alternatives to SmartThings include Home Assistant, Gladys Assistant and Home Assistant OS.
Is openHAB actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to openHAB was on 2 October 2026. The project has 1.1k stars on GitHub.