LinuxCNC
Linux based CNC machine controller. It can drive milling machines, lathes, 3D printers, laser cutters, plasma cutters, robot arms, hexapods, and more.
LinuxCNC vs Spoolman
Two self-hosted Manufacturing apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| LinuxCNC | Spoolman | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Linux based CNC machine controller. It can drive milling machines, lathes, 3D printers, laser cutters, plasma cutters, robot arms, hexapods, and more. | Keep track of your inventory of 3D-printer filament spools. |
| GitHub stars | 2,524 | 2,984 |
| Forks | – | – |
| Open issues | – | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 1.7k | 817 |
| Last activity | 2026-11-05 | 2026-11-02 |
| Latest release | v2.10.0-pre2 (2026-09-28) | v0.27.1 (2026-10-31) |
| Maintenance health | Active | Active |
| License | GPL-2.0, LGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language / platform | C, deb | Docker, Python |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~512 MB, 1 vCPU | ~1 GB, 1 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $3.5/mo | $5/mo |
| Categories | Manufacturing | Inventory Management, Manufacturing |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- LinuxCNC and Spoolman have a similar number of GitHub stars (2.5k vs 3k).
- LinuxCNC had more commits in the last 12 months (1,747 vs 817).
- Spoolman published a release more recently (v0.27.1 on 2026-10-31; LinuxCNC's latest is v2.10.0-pre2 on 2026-09-28).
- LinuxCNC is licensed under GPL-2.0, LGPL-3.0, Spoolman under MIT. Spoolman's license is permissive; LinuxCNC's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
- LinuxCNC is written in C; Spoolman in Python.
- Deployment options listed upstream: LinuxCNC: deb; Spoolman: Docker.
- Our rough hardware estimate is lighter for LinuxCNC (~512 MB server) than Spoolman (~1 GB); this is an estimate from the stack and category, not a benchmark.
Summary: LinuxCNC leads on commit activity. The right choice depends on the features you need — read both project descriptions and docs.
This summary is generated from GitHub, Docker Hub and awesome-selfhosted data as of 2026-11-05. It does not rate features or quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is LinuxCNC or Spoolman more popular?
They are close: LinuxCNC has 2,524 GitHub stars and Spoolman has 2,984 (as of 2026-11-05).
Which is more actively maintained, LinuxCNC or Spoolman?
LinuxCNC had more commits over the last 12 months (1,747 vs 817). The last recorded activity was 2026-11-05 for LinuxCNC and 2026-11-02 for Spoolman. Our health labels: LinuxCNC is “Active”, Spoolman is “Active”.
What licenses do LinuxCNC and Spoolman use?
LinuxCNC: GPL-2.0, LGPL-3.0. Spoolman: MIT. Spoolman's license is permissive; LinuxCNC's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
Can I run LinuxCNC and Spoolman with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. The upstream listing mentions Docker as a deployment option for Spoolman. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
Spoolman
Keep track of your inventory of 3D-printer filament spools.
Browse all self-hosted Manufacturing apps.