# cesanta/mongoose

Embedded web server, with TCP/IP network stack, MQTT and Websocket

Repository: https://github.com/cesanta/mongoose
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/cesanta-mongoose
Homepage: https://mongoose.ws
Language: C
License: NOASSERTION
License Family: other
Topics: websocket, mqtt, embedded, webserver, web-server, iot, http, tcp, udp, tcpip, tls13
Last push: 2026-08-26T12:11:14+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 94/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 85, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 5132, "days_push": 7, "days_rel": 21, "gap_med": 90, "n_releases_24m": 8}
- flags: no_license
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 13009, forks 2931 (observed 2026-08-28T04:11:01.713981+00:00)

## What it is
Mongoose is a two-file C networking library and embedded web server providing HTTP, WebSocket, MQTT, TLS 1.3, and an optional built-in TCP/IP stack for microcontrollers and desktop OSes. It also includes firmware OTA update support and device-dashboard infrastructure for IoT products.

## Use cases
- embed an HTTP server in firmware on ESP32 or STM32
- add MQTT telemetry to an IoT device
- serve a real-time device dashboard with WebSockets from a microcontroller
- implement firmware OTA updates over HTTP or MQTT
- add TLS 1.3 encrypted endpoints to embedded C code
- run a lightweight web server on Linux or Windows with a tiny footprint
- unify networking code across desktop and embedded targets

## When to choose
- you need a small, dependency-free C/C++ networking stack for embedded or IoT devices
- you want HTTP, WebSocket, MQTT, and TLS in one integrated library
- you need OTA firmware updates and device dashboards on microcontrollers
- you want battle-tested code with commercial support and CRA compliance

## When to avoid
- you need a full-featured general-purpose web server for hosting websites
- your project cannot accept GPLv2 or a commercial license
- you work in a language other than C/C++
- you need high-level async frameworks or rich middleware ecosystems

## Facets
- artifact type: library
- maturity: stable
- function: http-server, websocket, networking, cryptography, middleware
- domain: embedded-systems, iot, web-development, networking, developer-tools
- platform: embedded, windows, cross-platform, c, cpp
- tags: mqtt, tcpip-stack, tls13, ota-updates, device-dashboard, microcontroller, firmware, iot, linux, macos

## Member repositories
- cesanta/mongoose (main) score 94

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:11:01.713981+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T17:13:35.932546+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/cesanta/mongoose (fetched 2026-08-28T04:11:01.713981+00:00, sha 19ca1922325f)
  - homepage: https://mongoose.ws (fetched 2026-08-29T08:09:24.777334+00:00, sha 9840924f4c19)
  - site_page: https://mongoose.ws/docs (fetched 2026-08-29T08:09:24.786862+00:00, sha 44e95f3acd4e)
  - site_page: https://mongoose.ws/about (fetched 2026-08-29T08:09:24.788845+00:00, sha a97c56ce2403)
  - site_page: https://mongoose.ws/docs/concepts/supported-hardware (fetched 2026-08-29T08:09:24.790657+00:00, sha 865c786fa687)
  - site_page: https://mongoose.ws/docs/guides/web-dashboard-guide (fetched 2026-08-29T08:09:24.792382+00:00, sha b9029581acc8)
  - site_page: https://mongoose.ws/docs/guides/web-ui-builder (fetched 2026-08-29T08:09:24.794222+00:00, sha 11348e40084a)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.