# juanfont/headscale

An open source, self-hosted implementation of the Tailscale control server

Repository: https://github.com/juanfont/headscale
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/headscale
Language: Go
License: BSD-3-Clause
License Family: permissive
Topics: tailscale, tailscale-control-server, wireguard, tailscale-server
Last push: 2026-08-25T20:00:36+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 98/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 95, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 2264, "days_push": 8, "days_rel": 35, "gap_med": 15, "n_releases_24m": 16}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 43205, forks 2519 (observed 2026-08-28T04:12:08.959564+00:00)

## What it is
Headscale is an open-source, self-hosted implementation of the Tailscale control server written in Go. It coordinates WireGuard-based mesh VPN networks by exchanging node keys, assigning IP addresses, and managing users and routes without relying on Tailscale's proprietary control plane.

## Use cases
- self-host a Tailscale control server for my own tailnet
- build a private WireGuard mesh VPN without Tailscale's cloud
- replace Tailscale SaaS for a small team or homelab
- manage VPN node keys and IP assignment on my own infrastructure
- run a single tailnet for a personal lab or open-source project
- share machines and routes between users in a private overlay network

## When to choose
- you want full control and data sovereignty over your Tailscale coordination server
- you run a personal network, homelab, or small organisation with a single tailnet
- you want to avoid Tailscale's proprietary control plane and per-user pricing
- you are comfortable self-hosting a Go binary or container on a Linux server

## When to avoid
- you need multi-tailnet management or enterprise features of the official Tailscale control plane
- you want a fully managed, zero-maintenance VPN solution
- you need official GUI client support guarantees for all proprietary OS features
- you rely on Tailscale's hosted features like MagicDNS integrations with their SaaS ecosystem

## Facets
- artifact type: service
- maturity: active
- function: vpn, networking, security, self-hosted, http-server
- domain: networking, security, self-hosted, privacy
- platform: go, self-hosted, cross-platform
- tags: tailscale, wireguard, control-server, mesh-vpn, tailnet, coordination-server, linux, docker

## Member repositories
- juanfont/headscale (main) score 98

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:12:08.959564+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 2026-08-29T16:22:34.797327+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/juanfont/headscale (fetched 2026-08-28T04:12:08.959564+00:00, sha 0de089f552d8)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.