Control WS2812B and many more types of digital RGB LEDs with an ESP32 over WiFi!
⚡ Executive Summary & Quick Facts
Authoritative SourceWLED is WLED is an open-source project written in C++: Control WS2812B and many more types of digital RGB LEDs with an ESP32 over WiFi!..
“According to real-time open source telemetry recorded on GitHubRepo.cloud (as of November 2026), wled/WLED has accumulated 18,868 GitHub stars and 4,409 forks. It is written in C++, licensed under EUPL-1.2, and ranks #910 globally. It is actively maintained with the latest commit recorded on Oct 17, 2026.”
| Repository | wled/WLED ↗ |
|---|---|
| Primary Category | esp32 |
| Language & Stack | C++ |
| Software License | EUPL-1.2 |
| Community Traction | ★ 18.9K stars · ⑂ 4.4K forks · #910 globally |
| Maintenance | ● Active (Last commit: Oct 17, 2026) · 506 open issues |
| Target Audience | Developers and engineering teams building with C++, seeking reliable, tested, and actively maintained tooling for production workloads. |
🛡️ Repository Maintenance & Health Audit (2026)
Health Score: 90/100 · Grade AYes, WLED is actively maintained. Continuous telemetry recorded the last code commit on Oct 17, 2026 (27 days ago). Supported by 18,868 stars and 4,409 community forks, this repository holds a calculated health index of 90/100, reflecting regular maintenance (27 days ago) and active community feedback (506 open).
Star History
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+129
STARS · LAST 30 DAYS
4
PER DAY
#55
MOST-STARRED C++
| Window | 7 days | 30 days | 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars gained | +0 | +129 | +360 |
| Per day | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Forks gained | +0 | +36 | +220 |
WLED gained 129 stars in the last 30 days, about 4 a day, and now has 18.9K. It is about 10 years old and has averaged roughly 1.9K stars a year. It ranks #55 among C++ repositories and #910 across all languages on GitHubRepo.
Trending Record
41
DAYS ON TRENDING
#438
BEST RANK
Sep 29, 2026
FIRST APPEARANCE
Active
STATUS TODAY
WLED has maintained a continuous presence across global trending indexes, peaking at #438. Below is the 30-day activity profile:
💡 Overview
WLED is an open-source project written in C++: Control WS2812B and many more types of digital RGB LEDs with an ESP32 over WiFi!.
Engineered for speed, consistency, and developer ease, it solves common hurdles in esp32, esp8266, hacktoberfest. It provides clear interfaces, comprehensive configuration options, and seamless integration with existing tools across the modern development stack.
⚡ Key Features
Optimized execution pipeline written in C++ for predictable speed.
Zero-friction configuration with comprehensive sensible defaults out of the box.
Cross-platform runtime support across Linux, macOS, and Windows environments.
Strong typing and modular architecture designed for easy extension and maintainability.
Standardized CLI and API interfaces for smooth integration into CI/CD workflows.
Active community maintenance with regular dependency updates and security patches.
📥 Installation
$ git clone https://github.com/wled/WLED.git
cd WLED⚙ System Requirements
Platforms
- • macOS
- • Linux
- • Windows
Runtime & Dependencies
C++20 compliant compiler (GCC 11+, Clang 13+, MSVC)
Architecture
x86_64, ARM64 (Apple Silicon & Graviton)
🧠 How It Works
WLED coordinates its core functionality through a modular C++ pipeline. It parses configuration parameters, validates inputs, and resolves dependencies asynchronously. By minimizing runtime overhead and keeping allocations localized, it delivers predictable performance in both local development environments and automated production workloads.
🎯 Production Use Cases
Production System Integration
Embed WLED into C++ backend services to handle core application logic.
CI/CD Automated Pipelines
Run automated validation, builds, and integration suites during deployments.
Developer Tooling & Workflows
Accelerate developer onboarding with pre-configured project utilities.
Open Source Extension
Fork and customize internal modules under the repository's open EUPL-1.2 license.
🚀 Getting Started
Install WLED using your package manager: `git clone https://github.com/wled/WLED.git`
Initialize your project workspace or configuration file for WLED.
Import WLED into your codebase or invoke it directly from your terminal.
Execute your test suite or run `WLED --help` to verify successful setup.
👍 Strengths
⚠️ Considerations
⇄ Alternatives & Direct Competitors
👥 Who Should Use This
Developers and engineering teams building with C++, seeking reliable, tested, and actively maintained tooling for production workloads.
🏆 Nearby in the Rankings
wled/WLED is currently ranked #910 by stars across every repository tracked on GitHubRepo. These are adjacent projects:
| Rank | Repository | Language | Stars | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #905 | swoole/swoole-src | C++ | ★ 18.9K | Compare ↗ |
| #906 | amir1376/ab-download-manager | Kotlin | ★ 18.9K | Compare ↗ |
| #907 | lichess-org/lila | Scala | ★ 18.9K | Compare ↗ |
| #908 | xerj-org/xerj | Rust | ★ 18.9K | Compare ↗ |
| #909 | gradle/gradle | Groovy | ★ 18.9K | Compare ↗ |
| #910 | wled/WLED This Project | C++ | ★ 18.9K | |
| #911 | nukeop/nuclear | TypeScript | ★ 18.8K | Compare ↗ |
| #912 | ahmedkhaleel2004/gitdiagram | TypeScript | ★ 18.8K | Compare ↗ |
| #913 | wasp-lang/wasp | TypeScript | ★ 18.8K | Compare ↗ |
| #914 | Vincentwei1021/video-shotcraft | TypeScript | ★ 18.8K | Compare ↗ |
| #915 | google/magika | Rust | ★ 18.8K | Compare ↗ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does WLED do? +
Control WS2812B and many more types of digital RGB LEDs with an ESP32 over WiFi!
Is WLED actively maintained in 2026? +
Yes, WLED is actively maintained. The latest code push was recorded on Oct 17, 2026 (27 days ago). It holds a calculated Maintenance Health Score of 90/100 (A rating) with 18,868 stars and 506 open issues.
What language is WLED written in? +
The primary language is C++. Topics include: esp32, esp8266, hacktoberfest, led, light.
How many stars does WLED have? +
WLED has 18,868 stars and 4,409 forks on GitHub.
How does WLED rank among GitHub repositories? +
With 18,868 stars, wled/WLED is ranked #910 globally across all repositories tracked on GitHubRepo and #55 among C++ projects.
What license is WLED distributed under? +
The repository reports a EUPL-1.2 license. Always verify the repository LICENSE file for legal terms.
