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Cobbler vs MAAS: catalog facts
Cobbler	MAAS
Free Free open-source software supported by community sponsors.	Free Open source; Canonical also offers commercial engagement through its sales team.
Linux, Self-hosted	Linux, Self-hosted
Automates bare-metal and virtual machine provisioning Manages DNS and DHCP alongside installs	Automates bare-metal provisioning from setup to decommissioning Treats physical servers as an on-demand resource pool
Linux-focused installation server Requires network infrastructure knowledge to set up	Built for data centers and server fleets, not single machines Needs network and hardware management access to the servers it controls
Self-hosted	Self-hosted
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.