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Cobbler vs netboot.xyz: catalog facts
Cobbler	netboot.xyz
Free Free open-source software supported by community sponsors.	Free Free and open source, supported by GitHub sponsors.
Linux, Self-hosted	Self-hosted
Automates bare-metal and virtual machine provisioning Manages DNS and DHCP alongside installs	One boot image replaces many installer USB sticks Available as ISO, USB image, PXE and EFI builds
Linux-focused installation server Requires network infrastructure knowledge to set up	Needs a working network connection at boot to fetch images PXE setup on a DHCP server takes some networking knowledge
Self-hosted	Downloadable app, Self-hosted
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Needs internet
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.