Project Overview
AzerothCore is an open-source C++ server emulator for World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (patch 3.3.5a). If you want to run a private WoW server — a personal sandbox, a development environment, or a community-hosted realm — it is the most actively maintained and extensible option targeting the WotLK client.
The project descends from TrinityCore and, before that, the original MaNGOS emulator. AzerothCore forked from TrinityCore's 3.3.5a branch and added a dedicated module system on top, which separates custom game logic from core engine code. That separation is the project's defining feature.
AzerothCore is released under GPL-2.0. You can run it privately, modify it, and build on it freely, but any modifications you distribute must also be open-source. Running a public private server using this emulator occupies legal grey territory regardless of the software license — that is a risk you accept separately.
Key Challenges Addressed
WoW server emulation is not a simple project to get right. AzerothCore specifically addresses:
-
Game database correctness: WoW's world database is enormous — millions of NPC entries, quest records, spell definitions, and loot tables. AzerothCore maintains a curated game database updated continuously by contributors with quest fixes, NPC behavior corrections, and world data patches.
-
Core stability: Accurately emulating WoW's server-side logic in C++ requires handling hundreds of interacting subsystems — combat math, pathfinding, spell chaining, channeling, world event states. AzerothCore carries years of TrinityCore fixes plus its own corrections.
-
Safe extensibility: Customizing earlier WoW emulators meant patching core C++ files directly. Every upstream update then required hand-merging your changes. AzerothCore's module hook system lets you attach custom behavior at registered extension points without touching core files, keeping your customizations mergeable against upstream.
-
Cross-platform build: C++ MMO servers are notoriously hard to build reliably across Linux, macOS, and Windows. AzerothCore ships maintained CMake configs and a Docker Compose setup that handles most of the platform friction.
Getting Started
The fastest path is Docker:
git clone https://github.com/azerothcore/azerothcore-wotlk.git
cd azerothcore-wotlk
docker compose up
This pulls prebuilt images and starts the world server, auth server, and database. You still need to supply your own WoW 3.3.5a client data files — AzerothCore cannot distribute them.
For a source build:
mkdir build && cd build
cmake ../ -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$HOME/azeroth-server/ \
-DTOOLS=1 -DSCRIPTS=static
make -j$(nproc)
make install
Sharp edges to handle before your first launch:
- Run all four map extractors before starting the worldserver: If you skip
mapextractor,mmaps_generator,vmap4extractor, andvmap4assembler, NPC pathfinding is disabled and every creature moves in a straight line through walls. There is no warning — the server starts, players log in, and pathfinding is silently broken. Run the extractors first, verify theData/directory matches the wiki's layout, then start the server. - Database assembly must complete cleanly: If
acore.sh db-assemblerfails partway through because of a MySQL charset mismatch (utf8 vs utf8mb4), the worldserver connects to an empty database and rejects every player login. Check your MariaDB charset configuration before running the assembler. - Module load order is your responsibility: Two modules hooking the same event in conflicting ways do not fail loudly. AzerothCore does not enforce dependency ordering automatically — you configure it in each module's CMake setup. If you see incorrect behavior after adding a second module that touches the same system, check hook registration order first.
Features and Use Cases
Module system: You extend the server by writing C++ modules that hook into registered event points. AzerothCore's hook API covers creature scripts, player events, spell casts, map loads, and dozens of other game systems. The community maintains a module catalog with actively developed additions for transmogrification, solo LFG queuing, custom item shops, and bot players.
C++ creature and quest scripting: NPC behavior is implemented by writing a script class that overrides virtual methods — OnDeath, OnSpellCast, OnGossipHello — and registering it with the script manager. This is how you implement custom boss encounters, NPC quests, and triggered world events.
Raid and dungeon scripting: Major WotLK content — Naxxramas, Ulduar, Trial of the Crusader, Icecrown Citadel — is scripted in the core. Completeness varies by instance; some are fully playable, others have known gaps tracked in the issue list. Check the issue tracker before committing to specific progression content.
Lua scripting via mod-eluna: Adding the mod-eluna module embeds Lua scripting into the server, letting you write game scripts in Lua instead of C++. This lowers the barrier for content contributors who are not C++ engineers. Not all hooks are exposed through Lua, so verify coverage for the specific systems you need.
Server management APIs: AzerothCore ships with a SOAP interface and a REST module for banning accounts, resetting instances, and modifying character data without direct database access.
Ecosystem and Dependencies
AzerothCore's core dependencies:
- MySQL/MariaDB (MariaDB 10.6+ recommended): all game world, character, and auth data.
- Boost: threading, networking, and filesystem operations throughout the codebase.
- OpenSSL: authentication handshake with WoW clients.
- recastnavigation/recastnavigation: movement map generation and NPC pathfinding. Without compiled mmaps, pathfinding is disabled entirely.
Community modules that see regular use:
- mod-eluna: Lua scripting embedded into the server.
- mod-transmog: Transmogrification system for WotLK.
- mod-solo-lfg: Allows solo players to queue for group content.
- mod-npc-bots: Adds bot players that function as party members.
The AzerothCore wiki covers installation, module authoring, the scripting API, and database schema. It is the primary reference for anything beyond the repository's README.
Architectural Overview
AzerothCore runs as two processes: authserver and worldserver.
authserver handles login authentication and realm list delivery. It is stateless between connections — it validates credentials against the auth database and tells the WoW client which worldserver to connect to. You can run multiple worldservers under one authserver for separate realms.
worldserver is a single multi-threaded C++ process managing the entire game world: map instancing, player session handling, spell resolution, combat calculations, NPC AI ticks, and scripted world events. The map update loop runs on a fixed tick rate; player sessions are dispatched through a session update thread pool.
The scripting system centers on ScriptMgr, a singleton that dispatches events to registered script objects. When a creature dies, ScriptMgr::OnCreatureDeath() iterates registered handlers in order. Modules register their script objects at startup through the module hook interface, which runs before the world fully loads.
Database I/O uses a connection pool with async dispatch. Synchronous database queries in the map update loop are a performance footgun — if a module makes blocking DB calls per-player per-tick, server lag scales linearly with player count. Use async queries and tune connection pool sizing for anything beyond a small private realm.
The module system's core mechanism is a macro-generated shim layer around ScriptMgr that lets modules intercept any hook without modifying core source files. Modules compile as shared libraries or link statically; load order and inter-module dependencies are declared per-module in CMake configuration.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Active upstream development: the main branch receives regular commits covering bug fixes, DB corrections, and core improvements.
- Module system that works cleanly: custom gameplay systems attach at well-defined extension points without forking the core, keeping your customizations mergeable against upstream updates.
- Solid Docker setup: the official Compose configuration reliably runs a working development server with no manual dependency resolution.
- Strong community knowledge base: years of issues, PRs, and documented solutions mean most common problems are already answered.
- Scripting API is well documented: the wiki covers creature scripting, player events, and module authoring in enough depth to build substantial custom content without reverse-engineering source.
Cons
- WotLK-only scope: if you need a different expansion — vanilla, TBC, Cataclysm — you need a different emulator.
- C++ is the primary extension language: the full hook surface is C++ only. Lua via mod-eluna covers a subset; verify coverage before depending on it for a specific system.
- Raid script coverage gaps: not every WotLK instance is fully scripted. Audit content you need against the issue tracker before building a progression server around it.
- Single worldserver architecture: horizontal scaling is limited. High concurrent player counts require significant tuning; default settings are not optimized for production load.
- GPL-2.0 copyleft: modifications you distribute must also be GPL-2.0. If you need to keep customizations proprietary, this is a hard blocker.
Comparison and Alternatives
GitHub stars
Weekly star gains
Full metrics details
GitHub GraphQL current stargazer cohort, reconstructed from starredAt events and totalCount retrieved in one stable pagination walk. GitHub does not expose historical unstar events, so this is not an exact ledger of past star counts.
Azerothcore Wotlk
GitHub GraphQL current stargazer cohort, reconstructed from starredAt events and totalCount retrieved in one stable pagination walk. GitHub does not expose historical unstar events, so this is not an exact ledger of past star counts.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
TrinityCore
GitHub GraphQL current stargazer cohort, reconstructed from starredAt events and totalCount retrieved in one stable pagination walk. GitHub does not expose historical unstar events, so this is not an exact ledger of past star counts.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
CMaNGOS WotLK
GitHub GraphQL current stargazer cohort, reconstructed from starredAt events and totalCount retrieved in one stable pagination walk. GitHub does not expose historical unstar events, so this is not an exact ledger of past star counts.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
vMaNGOS
GitHub GraphQL current stargazer cohort, reconstructed from starredAt events and totalCount retrieved in one stable pagination walk. GitHub does not expose historical unstar events, so this is not an exact ledger of past star counts.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
Issues opened
Weekly total
Full metrics details
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
Azerothcore Wotlk
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
177 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
TrinityCore
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
CMaNGOS WotLK
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
vMaNGOS
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
Issues closed
Weekly total
Full metrics details
GitHub Search issue totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
Azerothcore Wotlk
GitHub Search issue totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
177 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
TrinityCore
GitHub Search issue totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
CMaNGOS WotLK
GitHub Search issue totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
vMaNGOS
GitHub Search issue totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
Pull requests opened
Weekly total
Full metrics details
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
Azerothcore Wotlk
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
177 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
TrinityCore
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
CMaNGOS WotLK
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
vMaNGOS
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
Pull requests closed
Weekly total
Full metrics details
GitHub Search pull-request totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
Azerothcore Wotlk
GitHub Search pull-request totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
177 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
TrinityCore
GitHub Search pull-request totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
CMaNGOS WotLK
GitHub Search pull-request totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
vMaNGOS
GitHub Search pull-request totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
Pull requests merged
Weekly total
Full metrics details
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
Azerothcore Wotlk
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
177 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
TrinityCore
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
CMaNGOS WotLK
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
vMaNGOS
GitHub API observation. Historical values render only when the source provides a real observation for that day.
143 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
Open/closed pull request ratio
Weekly average
Full metrics details
GitHub Search pull-request totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
Azerothcore Wotlk
GitHub Search pull-request totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
TrinityCore
GitHub Search pull-request totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
CMaNGOS WotLK
GitHub Search pull-request totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
vMaNGOS
GitHub Search pull-request totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
Open/closed issues ratio
Weekly average
Full metrics details
GitHub Search issue totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
Azerothcore Wotlk
GitHub Search issue totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
TrinityCore
GitHub Search issue totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
CMaNGOS WotLK
GitHub Search issue totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
vMaNGOS
GitHub Search issue totals queried for exact UTC days; rolling values are sums of proven daily counts.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
Releases
Weekly total
Full metrics details
GitHub release published_at events bucketed by UTC day; drafts are excluded.
Azerothcore Wotlk
GitHub release published_at events bucketed by UTC day; drafts are excluded.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
TrinityCore
GitHub release published_at events bucketed by UTC day; drafts are excluded.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
CMaNGOS WotLK
GitHub release published_at events bucketed by UTC day; drafts are excluded.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
vMaNGOS
GitHub release published_at events bucketed by UTC day; drafts are excluded.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
| Date | Value |
|---|
Hotness score
Weekly average
Full metrics details
Derived only from GitHub GraphQL starredAt events after daily star totals are reconciled.
Azerothcore Wotlk
Derived only from GitHub GraphQL starredAt events after daily star totals are reconciled.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
Per-day formula: 0.40 × Hot today + 0.40 × Hot week + 0.20 × Breakout.
- Same-day multiplier = stars 1d ÷ max(1, stars 7d ÷ 7)
- Weekly multiplier = stars 7d ÷ max(1, stars 30d ÷ 30 × 7)
- Fortnight multiplier = stars 14d ÷ max(1, stars 90d ÷ 90 × 14)
- Hot today = clamp(70 × log-scale(stars 1d, 1000) + 30 × breakout-scale(same-day, 4))
- Hot week = clamp(75 × log-scale(stars 7d, 5000) + 25 × breakout-scale(weekly, 3))
- Breakout = clamp(35 × breakout-scale(same-day, 4) + 40 × breakout-scale(weekly, 3) + 25 × breakout-scale(fortnight, 2.5))
| Date | Stars | Stars 1d | Stars 7d | Stars 14d | Stars 30d | Stars 90d | Same-day multiplier | Weekly multiplier | Fortnight multiplier | Hot today | Hot week | Breakout | Stored score |
|---|
TrinityCore
Derived only from GitHub GraphQL starredAt events after daily star totals are reconciled.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
Per-day formula: 0.40 × Hot today + 0.40 × Hot week + 0.20 × Breakout.
- Same-day multiplier = stars 1d ÷ max(1, stars 7d ÷ 7)
- Weekly multiplier = stars 7d ÷ max(1, stars 30d ÷ 30 × 7)
- Fortnight multiplier = stars 14d ÷ max(1, stars 90d ÷ 90 × 14)
- Hot today = clamp(70 × log-scale(stars 1d, 1000) + 30 × breakout-scale(same-day, 4))
- Hot week = clamp(75 × log-scale(stars 7d, 5000) + 25 × breakout-scale(weekly, 3))
- Breakout = clamp(35 × breakout-scale(same-day, 4) + 40 × breakout-scale(weekly, 3) + 25 × breakout-scale(fortnight, 2.5))
| Date | Stars | Stars 1d | Stars 7d | Stars 14d | Stars 30d | Stars 90d | Same-day multiplier | Weekly multiplier | Fortnight multiplier | Hot today | Hot week | Breakout | Stored score |
|---|
CMaNGOS WotLK
Derived only from GitHub GraphQL starredAt events after daily star totals are reconciled.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
Per-day formula: 0.40 × Hot today + 0.40 × Hot week + 0.20 × Breakout.
- Same-day multiplier = stars 1d ÷ max(1, stars 7d ÷ 7)
- Weekly multiplier = stars 7d ÷ max(1, stars 30d ÷ 30 × 7)
- Fortnight multiplier = stars 14d ÷ max(1, stars 90d ÷ 90 × 14)
- Hot today = clamp(70 × log-scale(stars 1d, 1000) + 30 × breakout-scale(same-day, 4))
- Hot week = clamp(75 × log-scale(stars 7d, 5000) + 25 × breakout-scale(weekly, 3))
- Breakout = clamp(35 × breakout-scale(same-day, 4) + 40 × breakout-scale(weekly, 3) + 25 × breakout-scale(fortnight, 2.5))
| Date | Stars | Stars 1d | Stars 7d | Stars 14d | Stars 30d | Stars 90d | Same-day multiplier | Weekly multiplier | Fortnight multiplier | Hot today | Hot week | Breakout | Stored score |
|---|
vMaNGOS
Derived only from GitHub GraphQL starredAt events after daily star totals are reconciled.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
Per-day formula: 0.40 × Hot today + 0.40 × Hot week + 0.20 × Breakout.
- Same-day multiplier = stars 1d ÷ max(1, stars 7d ÷ 7)
- Weekly multiplier = stars 7d ÷ max(1, stars 30d ÷ 30 × 7)
- Fortnight multiplier = stars 14d ÷ max(1, stars 90d ÷ 90 × 14)
- Hot today = clamp(70 × log-scale(stars 1d, 1000) + 30 × breakout-scale(same-day, 4))
- Hot week = clamp(75 × log-scale(stars 7d, 5000) + 25 × breakout-scale(weekly, 3))
- Breakout = clamp(35 × breakout-scale(same-day, 4) + 40 × breakout-scale(weekly, 3) + 25 × breakout-scale(fortnight, 2.5))
| Date | Stars | Stars 1d | Stars 7d | Stars 14d | Stars 30d | Stars 90d | Same-day multiplier | Weekly multiplier | Fortnight multiplier | Hot today | Hot week | Breakout | Stored score |
|---|
Reliability score
Weekly average
Full metrics details
Derived from the displayed continuity, closure, shipping, liveness, and support-burden components.
Azerothcore Wotlk
Derived from the displayed continuity, closure, shipping, liveness, and support-burden components.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
Per-day formula: 0.30 × Continuity + 0.30 × Closure + 0.20 × Shipping + 0.10 × Liveness + 0.10 × Support burden.
- Continuity = 35% active ratio 90d + 20% active ratio 30d + 15% PR efficiency 90d + 10% PR efficiency 30d + 10% liveness + 10% observed-history coverage
- Closure = 55% PR merge efficiency 90d + 45% issue close efficiency 90d
- Shipping = 100 × (20% × release ratio 30d + 30% × release ratio 90d + 50% × release ratio 180d); ratios are releases ÷ 2, 6, and 12, capped at 1
- Support burden = 100 − 2 × open issues per 1,000 stars
- Liveness = 100 × exp(−pushed days ago ÷ 120)
Stars, issues, pull requests, and releases are daily observations. Pushed-days and license are repository snapshot-derived inputs and are not independent historical GitHub events.
| Date | Issues opened | Issues closed | PRs opened | PRs merged | Releases | Stars | Open issues | Pushed days ago | Continuity | Closure | Shipping | Liveness | Support burden | License | Observed days | Missing days | Needs healing | Stored score |
|---|
TrinityCore
Derived from the displayed continuity, closure, shipping, liveness, and support-burden components.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
Per-day formula: 0.30 × Continuity + 0.30 × Closure + 0.20 × Shipping + 0.10 × Liveness + 0.10 × Support burden.
- Continuity = 35% active ratio 90d + 20% active ratio 30d + 15% PR efficiency 90d + 10% PR efficiency 30d + 10% liveness + 10% observed-history coverage
- Closure = 55% PR merge efficiency 90d + 45% issue close efficiency 90d
- Shipping = 100 × (20% × release ratio 30d + 30% × release ratio 90d + 50% × release ratio 180d); ratios are releases ÷ 2, 6, and 12, capped at 1
- Support burden = 100 − 2 × open issues per 1,000 stars
- Liveness = 100 × exp(−pushed days ago ÷ 120)
Stars, issues, pull requests, and releases are daily observations. Pushed-days and license are repository snapshot-derived inputs and are not independent historical GitHub events.
| Date | Issues opened | Issues closed | PRs opened | PRs merged | Releases | Stars | Open issues | Pushed days ago | Continuity | Closure | Shipping | Liveness | Support burden | License | Observed days | Missing days | Needs healing | Stored score |
|---|
CMaNGOS WotLK
Derived from the displayed continuity, closure, shipping, liveness, and support-burden components.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
Per-day formula: 0.30 × Continuity + 0.30 × Closure + 0.20 × Shipping + 0.10 × Liveness + 0.10 × Support burden.
- Continuity = 35% active ratio 90d + 20% active ratio 30d + 15% PR efficiency 90d + 10% PR efficiency 30d + 10% liveness + 10% observed-history coverage
- Closure = 55% PR merge efficiency 90d + 45% issue close efficiency 90d
- Shipping = 100 × (20% × release ratio 30d + 30% × release ratio 90d + 50% × release ratio 180d); ratios are releases ÷ 2, 6, and 12, capped at 1
- Support burden = 100 − 2 × open issues per 1,000 stars
- Liveness = 100 × exp(−pushed days ago ÷ 120)
Stars, issues, pull requests, and releases are daily observations. Pushed-days and license are repository snapshot-derived inputs and are not independent historical GitHub events.
| Date | Issues opened | Issues closed | PRs opened | PRs merged | Releases | Stars | Open issues | Pushed days ago | Continuity | Closure | Shipping | Liveness | Support burden | License | Observed days | Missing days | Needs healing | Stored score |
|---|
vMaNGOS
Derived from the displayed continuity, closure, shipping, liveness, and support-burden components.
180 observed daily rows. Missing days are not fabricated.
Per-day formula: 0.30 × Continuity + 0.30 × Closure + 0.20 × Shipping + 0.10 × Liveness + 0.10 × Support burden.
- Continuity = 35% active ratio 90d + 20% active ratio 30d + 15% PR efficiency 90d + 10% PR efficiency 30d + 10% liveness + 10% observed-history coverage
- Closure = 55% PR merge efficiency 90d + 45% issue close efficiency 90d
- Shipping = 100 × (20% × release ratio 30d + 30% × release ratio 90d + 50% × release ratio 180d); ratios are releases ÷ 2, 6, and 12, capped at 1
- Support burden = 100 − 2 × open issues per 1,000 stars
- Liveness = 100 × exp(−pushed days ago ÷ 120)
Stars, issues, pull requests, and releases are daily observations. Pushed-days and license are repository snapshot-derived inputs and are not independent historical GitHub events.
| Date | Issues opened | Issues closed | PRs opened | PRs merged | Releases | Stars | Open issues | Pushed days ago | Continuity | Closure | Shipping | Liveness | Support burden | License | Observed days | Missing days | Needs healing | Stored score |
|---|
The WoW private server emulator space has several actively maintained C++ projects, differentiated primarily by target expansion and extensibility architecture.
| Project | Repo | Hotness (~6mo) | PRs merged (~6mo) | Star growth (~6mo) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azerothcore Wotlk | https://github.com/azerothcore/azerothcore-wotlk | 58.98 | 1715 | 1376 |
| TrinityCore | https://github.com/TrinityCore/TrinityCore | metrics pending | 0 | 42 |
| CMaNGOS WotLK | https://github.com/cmangos/mangos-wotlk | metrics pending | 0 | 3 |
| vMaNGOS | https://github.com/vmangos/core | metrics pending | 0 | 16 |
TrinityCore is AzerothCore's direct parent codebase. It targets multiple WoW versions across separate branches (3.3.5a, 4.x, and newer client versions) and has a larger active contributor base than AzerothCore. TrinityCore has no module system comparable to AzerothCore's — all customization requires forking the core. If you need multi-expansion support, or you want the broadest contributor pool for the 3.3.5a codebase itself, TrinityCore is the stronger foundation.
CMaNGOS WotLK descends from the original MaNGOS codebase, which predates TrinityCore. The architecture differs from AzerothCore in several places. CMaNGOS has a smaller active community and less tooling, but offers a distinct implementation lineage if that matters for your use case.
vMaNGOS targets Vanilla WoW (1.12.1), not WotLK. It is not a direct alternative for WotLK content but is the primary option if you want a vanilla-era realm instead.
The best overall alternative is TrinityCore. It has the most active development, the widest expansion coverage, and the deepest institutional knowledge — and it is the only major project that covers WoW client versions beyond WotLK.
Conclusion
AzerothCore is the right pick for developers who want to run and customize a WotLK server without merging upstream diffs into a forked core on every patch. The module system genuinely delivers on that promise, and the Docker path makes onboarding fast. Start with the official AzerothCore wiki installation guide before attempting a source build.
Do not launch the worldserver before running all four map extractors — skipping mmaps_generator leaves NPC pathfinding silently disabled, and every creature in the game will walk through solid geometry instead of around it, breaking all scripted encounters. Before your first server start, run mapextractor, vmap4extractor, vmap4assembler, and mmaps_generator against your 3.3.5a client, then verify your Data/ directory contains the maps/, vmaps/, mmaps/, and dbc/ subdirectories.