CDviz vs Middleware
Both CDviz and Middleware are open-source, Apache 2.0 platforms targeting SDLC observability and DORA metrics. The core difference is the data model: Middleware polls your tools (GitHub, GitLab, Jira) on a schedule; CDviz ingests a real-time event stream from your pipeline using the CDEvents standard.
Last updated March 2026. Corrections welcome.
At a glance
| CDviz | Middleware | |
|---|---|---|
| License | Apache 2.0 | Apache 2.0 |
| Self-hosted | ✅ | ✅ |
| SaaS option | ⏳ waitlist | ✅ |
| Commercial support | ✅ | ✅ (paid tiers only) |
| Data ownership | ✅ full | ✅ self-hosted / ❌ SaaS cloud |
| CDEvents standard | ✅ | ❌ |
| Data model | Event-driven (push, real-time) | Pull-based (polling) |
| DORA metrics | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sprint / project flow insights | ❌ | ✅ |
| PR review analytics | ✅ | ✅ |
| AI-powered reports | ❌ | ✅ (Standard+) |
| Beyond monitoring: trigger workflows | ✅ | ❌ |
| Jira integration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Slack integration | ✅ | ✅ (Standard+) |
| Customizable storage backends | ✅ (PostgreSQL, ClickHouse…) | ❌ |
| Visualization | Grafana, BI, AI agents, MCP, IDP | built-in dashboards |
| Cost (self-hosted) | Infra + optional support | Free community |
| Cost (SaaS) | ⏳ waitlist (per org/month) | $39/user/month (Standard) |
Key differences
- Data model: Middleware polls GitHub, GitLab, and Jira APIs on a schedule into a proprietary model. CDviz receives events pushed from your pipeline tools in real time using the CDEvents open standard — avoiding polling delays for live data — and can still poll for backfill or webhook-less systems, normalizing everything to CDEvents.
- DORA calculation: Middleware derives DORA metrics from PR merge history and deployment annotations pulled from your VCS. CDviz derives DORA metrics from CDEvents emitted directly by your CI/CD toolchain at the moment they happen.
- Scope: Middleware extends beyond CI/CD into sprint health — blocked work, spilled stories, Jira flow metrics, and AI-generated sprint summaries. CDviz focuses on the full SDLC event stream (build, test, artifact, deploy, incident) with less emphasis on issue-tracker analytics.
- Event standard: CDviz is built on the CDEvents specification — a CD Foundation project for interoperable CI/CD events. Middleware uses a proprietary data model tied to its own integrations.
- Observe and act: CDviz events can trigger downstream workflows — the same event stream that drives observability can also drive automation. Middleware is monitoring and reporting only.
- Visualization: CDviz integrates with Grafana, BI tools, AI agents, and IDP frameworks, giving teams full flexibility. Middleware ships its own built-in dashboard UI, optimised for DORA and sprint metrics.
- Cost model: CDviz commercial support is priced per organization per month — not per seat — so cost does not scale with team size. Middleware's Standard SaaS tier is $39 per user per month, which grows linearly with headcount.
When to choose CDviz
- You want real-time metrics from a push-first event stream, not schedule-bound polling.
- Data ownership or privacy regulations make vendor-hosted SaaS unacceptable.
- You are adopting the CDEvents open standard for interoperability across your toolchain.
- You need events to trigger downstream workflows — not just observe them.
- You want flexible storage, reporting, or integration with BI tools, AI agents, or IDPs.
- Team size makes per-seat pricing expensive; you prefer a flat per-org cost (email us [email protected]).
When to choose Middleware
- Your primary workflow is sprint-centric: you want Jira flow metrics, sprint reports, and blocked-work detection alongside DORA.
- You want AI-generated sprint summaries and automated Slack reports out of the box.
- Your team is small and the free community tier covers your needs.
- You prefer a built-in dashboard UI rather than operating Grafana separately.
Summary
Middleware and CDviz are both open-source Apache 2.0 tools, but they solve adjacent problems. Middleware is a strong choice for engineering managers who want sprint health, Jira flow, and AI-assisted reporting alongside DORA metrics — with a polished built-in UI and a free self-hosted tier. CDviz is the right choice when you need a real-time event-push model, CDEvents interoperability, event-driven automation, and flexible visualization — with flat per-org commercial support available to reduce operational risk.
Get started with CDviz
Self-host CDviz — free, Apache 2.0. Or join the SaaS waitlist.
FAQ
Is Middleware open-source? Yes — Middleware is Apache 2.0 licensed and available at github.com/middlewarehq/middleware.
Does Middleware support CDEvents? No. Middleware uses a proprietary data model based on polling GitHub/GitLab/Jira APIs. CDEvents integration is not supported.
Does CDviz support Jira? Yes — CDviz can ingest Jira-sourced events (e.g., issue state changes) via the CDviz Collector, though sprint-level flow metrics are not a current focus.
Is CDviz free? Yes — Apache 2.0. Infrastructure costs only when self-hosted; optional commercial support is billed per organization, not per seat.
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