Eclipse BIRT vs ReportServer

Eclipse BIRT creates textual reports and visual charts from data drawn from databases, files, Java, JavaScript, and web services. Its Eclipse-based report designer, runtime, and charting engine can work together, while the charting engine can also be used on its own. The designer offers a drag-and-drop layout view, data and resource explorers, a script editor, and chart and expression builders. Reports can connect to JDBC, XML, web services, and flat files; one report can combine multiple sources using inner or outer joins. Data can be sorted, summarized, filtered, and grouped, including by sums or percentages of totals. Supported report forms include lists, charts, crosstabs, letters, documents, and compound reports. The engine can produce HTML, paginated HTML, Word, Excel, PostScript, ODT, ODS, ODP, and PDF, and export data to CSV. Designs use open XML and can be embedded in desktop or web applications, especially those using Java and Jakarta EE. BIRT is free open-source software under the Eclipse Public License (EPL), with Linux, macOS, Windows, web, API, and self-hosted availability.

ReportServer is an open-source business intelligence platform for companies, with reporting, analysis and distribution tools. It supports Eclipse BIRT, JasperReports, SAP Crystal Reports, script reports, ad-hoc analyses, Mondrian OLAP and Excel or Word reporting. Dynamic Lists produce ad-hoc reports in Excel, PDF or XML, while configurable dashboards can contain reports and HTML5 micro-apps. Reports can run on recurring schedules, as can maintenance scripts. Access controls combine hierarchical objects, user groups, ACLs, ACEs and user variables. Authentication supports usernames and passwords, with Active Directory or scripted single sign-on integration options. The platform connects to relational databases including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, SAP HANA and Google BigQuery, and can send data to services such as FTP, email, Amazon S3, OneDrive/SharePoint, Google Drive and local filesystems. It runs as a Java Servlet web application with metadata in a relational database. Community Edition is free under an AGPL license; Enterprise Edition is €3,999, paid once, including one year of upgrades, with a €1999 renewal.