Relationship Between Larktun, Tailscale, and Headscale
Many users ask the same question when they first learn about Larktun: how is Larktun related to Tailscale and Headscale?
In short, Larktun is a zero-trust networking and remote access product developed on top of the work made possible by Tailscale and Headscale. We appreciate these open-source projects, and we also build substantial product and engineering work on top of that foundation.
What each project solves
Tailscale provides mature WireGuard-based networking ideas, a strong client ecosystem, and an easy device onboarding experience. It helps devices connect securely across NAT and regions with identity and policy instead of public exposure.
Headscale provides an important open-source control-plane foundation. It helps developers understand how device identity, node management, routes, ACLs, and MagicDNS work together.
Larktun continues from there with a SaaS console, tenant isolation, Chinese device names, mobile tools, and a product experience closer to everyday usage in China.
What Larktun adds
Larktun is not a thin wrapper. We have added multiple product and engineering capabilities:
- Device aliases and Chinese device-name display across both client and control-plane logic.
- SaaS-oriented Headscale transformation with multi-tenancy, multiple networks, tenant isolation, and independent policies.
- An independently developed iOS app with in-app networking that does not require system VPN permission.
- An improved and open-sourced Android app for community review, usage, and contribution.
- An independently built SaaS console for accounts, devices, ACLs, routes, relays, and network management.
How to understand Larktun's positioning
If you know Tailscale, think of Larktun as a zero-trust networking service adapted for local usage patterns in China.
If you know Headscale, think of Larktun as a SaaS, multi-tenant, access-governance, and client-experience productization path built on top of that foundation.
If you simply want secure access to a NAS, development machine, server, or internal team service, Larktun offers a ready-to-use path without requiring you to maintain a control plane, certificates, relays, and every low-level detail yourself.