# actions-runner-controller vs jenkins

> Two self-hosted [CI/CD projects](https://selfhost.directory/cicd), compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | actions-runner-controller | jenkins |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 71/100 | 82/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #7 of 28 in CI/CD | #1 of 28 in CI/CD |
| GitHub stars | 6 610 | 26 703 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +93 | +122 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 6 | 30 ✓ |
| Latest release | gha-runner-scale-set-0.15.1 · 23 Oct 2026 ✓ | jenkins-2.587 · 20 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Main language | Go | Java |

## Which one should you pick?

jenkins scores 82/100 against 71/100 for actions-runner-controller, so it is the safer default.

jenkins ships more often: 30 stable releases in the past year, against 6 for actions-runner-controller.

If you want the quickest setup, jenkins is easier to run; actions-runner-controller needs more configuration.

## Details

- [actions-runner-controller](https://selfhost.directory/project/actions-runner-controller) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/actions-runner-controller.md)
- [jenkins](https://selfhost.directory/project/jenkins) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/jenkins.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/actions-runner-controller-vs-jenkins