# Apache Airflow vs Shlink

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | Apache Airflow | Shlink |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 84/100 ✓ | 70/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 32 in Workflow Automation | #3 of 23 in URL Shortener |
| GitHub stars | 47 306 ✓ | 5 381 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +340 ✓ | +78 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 7 | 13 ✓ |
| Latest release | providers-ydb/2.6.1 · 13 Oct 2026 | v5.1.8 · 21 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Main language | Python | PHP |

## Which one should you pick?

Apache Airflow scores 84/100 against 70/100 for Shlink, so it is the safer default.

Shlink ships more often: 13 stable releases in the past year, against 7 for Apache Airflow.

If you want the quickest setup, Shlink is easier to run; Apache Airflow needs more configuration.

Apache Airflow is growing faster right now (+340 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Apache Airflow](https://selfhost.directory/project/apache-airflow) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/apache-airflow.md)
- [Shlink](https://selfhost.directory/project/shlink) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/shlink.md)

---
Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/apache-airflow-vs-shlink