# Apache Airflow vs SLayer

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

| | Apache Airflow | SLayer |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 84/100 ✓ | 50/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 32 in Workflow Automation | #49 of 124 in AI |
| GitHub stars | 47 308 ✓ | 316 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +342 ✓ | +2 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 7 | 10 ✓ |
| Latest release | providers-ydb/2.6.1 · 13 Oct 2026 | v1.4.1 · 22 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Main language | Python | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Apache Airflow scores 84/100 against 50/100 for SLayer, so it is the safer default.

SLayer ships more often: 10 stable releases in the past year, against 7 for Apache Airflow.

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

Apache Airflow is growing faster right now (+342 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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