Apache CassandravsZulip
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Apache Cassandra | Zulip | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 74/100 | 82/100 |
| Rank in category | #8 of 38 in Databases | #1 of 110 in Chat |
| GitHub stars | 10 126 | 26 133 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +24 | +190 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 6 |
| Latest release | — | 12.3 · 21 Sept 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Java | Python |
Which one should you pick?
Zulip scores 82/100 against 74/100 for Apache Cassandra, so it is the safer default.
Zulip ships more often: 6 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Apache Cassandra.
If you want the quickest setup, Zulip is easier to run; Apache Cassandra needs more configuration.
Zulip is growing faster right now (+190 stars in 30 days).
Apache Cassandra details →Zulip details →