Apache KafkavsOctoprint
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Apache Kafka | Octoprint | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 | 73/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 12 in Message Broker | #1 of 22 in 3D Printing |
| GitHub stars | 34 154 | 9 167 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +348 | +59 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 5 |
| Latest release | — | 1.11.8 · 23 Jun 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Java | Python |
Which one should you pick?
Apache Kafka scores 83/100 against 73/100 for Octoprint, so it is the safer default.
Octoprint ships more often: 5 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Apache Kafka.
If you want the quickest setup, Octoprint is easier to run; Apache Kafka needs more configuration.
Apache Kafka is growing faster right now (+348 stars in 30 days).
Apache Kafka details →Octoprint details →