Apache KafkavsSunshine
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Apache Kafka | Sunshine | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 | 84/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 12 in Message Broker | #2 of 22 in Remote Desktop |
| GitHub stars | 34 154 | 42 746 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +348 | +1 270 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 86 |
| Latest release | — | v2026.1028.122642 · 28 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Java | C |
Which one should you pick?
Sunshine scores 84/100 against 83/100 for Apache Kafka, so it is the safer default.
Sunshine ships more often: 86 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Apache Kafka.
If you want the quickest setup, Sunshine is easier to run; Apache Kafka needs more configuration.
Sunshine is growing faster right now (+1 270 stars in 30 days).
Apache Kafka details →Sunshine details →