# Apache Kafka vs Sunshine

> 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).

## Details

- [Apache Kafka](https://selfhost.directory/project/apache-kafka) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/apache-kafka.md)
- [Sunshine](https://selfhost.directory/project/sunshine) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/sunshine.md)

---
Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/apache-kafka-vs-sunshine