# coolify vs Docker Engine

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

| | coolify | Docker Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 89/100 ✓ | 80/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 14 in Platform as a Service | #1 of 11 in Container Orchestration |
| GitHub stars | 65 132 | 72 218 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +2 930 ✓ | +86 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 43 ✓ | 17 |
| Latest release | v4.5.1 · 27 Oct 2026 ✓ | docker-v29.9.2 · 20 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | PHP | Go |

## Which one should you pick?

coolify scores 89/100 against 80/100 for Docker Engine, so it is the safer default.

coolify ships more often: 43 stable releases in the past year, against 17 for Docker Engine.

If you want the quickest setup, coolify is easier to run; Docker Engine needs more configuration.

coolify is growing faster right now (+2 930 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [coolify](https://selfhost.directory/project/coolify) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/coolify.md)
- [Docker Engine](https://selfhost.directory/project/docker-engine) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/docker-engine.md)

## Related comparisons

- [Appwrite vs coolify](https://selfhost.directory/compare/appwrite-vs-coolify)
- [coolify vs dokploy](https://selfhost.directory/compare/coolify-vs-dokploy)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/coolify-vs-docker-engine