# Deadend CLI vs Technitium DNS Server

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

| | Deadend CLI | Technitium DNS Server |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 46/100 | 77/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #54 of 78 in Security | #3 of 41 in DNS |
| GitHub stars | 319 | 10 246 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +265 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 6 | 11 ✓ |
| Latest release | v0.1.15 · 11 Apr 2026 | v15.6.2 · 17 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Python | C |

## Which one should you pick?

Technitium DNS Server scores 77/100 against 46/100 for Deadend CLI, so it is the safer default.

Technitium DNS Server ships more often: 11 stable releases in the past year, against 6 for Deadend CLI.

If you want the quickest setup, Technitium DNS Server is easier to run; Deadend CLI needs more configuration.

Technitium DNS Server is growing faster right now (+265 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Deadend CLI](https://selfhost.directory/project/deadend-cli) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/deadend-cli.md)
- [Technitium DNS Server](https://selfhost.directory/project/technitium-dns-server) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/technitium-dns-server.md)

---
Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/deadend-cli-vs-technitium-dns-server