DesignatevsTechnitium DNS Server
Two self-hosted DNS projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Designate | Technitium DNS Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 53/100 | 77/100 |
| Rank in category | #19 of 41 in DNS | #3 of 41 in DNS |
| GitHub stars | 180 | 10 248 |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +267 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 1 | 11 |
| Latest release | 2024.1-eom · 31 Oct 2025 | v15.6.2 · 17 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Python | C |
Which one should you pick?
Technitium DNS Server scores 77/100 against 53/100 for Designate, so it is the safer default.
Technitium DNS Server ships more often: 11 stable releases in the past year, against 1 for Designate.
If you want the quickest setup, Technitium DNS Server is easier to run; Designate needs more configuration.
Technitium DNS Server is growing faster right now (+267 stars in 30 days).
Designate details →Technitium DNS Server details →All DNS projects →
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