directory-servervsKong Gateway
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| directory-server | Kong Gateway | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 46/100 | 82/100 |
| Rank in category | #26 of 40 in Authentication | #1 of 39 in API Gateway |
| GitHub stars | 188 | 44 314 |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +128 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 3 |
| Latest release | — | 3.9.4 · 12 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Java | Lua |
Which one should you pick?
Kong Gateway scores 82/100 against 46/100 for directory-server, so it is the safer default.
Kong Gateway ships more often: 3 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for directory-server.
If you want the quickest setup, Kong Gateway is easier to run; directory-server needs more configuration.
Kong Gateway is growing faster right now (+128 stars in 30 days).
directory-server details →Kong Gateway details →