# directory-server vs Kong 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 | 44 317 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | — | +131 |
| 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 (+131 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [directory-server](https://selfhost.directory/project/directory-server) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/directory-server.md)
- [Kong Gateway](https://selfhost.directory/project/kong-gateway) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/kong-gateway.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/directory-server-vs-kong-gateway