# Docker Engine vs LabTether

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

| | Docker Engine | LabTether |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 80/100 ✓ | 51/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 11 in Container Orchestration | #8 of 19 in Infrastructure Monitoring |
| GitHub stars | 72 220 ✓ | 234 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +88 | — |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 17 ✓ | 5 |
| Latest release | docker-v29.9.2 · 20 Oct 2026 ✓ | v1.4.0 · 17 Apr 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Go | Go |

## Which one should you pick?

Docker Engine scores 80/100 against 51/100 for LabTether, so it is the safer default.

Docker Engine ships more often: 17 stable releases in the past year, against 5 for LabTether.

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

Docker Engine is growing faster right now (+88 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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