# Docker Engine vs LXD

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

| | Docker Engine | LXD |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 80/100 ✓ | 70/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 11 in Container Orchestration | #3 of 15 in Virtualization |
| GitHub stars | 72 217 ✓ | 4 841 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +85 ✓ | +10 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 17 | 18 ✓ |
| Latest release | docker-v29.9.2 · 20 Oct 2026 ✓ | lxd-6.10.0 · 17 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Go | Go |

## Which one should you pick?

Docker Engine scores 80/100 against 70/100 for LXD, so it is the safer default.

LXD ships more often: 18 stable releases in the past year, against 17 for Docker Engine.

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

Docker Engine is growing faster right now (+85 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

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