Docker Enginevsn8n
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Docker Engine | n8n | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 80/100 | 92/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 11 in Container Orchestration | #1 of 32 in Workflow Automation |
| GitHub stars | 72 220 | 208 880 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +88 | +3 071 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 17 | 205 |
| Latest release | docker-v29.9.2 · 20 Oct 2026 | n8n@3.0.1 · 28 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Other |
| Main language | Go | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
n8n scores 92/100 against 80/100 for Docker Engine, so it is the safer default.
n8n ships more often: 205 stable releases in the past year, against 17 for Docker Engine.
If you want the quickest setup, n8n is easier to run; Docker Engine needs more configuration.
n8n is growing faster right now (+3 071 stars in 30 days).
Docker Engine details →n8n details →
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