# Docker Engine vs prefect

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

| | Docker Engine | prefect |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 80/100 | 80/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 11 in Container Orchestration | #5 of 32 in Workflow Automation |
| GitHub stars | 72 218 ✓ | 24 090 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +86 | +178 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 17 | 17 |
| Latest release | docker-v29.9.2 · 20 Oct 2026 | 2.20.27 · 23 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Go | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Docker Engine and prefect score the same (80/100), so the choice comes down to the details below.

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

prefect is growing faster right now (+178 stars in 30 days).

## Details

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

## Related comparisons

- [Kestra vs prefect](https://selfhost.directory/compare/kestra-vs-prefect)

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