Docker EnginevsStartOS
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Docker Engine | StartOS | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 80/100 | 61/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 11 in Container Orchestration | #5 of 22 in Home Server |
| GitHub stars | 72 217 | 1 994 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +85 | +9 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 17 | 23 |
| Latest release | docker-v29.9.2 · 20 Oct 2026 | start-os/v0.4.0.4 · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Main language | Go | Rust |
Which one should you pick?
Docker Engine scores 80/100 against 61/100 for StartOS, so it is the safer default.
StartOS ships more often: 23 stable releases in the past year, against 17 for Docker Engine.
If you want the quickest setup, StartOS is easier to run; Docker Engine needs more configuration.
Docker Engine is growing faster right now (+85 stars in 30 days).
Docker Engine details →StartOS details →
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