# Docker Engine vs Stirling-PDF

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

| | Docker Engine | Stirling-PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 80/100 | 87/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #1 of 11 in Container Orchestration | #1 of 46 in Document Management |
| GitHub stars | 72 220 | 95 260 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +88 | +2 347 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 17 | 25 ✓ |
| Latest release | docker-v29.9.2 · 20 Oct 2026 | v3.2.2 · 24 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes ✓ |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Other |
| Main language | Go | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Stirling-PDF scores 87/100 against 80/100 for Docker Engine, so it is the safer default.

Stirling-PDF ships more often: 25 stable releases in the past year, against 17 for Docker Engine.

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

Stirling-PDF is growing faster right now (+2 347 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Docker Engine](https://selfhost.directory/project/docker-engine) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/docker-engine.md)
- [Stirling-PDF](https://selfhost.directory/project/stirling-pdf) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/stirling-pdf.md)

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