Docker EnginevsTailscale
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Docker Engine | Tailscale | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 80/100 | 84/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 11 in Container Orchestration | #1 of 56 in VPN |
| GitHub stars | 72 220 | 38 221 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +88 | +1 416 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 17 | 14 |
| Latest release | docker-v29.9.2 · 20 Oct 2026 | v1.104.4 · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | Apache-2.0 | BSD-3-Clause |
| Main language | Go | Go |
Which one should you pick?
Tailscale scores 84/100 against 80/100 for Docker Engine, so it is the safer default.
Docker Engine ships more often: 17 stable releases in the past year, against 14 for Tailscale.
If you want the quickest setup, Tailscale is easier to run; Docker Engine needs more configuration.
Tailscale is growing faster right now (+1 416 stars in 30 days).
Docker Engine details →Tailscale details →
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