# draw.io vs scalar

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

| | draw.io | scalar |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 | 76/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #3 of 12 in Diagramming | #3 of 13 in API |
| GitHub stars | 9 055 | 16 337 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +723 ✓ | +148 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 44 | 46 ✓ |
| Latest release | v32.6.1 · 23 Oct 2026 | release-2026-10-28-0d01943 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Main language | JavaScript | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

scalar scores 76/100 against 73/100 for draw.io, so it is the safer default.

scalar ships more often: 46 stable releases in the past year, against 44 for draw.io.

If you want the quickest setup, scalar is easier to run; draw.io needs more configuration.

draw.io is growing faster right now (+723 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [draw.io](https://selfhost.directory/project/drawio) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/drawio.md)
- [scalar](https://selfhost.directory/project/scalar) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/scalar.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/drawio-vs-scalar