# elasticsearch vs Zero-K

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

| | elasticsearch | Zero-K |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 ✓ | 62/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 41 in Search Engines | #2 of 23 in Gaming |
| GitHub stars | 78 429 ✓ | 877 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +460 ✓ | +28 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 32 ✓ | 0 |
| Latest release | v9.5.5 · 6 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | Other | GPL-2.0 |
| Main language | Java | Lua |

## Which one should you pick?

elasticsearch scores 83/100 against 62/100 for Zero-K, so it is the safer default.

elasticsearch ships more often: 32 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Zero-K.

If you want the quickest setup, Zero-K is easier to run; elasticsearch needs more configuration.

elasticsearch is growing faster right now (+460 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [elasticsearch](https://selfhost.directory/project/elasticsearch) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/elasticsearch.md)
- [Zero-K](https://selfhost.directory/project/zero-k) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/zero-k.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/elasticsearch-vs-zero-k