# Element vs Apache Tika

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

| | Element | Apache Tika |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 76/100 ✓ | 68/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 13 in Instant Messaging | #1 of 2 in Data Extraction |
| GitHub stars | 13 621 ✓ | 4 114 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +119 ✓ | +15 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 18 ✓ | 0 |
| Latest release | v1.12.33 · 27 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | Java |

## Which one should you pick?

Element scores 76/100 against 68/100 for Apache Tika, so it is the safer default.

Element ships more often: 18 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Apache Tika.

Element is growing faster right now (+119 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Element](https://selfhost.directory/project/element) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/element.md)
- [Apache Tika](https://selfhost.directory/project/tika) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/tika.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/element-vs-tika