# keycloak vs Node RED

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

| | keycloak | Node RED |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 86/100 ✓ | 81/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 40 in Authentication | #1 of 26 in Automation |
| GitHub stars | 37 589 ✓ | 23 791 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +608 ✓ | +106 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 14 | 21 ✓ |
| Latest release | 26.8.1 · 13 Oct 2026 | 4.1.17 · 21 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Java | JavaScript |

## Which one should you pick?

keycloak scores 86/100 against 81/100 for Node RED, so it is the safer default.

Node RED ships more often: 21 stable releases in the past year, against 14 for keycloak.

If you want the quickest setup, Node RED is easier to run; keycloak needs more configuration.

keycloak is growing faster right now (+608 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [keycloak](https://selfhost.directory/project/keycloak) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/keycloak.md)
- [Node RED](https://selfhost.directory/project/node-red) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/node-red.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/keycloak-vs-node-red