KimavsNodeBB
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Kima | NodeBB | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 55/100 | 73/100 |
| Rank in category | #42 of 118 in Media Server | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums |
| GitHub stars | 1 294 | 15 243 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +0 | +18 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 10 | 31 |
| Latest release | v1.11.0 · 12 Oct 2026 | v4.16.5 · 28 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Easy | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | JavaScript |
Which one should you pick?
NodeBB scores 73/100 against 55/100 for Kima, so it is the safer default.
NodeBB ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 10 for Kima.
If you want the quickest setup, Kima is easier to run; NodeBB needs more configuration.
NodeBB is growing faster right now (+18 stars in 30 days).
Kima details →NodeBB details →
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