# Lemmy vs mesh-api

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

| | Lemmy | mesh-api |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 75/100 ✓ | 43/100 |
| Rank in category | #3 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #32 of 33 in Communication |
| GitHub stars | 14 651 ✓ | 183 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +44 | — |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 3 ✓ | 0 |
| Latest release | 0.19.21 · 26 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Rust | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Lemmy scores 75/100 against 43/100 for mesh-api, so it is the safer default.

Lemmy ships more often: 3 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for mesh-api.

If you want the quickest setup, Lemmy is easier to run; mesh-api needs more configuration.

Lemmy is growing faster right now (+44 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Lemmy](https://selfhost.directory/project/lemmy) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/lemmy.md)
- [mesh-api](https://selfhost.directory/project/mesh-api) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/mesh-api.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/lemmy-vs-mesh-api