llama.cppvsPhoton
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| llama.cpp | Photon | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 93/100 | 54/100 |
| Rank in category | #2 of 25 in LLM Inference | #16 of 85 in Feed Reader |
| GitHub stars | 132 689 | 557 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +3 234 | +0 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 1464 | 9 |
| Latest release | b11978 · 29 Oct 2026 | v2.4.3 · 30 Jul 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | C++ | Svelte |
Which one should you pick?
llama.cpp scores 93/100 against 54/100 for Photon, so it is the safer default.
llama.cpp ships more often: 1464 stable releases in the past year, against 9 for Photon.
llama.cpp is growing faster right now (+3 234 stars in 30 days).
llama.cpp details →Photon details →