# magic-frame vs NodeBB

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

| | magic-frame | NodeBB |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 52/100 | 73/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #58 of 104 in Home Automation | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums |
| GitHub stars | 512 | 15 244 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +1 | +19 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 22 | 31 ✓ |
| Latest release | v1.5.11 · 29 Oct 2026 ✓ | v4.16.5 · 28 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Typescript | JavaScript |

## Which one should you pick?

NodeBB scores 73/100 against 52/100 for magic-frame, so it is the safer default.

NodeBB ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 22 for magic-frame.

NodeBB is growing faster right now (+19 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [magic-frame](https://selfhost.directory/project/magic-frame) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/magic-frame.md)
- [NodeBB](https://selfhost.directory/project/nodebb) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/nodebb.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/magic-frame-vs-nodebb