# NodeBB vs OpenDesign

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

| | NodeBB | OpenDesign |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 | 83/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #1 of 7 in Design |
| GitHub stars | 15 244 | 104 697 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +19 | +1 866 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 31 ✓ | 10 |
| Latest release | v4.16.5 · 28 Oct 2026 ✓ | open-design-v0.26.1 · 22 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | JavaScript | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

OpenDesign scores 83/100 against 73/100 for NodeBB, so it is the safer default.

NodeBB ships more often: 31 stable releases in the past year, against 10 for OpenDesign.

OpenDesign is growing faster right now (+1 866 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [NodeBB](https://selfhost.directory/project/nodebb) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/nodebb.md)
- [OpenDesign](https://selfhost.directory/project/open-design) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/open-design.md)

## Related comparisons

- [OpenDesign vs penpot](https://selfhost.directory/compare/open-design-vs-penpot)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/nodebb-vs-open-design