# NodeBB vs Serena-MCP

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

| | NodeBB | Serena-MCP |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 | 82/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #4 of 69 in Social Networks & Forums | #4 of 166 in Developer Tools |
| GitHub stars | 15 243 | 30 795 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +18 | +1 041 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 30 ✓ | 15 |
| Latest release | v4.16.4 · 23 Oct 2026 ✓ | v2.1.0 · 19 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Other |
| Main language | JavaScript | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

Serena-MCP scores 82/100 against 73/100 for NodeBB, so it is the safer default.

NodeBB ships more often: 30 stable releases in the past year, against 15 for Serena-MCP.

If you want the quickest setup, Serena-MCP is easier to run; NodeBB needs more configuration.

Serena-MCP is growing faster right now (+1 041 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [NodeBB](https://selfhost.directory/project/nodebb) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/nodebb.md)
- [Serena-MCP](https://selfhost.directory/project/serena-mcp) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/serena-mcp.md)

---
Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/nodebb-vs-serena-mcp