# Stirling-PDF vs ThoughtDAG

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

| | Stirling-PDF | ThoughtDAG |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 87/100 ✓ | 51/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 46 in Document Management | #25 of 69 in AI Chat |
| GitHub stars | 95 299 ✓ | 717 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +2 337 ✓ | +1 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 25 ✓ | 10 |
| Latest release | v3.2.2 · 24 Oct 2026 | v0.5.26 · 25 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Moderate | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes ✓ | No |
| License | Other | MIT |
| Main language | Typescript | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Stirling-PDF scores 87/100 against 51/100 for ThoughtDAG, so it is the safer default.

Stirling-PDF ships more often: 25 stable releases in the past year, against 10 for ThoughtDAG.

If you want the quickest setup, ThoughtDAG is easier to run; Stirling-PDF needs more configuration.

Stirling-PDF is growing faster right now (+2 337 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Stirling-PDF](https://selfhost.directory/project/stirling-pdf) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/stirling-pdf.md)
- [ThoughtDAG](https://selfhost.directory/project/thoughtdag) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/thoughtdag.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/stirling-pdf-vs-thoughtdag