head to head · open source
compose vs layer5
compose has 38,573 GitHub stars, 5,899 forks, 111 open issues and last shipped yesterday. layer5 has 1,149 stars, 1,661 forks, 164 open issues and last shipped yesterday. compose leads on adoption by 3,257% (38,573 vs 1,149 stars). compose is written in Go under Apache-2.0; layer5 is written in JavaScript under Apache-2.0. compose has attracted 15% as many forks as stars, layer5 145%. layer5 was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| compose | layer5 | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 39K | ★ 1.1K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Go | JavaScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 5.9K | ⑂ 1.7K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick compose if
- You weight community size — 39K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick layer5 if
- You want the layer5 feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You evaluated both and layer5 fits your workflow better
About compose
Table of Contents Docker Compose Where to get Docker Compose + Windows and macOS + Linux Quick Start Contributing Legacy Docker Compose Docker Compose is a tool for running multi container applications on Docker defined using the Compose file format. A Compose file is used to define how one or more containers that make up your application are configured. Once you have a Compose file, you can create and start your application with a single command: docker compose up . Note : About Docker Swarm Docker Swarm used to rely on the legacy compose file format but did not adopt the compose specification so is missing…
read the full compose overview →
About layer5
If you’re using Layer5 products or if you like the project, please ★ this repository to show your support! 🤩 About Layer5 Layer5's cloud native application and infrastructure management software enables you to expect more from your infrastructure. We embrace developer defined infrastructure. We empower developers to change how they write applications, support operators in rethinking how they run modern infrastructure, and enable teams to stop finger pointing and start collaborating. Docs Projects Meshery Meshery is the collaborative cloud native manager that enables the adoption, operation, and management of…
read the full layer5 overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is compose or layer5 more popular?
compose has 38,573 GitHub stars and layer5 has 1,149. compose has the larger community by that measure.
Are compose and layer5 free?
Both are open source. compose is licensed under Apache-2.0 and layer5 under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between compose and layer5?
compose is written in Go and layer5 in JavaScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, compose or layer5?
Choose compose if you want the larger community (38,573 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose layer5 if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.