head to head · open source
Docker vs CasaOS
Docker has 72,113 GitHub stars, 19,233 forks, 3,902 open issues and last shipped yesterday. CasaOS has 37,240 stars, 2,190 forks, 833 open issues and last shipped 1.1 years ago. Docker leads on adoption by 94% (72,113 vs 37,240 stars). Docker is written in Go under Apache-2.0; CasaOS is written in Go under Apache-2.0. Docker has attracted 27% as many forks as stars, CasaOS 6%. Docker was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (docker, golang), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
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
| Docker | CasaOS | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 72K | ★ 37K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Go | Go |
| Last push | 2026-09-19 | 2025-08-06 |
| Forks | ⑂ 19K | ⑂ 2.2K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Docker if
- You weight community size — 72K 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 CasaOS if
- You want the CasaOS feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You evaluated both and CasaOS fits your workflow better
About Docker
Docker, published here as the Moby Project, is the open source collection of container toolkit components and the framework for assembling them into custom container based systems, built for engineers, integrators and enthusiasts who want to modify, hack and build on container code rather than buy a commercially supported product.
read the full Docker overview →
About CasaOS
CasaOS is an open source personal cloud operating system built for home servers. It provides a lightweight, user friendly interface to manage local storage, run containerized applications, and integrate smart devices—all without requiring deep technical knowledge. The project targets individuals and small households seeking autonomy over their data and infrastructure, replacing reliance on commercial cloud services with a self hosted alternative.
read the full CasaOS overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Docker or CasaOS more popular?
Docker has 72,113 GitHub stars and CasaOS has 37,240. Docker has the larger community by that measure.
Are Docker and CasaOS free?
Both are open source. Docker is licensed under Apache-2.0 and CasaOS under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Docker and CasaOS?
Docker is written in Go and CasaOS in Go. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Docker or CasaOS?
Choose Docker if you want the larger community (72,113 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose CasaOS if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.