head to head · open source
Docker vs openebs
Docker has 72,238 GitHub stars, 19,309 forks, 3,902 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. openebs has 9,842 stars, 984 forks, 37 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Docker leads on adoption by 634% (72,238 vs 9,842 stars). Docker is written in Go under Apache-2.0; openebs is written in various languages under Apache-2.0. Docker has attracted 27% as many forks as stars, openebs 10%. openebs was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (docker), 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.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| Docker | openebs | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 72K | ★ 9.8K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Go | — |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-11-04 |
| Forks | ⑂ 19K | ⑂ 984 |
| 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 openebs if
- You want the openebs feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- You evaluated both and openebs fits your workflow better
About Docker
The Moby Project ================ Moby is an open source project created by Docker to enable and accelerate software containerization. It provides a "Lego set" of toolkit components, the framework for assembling them into custom container based systems, and a place for all container enthusiasts and professionals to experiment and exchange ideas. Components include container build tools, a container registry, orchestration tools, a runtime and more, and these can be used as building blocks in conjunction with other tools and projects. Principles Moby is an open project guided by strong principles, aiming to be…
read the full Docker overview →
About openebs
OpenEBS Cloud Native Storage Overview OpenEBS is an open source Container Native Storage solution that provides persistent storage for Kubernetes workloads. It enables dynamic provisioning of storage resources using containerized storage controllers, making it highly flexible and cloud native. OpenEBS supports various storage engines, including LocalPVs for direct node storage and Replicated PV advanced data replication and resilience. It is designed to integrate seamlessly with Kubernetes, offering benefits like storage policies, resize, thin provisioning, snapshots, and restore capabilities, making it an ideal…
read the full openebs overview →
More in Infrastructure & Operations
Related comparisons
More Cloud Infrastructure Management projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Cloud Infrastructure Management field.
Frequently asked questions
Is Docker or openebs more popular?
Docker has 72,238 GitHub stars and openebs has 9,842. Docker has the larger community by that measure.
Are Docker and openebs free?
Both are open source. Docker is licensed under Apache-2.0 and openebs under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Docker and openebs?
Docker is written in Go and openebs in various languages. 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 openebs?
Choose Docker if you want the larger community (72,238 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose openebs if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.