head to head · open source
Docker vs st2
Docker has 72,238 GitHub stars, 19,309 forks, 3,902 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. st2 has 6,557 stars, 798 forks, 603 open issues and last shipped 7 days ago. Docker leads on adoption by 1,002% (72,238 vs 6,557 stars). Docker is written in Go under Apache-2.0; st2 is written in Python under Apache-2.0. Docker has attracted 27% as many forks as stars, st2 12%. Docker 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
| Docker | st2 | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 72K | ★ 6.6K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Go | Python |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-10-29 |
| Forks | ⑂ 19K | ⑂ 798 |
| 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 st2 if
- You want the st2 feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and st2 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 st2
StackStorm is a platform for integration and automation across services and tools, taking actions in response to events. Learn more at www.stackstorm.com. TL;DR Install Get yourself a clean 64 bit Linux box that fits the system requirements. Run the installer script: Read the docs: Questions? Check out forum.stackstorm.com Or join our Slack community StackStorm Overview About StackStorm is a platform for integration and automation across services and tools. It ties together your existing infrastructure and application environment so you can more easily automate that environment with a particular focus on taking…
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Frequently asked questions
Is Docker or st2 more popular?
Docker has 72,238 GitHub stars and st2 has 6,557. Docker has the larger community by that measure.
Are Docker and st2 free?
Both are open source. Docker is licensed under Apache-2.0 and st2 under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Docker and st2?
Docker is written in Go and st2 in Python. 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 st2?
Choose Docker if you want the larger community (72,238 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose st2 if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.