head to head · open source
kubernetes vs st2
kubernetes has 128,645 GitHub stars, 45,747 forks, 3,072 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. st2 has 6,557 stars, 798 forks, 603 open issues and last shipped 7 days ago. kubernetes leads on adoption by 1,862% (128,645 vs 6,557 stars). kubernetes is written in Go under Apache-2.0; st2 is written in Python under Apache-2.0. kubernetes has attracted 36% as many forks as stars, st2 12%. kubernetes 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
| kubernetes | st2 | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 129K | ★ 6.6K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Go | Python |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-10-29 |
| Forks | ⑂ 46K | ⑂ 798 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick kubernetes if
- You weight community size — 129K 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 kubernetes
Kubernetes (K8s) Kubernetes, also known as K8s, is an open source system for managing [containerized applications] across multiple hosts. It provides basic mechanisms for the deployment, maintenance, and scaling of applications. Kubernetes builds upon a decade and a half of experience at Google running production workloads at scale using a system called [Borg], combined with best of breed ideas and practices from the community. Kubernetes is hosted by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation ([CNCF]). If your company wants to help shape the evolution of technologies that are container packaged, dynamically…
read the full kubernetes 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 kubernetes or st2 more popular?
kubernetes has 128,645 GitHub stars and st2 has 6,557. kubernetes has the larger community by that measure.
Are kubernetes and st2 free?
Both are open source. kubernetes is licensed under Apache-2.0 and st2 under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between kubernetes and st2?
kubernetes 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, kubernetes or st2?
Choose kubernetes if you want the larger community (128,645 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.