--- title: "atmos vs compose" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/cloudposse-atmos-vs-docker-compose" tools: ["cloudposse-atmos", "docker-compose"] --- # atmos vs compose *GraphCanon updated Sep 20, 2026* ## Verdict Pick atmos if atmos is a Terraform orchestration tool for DevOps written in Go. It supports hierarchical imports and inheritance to keep environment configuration DRY; pick compose if a tool for defining and orchestrating multi-container applications with Docker using Compose files. [atmos](https://atmos.tools) reports 1.4k GitHub stars, 177 forks, and 286 open issues, last pushed Sep 19, 2026. [compose](https://docs.docker.com/compose/) has 38k stars, 5.8k forks, and 107 open issues, last pushed Sep 17, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [atmos's repository](https://github.com/cloudposse/atmos) and [compose's repository](https://github.com/docker/compose). | | [atmos](/tools/cloudposse-atmos.md) | [compose](/tools/docker-compose.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Terraform Orchestration Tool for DevOps using Go | Define and run multi-container applications with Docker | | Stars | 1,379 | 38,178 | | Forks | 177 | 5,818 | | Open issues | 286 | 107 | | Language | Go | Go | | Adopt for | Atmos is a Terraform orchestration tool for DevOps written in Go. It supports hierarchical imports and inheritance to keep environment configuration DRY. | A tool for defining and orchestrating multi-container applications with Docker using Compose files. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 | | Categories | Developer Tools | Developer Tools | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [atmos](/tools/cloudposse-atmos.md) | [compose](/tools/docker-compose.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Open issues (now) | 286 | 107 | | Stars delta | +27 (30d) | +139 (30d) | | Open issues delta | -18 (30d) | +2 (30d) | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/cloudposse-atmos/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/docker-compose/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: atmos - **Adopt for:** Atmos is a Terraform orchestration tool for DevOps written in Go. It supports hierarchical imports and inheritance to keep environment configuration DRY. ## Decision facts: compose - **Adopt for:** A tool for defining and orchestrating multi-container applications with Docker using Compose files. ## Choose when ### Choose atmos if… - Tags unique to atmos: automation, cli, cloud, devops. - When you need a tool that supports both Terraform and Helmfile natively, allowing for streamlined management of infrastructure as code with rich inheritance capabilities. - More recently updated (last pushed Sep 19, 2026). ### Choose compose if… - Tags unique to compose: containerization, docker-compose. - When your project involves running multiple connected services or microservices, as Docker Compose streamlines the orchestration of these with Docker. - More GitHub stars (38k vs 1.4k) - visibility, not fit. ## When NOT to use atmos - Avoid using Atmos if you are looking for a solution that supports a wider range of infrastructure definition languages beyond Terraform and Helmfile. - Not suitable for those who require extensive UI features, as it primarily focuses on CLI operations and automated DRY configurations. ## When NOT to use compose - When your application orchestration needs extend beyond basic services definition and coordination provided by Compose files. - If you are specifically targeting a legacy setup or need tools that were historically paired with Docker Swarm, as some recent enhancements may lack full compatibility. - For users who require advanced orchestration features like horizontal scaling, service discovery, or load balancing outside of the capabilities offered by simple docker compose setups. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between atmos and compose? atmos: Terraform Orchestration Tool for DevOps using Go. compose: Define and run multi-container applications with Docker. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose atmos over compose? Choose atmos over compose when Tags unique to atmos: automation, cli, cloud, devops; When you need a tool that supports both Terraform and Helmfile natively, allowing for streamlined management of infrastructure as code with rich inheritance capabilities; More recently updated (last pushed Sep 19, 2026). ### When should I choose compose over atmos? Choose compose over atmos when Tags unique to compose: containerization, docker-compose; When your project involves running multiple connected services or microservices, as Docker Compose streamlines the orchestration of these with Docker; More GitHub stars (38k vs 1.4k) - visibility, not fit. ### When should I avoid atmos? Avoid using Atmos if you are looking for a solution that supports a wider range of infrastructure definition languages beyond Terraform and Helmfile. Not suitable for those who require extensive UI features, as it primarily focuses on CLI operations and automated DRY configurations. ### When should I avoid compose? When your application orchestration needs extend beyond basic services definition and coordination provided by Compose files. If you are specifically targeting a legacy setup or need tools that were historically paired with Docker Swarm, as some recent enhancements may lack full compatibility. For users who require advanced orchestration features like horizontal scaling, service discovery, or load balancing outside of the capabilities offered by simple docker compose setups. ### Is atmos or compose more popular on GitHub? compose has more GitHub stars (38,178 vs 1,379). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are atmos and compose open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (atmos: Apache-2.0, compose: Apache-2.0). ### Where can I find alternatives to atmos or compose? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [atmos alternatives](/tools/cloudposse-atmos/alternatives) and [compose alternatives](/tools/docker-compose/alternatives) ([atmos markdown twin](/tools/cloudposse-atmos/alternatives.md), [compose markdown twin](/tools/docker-compose/alternatives.md)), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes. ### Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison? Yes. The markdown twin at [this comparison](/compare/cloudposse-atmos-vs-docker-compose.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, atmos or compose? atmos: Very active. compose: Very active. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance. ### Where are the full trust reports for atmos and compose? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [atmos trust report](/tools/cloudposse-atmos/trust); [compose trust report](/tools/docker-compose/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=cloudposse-atmos`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=cloudposse-atmos) - LLM index: [/llms.txt](/llms.txt) - Full corpus: [/llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt) _GraphCanon - The knowledge graph for AI development. https://www.graphcanon.com/_