Comparison
dagster vs kestra
Verdict
Pick dagster if dagster is an open-source orchestration platform developed in Python for managing and observing data pipelines and workflows; pick kestra if developed in Java, Kestra offers robust orchestration and scheduling services for mission-critical applications with support for infrastructure as code, event-driven architectures, and tight CI/CD integration.
Markdown twin · dagster alternatives · kestra alternatives
GraphCanon updated Sep 20, 2026
14views this month
Trust & integrity
| Signal | dagster | kestra |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Very active (2d since push) As of Sep 14, 2026 · github_public_v1 | Very active (1d since push) As of Sep 20, 2026 · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of Sep 14, 2026 · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of Sep 20, 2026 · github_public_v1 |
| OSV dependency advisories | No lockfile (source not queried) As of Jul 15, 2026 · osv@v1 | No lockfile (source not queried) As of Jul 11, 2026 · osv@v1 |
| deps.dev advisories | Not queried deps.dev@v1 | Not queried deps.dev@v1 |
| OpenSSF Scorecard | Not queried openssf-scorecard@v1 | Not queried openssf-scorecard@v1 |
Tagline
- dagster
- An orchestration platform for data assets
- kestra
- Event Driven Orchestration & Scheduling Platform for Mission Critical Applications
Stars
- dagster
- 16k
- kestra
- 28k
Forks
- dagster
- 2.3k
- kestra
- 3.0k
Open issues
- dagster
- 2.6k
- kestra
- 660
Language
- dagster
- Python
- kestra
- Java
Adopt for
- dagster
- Dagster is an open-source orchestration platform developed in Python for managing and observing data pipelines and workflows.
- kestra
- Developed in Java, Kestra offers robust orchestration and scheduling services for mission-critical applications with support for infrastructure as code, event-driven architectures, and tight CI/CD integration.
Persona
- dagster
- -
- kestra
- -
Runtime
- dagster
- -
- kestra
- -
License
- dagster
- Apache-2.0
- kestra
- Apache-2.0
Last pushed
- dagster
- Sep 11, 2026
- kestra
- Sep 18, 2026
Categories
- dagster
- Data & Retrieval, Evaluation & Observability
- kestra
- Developer Tools
Trust and health
Days since push
- dagster
- 2d
- kestra
- 1d
Open issues (now)
- dagster
- 2.6k
- kestra
- 660
Stars delta
- dagster
- +195 (30d)
- kestra
- +328 (30d)
Open issues delta
- dagster
- -9 (30d)
- kestra
- +111 (30d)
Full report
- dagster
- Trust report
- kestra
- Trust report
Choose dagster if…
- dagster is primarily Python; kestra is Java.
- Tags unique to dagster: data-orchestrator, mlops, workflow.
- Also covers Data & Retrieval, Evaluation & Observability.
- When your project requires an Apache-2.0 licensed tool allowing broader reuse and modification of code.
When NOT to use dagster
- If you are restricted to proprietary or non-open-source licenses, as Dagster's Apache-2.0 might not align with compliance requirements.
- In environments where Python is not a preferred language, considering Dagster requires good knowledge of the Python ecosystem.
- For teams that do not require or benefit from extensive documentation and hands-on tutorials for onboarding.
- If specific features or integrations crucial to your workflow are found lacking in comparison to competitors.
Choose kestra if…
- kestra is primarily Java; dagster is Python.
- Requirements: Min 2 GB RAM; Requires Docker; Requires Docker to deploy using the provided Terraform module on Google Cloud.; Strongly recommended for use in Java-based environments due to its native support..
- Tags unique to kestra: ai-agents, automation, control-plane, data-orchestration.
- Also covers Developer Tools.
- kestra ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment.
- When you are working on mission-critical applications and need a platform that supports both infrastructure as code (IaC) and event-driven architecture.
When NOT to use kestra
- In environments where infrastructure as code (IaC) or event-driven architecture do not align with the project requirements, as these represent core functionalities of Kestra.
- For teams deeply invested in languages other than Java or looking to avoid it due to existing tech stacks and expertise.
- If a lightweight solution is required, given that Kestra's robust infrastructure support and event-driven capabilities might introduce unnecessary complexity.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (dagster-io/dagster) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- GitHub forks (dagster-io/dagster) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Last push (dagster-io/dagster) · observed Sep 11, 2026
- License file (Apache-2.0) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 16, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 15, 2026
- GitHub stars (kestra-io/kestra) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- GitHub forks (kestra-io/kestra) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Last push (kestra-io/kestra) · observed Sep 18, 2026
- License file (Apache-2.0) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: dagster 16k · kestra 28k (synced Sep 20, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between dagster and kestra?
- dagster: An orchestration platform for data assets. kestra: Event Driven Orchestration & Scheduling Platform for Mission Critical Applications. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose dagster over kestra?
- Choose dagster over kestra when dagster is primarily Python; kestra is Java; Tags unique to dagster: data-orchestrator, mlops, workflow; Also covers Data & Retrieval, Evaluation & Observability; When your project requires an Apache-2.0 licensed tool allowing broader reuse and modification of code.
- When should I choose kestra over dagster?
- Choose kestra over dagster when kestra is primarily Java; dagster is Python; Requirements: Min 2 GB RAM; Requires Docker; Requires Docker to deploy using the provided Terraform module on Google Cloud.; Strongly recommended for use in Java-based environments due to its native support.; Tags unique to kestra: ai-agents, automation, control-plane, data-orchestration; Also covers Developer Tools; kestra ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment; When you are working on mission-critical applications and need a platform that supports both infrastructure as code (IaC) and event-driven architecture.
- When should I avoid dagster?
- If you are restricted to proprietary or non-open-source licenses, as Dagster's Apache-2.0 might not align with compliance requirements. In environments where Python is not a preferred language, considering Dagster requires good knowledge of the Python ecosystem. For teams that do not require or benefit from extensive documentation and hands-on tutorials for onboarding. If specific features or integrations crucial to your workflow are found lacking in comparison to competitors.
- When should I avoid kestra?
- In environments where infrastructure as code (IaC) or event-driven architecture do not align with the project requirements, as these represent core functionalities of Kestra. For teams deeply invested in languages other than Java or looking to avoid it due to existing tech stacks and expertise. If a lightweight solution is required, given that Kestra's robust infrastructure support and event-driven capabilities might introduce unnecessary complexity.
- Is dagster or kestra more popular on GitHub?
- kestra has more GitHub stars (28,181 vs 16,144). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are dagster and kestra open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (dagster: Apache-2.0, kestra: Apache-2.0).
- Where can I find alternatives to dagster or kestra?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at dagster alternatives and kestra alternatives (dagster markdown twin, kestra markdown twin), 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 mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.
- Which is better maintained, dagster or kestra?
- dagster: Very active. kestra: 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 dagster and kestra?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: dagster trust report; kestra trust report.