--- title: "compose vs kurtosis" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/docker-compose-vs-kurtosis-tech-kurtosis" tools: ["docker-compose", "kurtosis-tech-kurtosis"] --- # compose vs kurtosis *GraphCanon updated Aug 11, 2026* ## Verdict Pick compose if a tool for defining and orchestrating multi-container applications with Docker using Compose files; pick kurtosis if kurtosis is a platform for packaging and launching blockchain infrastructure that works with various backends such as Docker and Kubernetes, using Go as its language. [compose](https://docs.docker.com/compose/) reports 38k GitHub stars, 5.8k forks, and 105 open issues, last pushed Aug 10, 2026. [kurtosis](https://docs.kurtosistech.com/) has 546 stars, 97 forks, and 303 open issues, last pushed Jul 28, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [compose's repository](https://github.com/docker/compose) and [kurtosis's repository](https://github.com/kurtosis-tech/kurtosis). | | [compose](/tools/docker-compose.md) | [kurtosis](/tools/kurtosis-tech-kurtosis.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Define and run multi-container applications with Docker | A platform for packaging and launching blockchain infrastructure. | | Stars | 38,039 | 546 | | Forks | 5,788 | 97 | | Open issues | 105 | 303 | | Language | Go | Go | | Adopt for | A tool for defining and orchestrating multi-container applications with Docker using Compose files. | Kurtosis is a platform for packaging and launching blockchain infrastructure that works with various backends such as Docker and Kubernetes, using Go as its language. | | 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._ | | [compose](/tools/docker-compose.md) | [kurtosis](/tools/kurtosis-tech-kurtosis.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Days since push | 0d | 5d | | Open issues (now) | 105 | 303 | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/docker-compose/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/kurtosis-tech-kurtosis/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: compose - **Adopt for:** A tool for defining and orchestrating multi-container applications with Docker using Compose files. ## Decision facts: kurtosis - **Adopt for:** Kurtosis is a platform for packaging and launching blockchain infrastructure that works with various backends such as Docker and Kubernetes, using Go as its language. ## Choose when ### Choose compose if… - Tags unique to compose: orchestration. - compose ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment. - When your project involves running multiple connected services or microservices, as Docker Compose streamlines the orchestration of these with Docker. ### Choose kurtosis if… - Tags unique to kurtosis: backend, cicd, deploy, devops. - When developing specialized blockchain applications requiring streamlined deployment on multiple backend technologies ## 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. ## When NOT to use kurtosis - If your project uses languages or frameworks not supported by Go and does not include Docker or Kubernetes in its tech stack - When the requirements do not involve blockchain technology, as Kurtosis is narrowly focused on this domain ## Common questions ### What is the difference between compose and kurtosis? compose: Define and run multi-container applications with Docker. kurtosis: A platform for packaging and launching blockchain infrastructure.. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose compose over kurtosis? Choose compose over kurtosis when Tags unique to compose: orchestration; compose ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment; When your project involves running multiple connected services or microservices, as Docker Compose streamlines the orchestration of these with Docker. ### When should I choose kurtosis over compose? Choose kurtosis over compose when Tags unique to kurtosis: backend, cicd, deploy, devops; When developing specialized blockchain applications requiring streamlined deployment on multiple backend technologies. ### 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. ### When should I avoid kurtosis? If your project uses languages or frameworks not supported by Go and does not include Docker or Kubernetes in its tech stack When the requirements do not involve blockchain technology, as Kurtosis is narrowly focused on this domain ### Is compose or kurtosis more popular on GitHub? compose has more GitHub stars (38,039 vs 546). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are compose and kurtosis open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (compose: Apache-2.0, kurtosis: Apache-2.0). ### Where can I find alternatives to compose or kurtosis? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [compose alternatives](/tools/docker-compose/alternatives) and [kurtosis alternatives](/tools/kurtosis-tech-kurtosis/alternatives) ([compose markdown twin](/tools/docker-compose/alternatives.md), [kurtosis markdown twin](/tools/kurtosis-tech-kurtosis/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/docker-compose-vs-kurtosis-tech-kurtosis.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, compose or kurtosis? compose: Very active. kurtosis: 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 compose and kurtosis? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [compose trust report](/tools/docker-compose/trust); [kurtosis trust report](/tools/kurtosis-tech-kurtosis/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=docker-compose`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=docker-compose) - 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/_