--- title: "compose vs docker-airflow" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/docker-compose-vs-puckel-docker-airflow" tools: ["docker-compose", "puckel-docker-airflow"] --- # compose vs docker-airflow *GraphCanon updated Sep 20, 2026* ## Verdict Pick compose if a tool for defining and orchestrating multi-container applications with Docker using Compose files; pick docker-airflow if docker-airflow leverages Docker to provide streamlined management of Apache Airflow environments, making it easy for developers to maintain and deploy workflows. [compose](https://docs.docker.com/compose/) reports 38k GitHub stars, 5.8k forks, and 107 open issues, last pushed Sep 17, 2026. [docker-airflow](https://github.com/puckel/docker-airflow) has 3.8k stars, 591 forks, and 261 open issues, last pushed Mar 1, 2023. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [compose's repository](https://github.com/docker/compose) and [docker-airflow's repository](https://github.com/puckel/docker-airflow). | | [compose](/tools/docker-compose.md) | [docker-airflow](/tools/puckel-docker-airflow.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Define and run multi-container applications with Docker | Docker Apache Airflow | | Stars | 38,178 | 3,810 | | Forks | 5,818 | 591 | | Open issues | 107 | 261 | | Language | Go | Shell | | Adopt for | A tool for defining and orchestrating multi-container applications with Docker using Compose files. | docker-airflow leverages Docker to provide streamlined management of Apache Airflow environments, making it easy for developers to maintain and deploy workflows. | | 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) | [docker-airflow](/tools/puckel-docker-airflow.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Very active (96%) | Dormant (18%) | | Days since push | 0d | 1294d | | Open issues (now) | 107 | 261 | | Stars delta | +139 (30d) | -1 (30d) | | Open issues delta | +2 (30d) | 0 (30d) | | Owner type | Organization | User | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/docker-compose/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/puckel-docker-airflow/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: compose - **Adopt for:** A tool for defining and orchestrating multi-container applications with Docker using Compose files. ## Decision facts: docker-airflow - **Pricing:** freemium - Open source under the Apache-2.0 license, it is free of cost, but support and enterprise features might come at a premium. - **Requirements:** Requires Docker - **Adopt for:** docker-airflow leverages Docker to provide streamlined management of Apache Airflow environments, making it easy for developers to maintain and deploy workflows. ## Choose when ### Choose compose if… - compose is primarily Go; docker-airflow is Shell. - Tags unique to compose: containerization, docker-compose, orchestration. - When your project involves running multiple connected services or microservices, as Docker Compose streamlines the orchestration of these with Docker. ### Choose docker-airflow if… - docker-airflow is primarily Shell; compose is Go. - Pricing: Open source under the Apache-2.0 license, it is free of cost, but support and enterprise features might come at a premium.. - Requirements: Requires Docker. - Tags unique to docker-airflow: airflow, docker. - Opt for docker-airflow if you are already using Docker in your workflow setup, because it seamlessly integrates with existing infrastructure without needing additional configuration steps. ## 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 docker-airflow - Avoid docker-airflow if you require a completely customized setup for your workflow management system and have limited experience or resources to understand and manage Docker configurations. - Should be avoided in environments where there is no need for containerization benefits as using docker-airflow may introduce unneeded complexity. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between compose and docker-airflow? compose: Define and run multi-container applications with Docker. docker-airflow: Docker Apache Airflow. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose compose over docker-airflow? Choose compose over docker-airflow when compose is primarily Go; docker-airflow is Shell; Tags unique to compose: containerization, docker-compose, orchestration; When your project involves running multiple connected services or microservices, as Docker Compose streamlines the orchestration of these with Docker. ### When should I choose docker-airflow over compose? Choose docker-airflow over compose when docker-airflow is primarily Shell; compose is Go; Pricing: Open source under the Apache-2.0 license, it is free of cost, but support and enterprise features might come at a premium.; Requirements: Requires Docker; Tags unique to docker-airflow: airflow, docker; Opt for docker-airflow if you are already using Docker in your workflow setup, because it seamlessly integrates with existing infrastructure without needing additional configuration steps. ### 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 docker-airflow? Avoid docker-airflow if you require a completely customized setup for your workflow management system and have limited experience or resources to understand and manage Docker configurations. Should be avoided in environments where there is no need for containerization benefits as using docker-airflow may introduce unneeded complexity. ### Is compose or docker-airflow more popular on GitHub? compose has more GitHub stars (38,178 vs 3,810). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are compose and docker-airflow open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (compose: Apache-2.0, docker-airflow: Apache-2.0). ### Where can I find alternatives to compose or docker-airflow? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [compose alternatives](/tools/docker-compose/alternatives) and [docker-airflow alternatives](/tools/puckel-docker-airflow/alternatives) ([compose markdown twin](/tools/docker-compose/alternatives.md), [docker-airflow markdown twin](/tools/puckel-docker-airflow/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-puckel-docker-airflow.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, compose or docker-airflow? compose: Very active. docker-airflow: Dormant. 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 docker-airflow? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [compose trust report](/tools/docker-compose/trust); [docker-airflow trust report](/tools/puckel-docker-airflow/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/_