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Apache DolphinScheduler vs Camunda Platform 7

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted automation & workflows options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
AP Apache DolphinScheduler Distributed visual workflow scheduling platform VS CA Camunda Platform 7 Archived BPMN-based workflow and decision automation engine
FeatureApache DolphinSchedulerCamunda Platform 7
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupUnder-an-hour setup
Health score94 · Excellent15 · At risk
StatusActively maintainedArchived
CategoryAutomation & WorkflowsAutomation & Workflows
LicenseApache-2.0Apache-2.0
LanguageJavaJava
Setup difficultyHardHard
Min. RAM2,048 MB1,024 MB
Deploymentdocker, kubernetes, bare-metaldocker, kubernetes, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 14,499★ 4,269
First released20192013
ReplacesAWS Step Functions, Azure Data FactoryMicrosoft Power Automate, AWS Step Functions

What are Apache DolphinScheduler and Camunda Platform 7?

Apache DolphinScheduler

Apache DolphinScheduler is a distributed, extensible workflow scheduler with a visual drag-and-drop interface. It is designed for big data and ETL job orchestration with high reliability.

  • Visual DAG workflow designer
  • Distributed and decentralized scheduling
  • Multi-tenant support
  • Rich task type plugins

Read the full Apache DolphinScheduler guide →

Camunda Platform 7

Camunda Platform 7 is an open-source workflow and decision automation engine based on the BPMN and DMN standards. It executes process models and integrates with Java applications and microservices.

  • Standards-based BPMN execution
  • DMN decision tables
  • Visual process modeler
  • REST API and Java integration

Apache DolphinScheduler vs Camunda Platform 7: key differences

The biggest difference is maintenance: Camunda Platform 7's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Apache DolphinScheduler is actively maintained. Both projects are written in Java. Camunda Platform 7 is the lighter option, starting around 1,024 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Apache DolphinScheduler. Camunda Platform 7 is the more established project (first released 2013), while Apache DolphinScheduler arrived in 2019. Apache DolphinScheduler has the considerably larger community, at 14,499 GitHub stars versus 4,269.

Why pick each one

Choose Apache DolphinScheduler if…

  • Friendly visual interface
  • Scales horizontally

Watch out for

  • Heavy Java-based stack
Apache DolphinScheduler details

Choose Camunda Platform 7 if…

  • Strong BPMN standards support
  • Mature ecosystem

Watch out for

  • Newer Camunda 8 is not fully open source
Camunda Platform 7 details

Frequently asked questions

Is Apache DolphinScheduler or Camunda Platform 7 better?

Neither is universally better. Apache DolphinScheduler has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Apache DolphinScheduler and Camunda Platform 7 free and open-source?

Yes. Apache DolphinScheduler is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Camunda Platform 7 under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Apache DolphinScheduler and Camunda Platform 7 with Docker?

Apache DolphinScheduler: yes. Camunda Platform 7: yes.

Which is lighter on resources, Apache DolphinScheduler or Camunda Platform 7?

Camunda Platform 7 has the smaller minimum footprint at 1,024 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Apache DolphinScheduler. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.

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