SHSelfHostIndex

Apache DolphinScheduler vs Mage

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 MA Mage Open-source data pipeline tool for transforming and integrating data
FeatureApache DolphinSchedulerMage
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupUnder-an-hour setup
Health score94 · Excellent88 · Excellent
CategoryAutomation & WorkflowsAutomation & Workflows
LicenseApache-2.0Apache-2.0
LanguageJavaPython
Setup difficultyHardMedium
Min. RAM2,048 MB2,048 MB
Deploymentdocker, kubernetes, bare-metaldocker, kubernetes, helm
GitHub stars★ 14,499★ 8,826
First released20192022
ReplacesAWS Step Functions, Azure Data FactoryAzure Data Factory, Apache Airflow

What are Apache DolphinScheduler and Mage?

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 →

Mage

Mage is an open-source tool for building and running data pipelines that combine the ease of notebooks with engineering best practices. It can be self-hosted to schedule and monitor data workflows.

  • Notebook-style pipeline building
  • Built-in scheduling and monitoring
  • Data integration connectors
  • Modern web UI

Read the full Mage guide →

Apache DolphinScheduler vs Mage: key differences

Apache DolphinScheduler is written in Java, while Mage is built with Python. Apache DolphinScheduler is the more established project (first released 2019), while Mage arrived in 2022.

Why pick each one

Choose Apache DolphinScheduler if…

  • Friendly visual interface
  • Scales horizontally

Watch out for

  • Heavy Java-based stack
Apache DolphinScheduler details

Choose Mage if…

  • Friendly for data scientists
  • Quick to get started

Watch out for

  • Younger than Airflow
Mage details

Frequently asked questions

Is Apache DolphinScheduler or Mage better?

Neither is universally better. Apache DolphinScheduler has the larger community, while Mage is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are Apache DolphinScheduler and Mage free and open-source?

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

Can I run Apache DolphinScheduler and Mage with Docker?

Apache DolphinScheduler: yes. Mage: yes.

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