Argo Workflows vs Laminar
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted ci/cd & build options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Argo Workflows
Container-native workflow engine for Kubernetes
VS
Laminar
Lightweight and modular continuous integration service
| Feature | Argo Workflows | Laminar |
|---|---|---|
| Category | CI/CD & Build | CI/CD & Build |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | kubernetes, helm | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 16,885 | ★ 352 |
| First released | 2017 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Airflow | Jenkins |
Why pick each one
Choose Argo Workflows if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 16.9k GitHub stars
- Written in Go
Choose Laminar if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in C++
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Argo Workflows or Laminar better?
Neither is universally better. Argo Workflows has the larger community, while Laminar is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Argo Workflows and Laminar free and open-source?
Yes. Argo Workflows is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Laminar under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Argo Workflows and Laminar with Docker?
Argo Workflows: check the project docs for container support. Laminar: check the project docs for container support.