Bamboo vs act
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?
| Feature | Bamboo | act |
|---|---|---|
| Category | CI/CD & Build | CI/CD & Build |
| License | ⊘ Proprietary | MIT |
| Language | Java | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | — | ★ 71,417 |
| First released | 2020 | 2019 |
| Replaces | — | GitHub Actions |
Why pick each one
Choose Bamboo if…
- Released under the ⊘ Proprietary license
- Written in Java
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Bamboo or act better?
act is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Bamboo if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Bamboo and act free and open-source?
Yes. Bamboo is licensed under ⊘ Proprietary and act under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bamboo and act with Docker?
Bamboo: check the project docs for container support. act: check the project docs for container support.