Cocos Engine vs Sapphire Server
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game engines & frameworks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Cocos Engine
Open-source cross-platform 2D and 3D game engine
VS
Sapphire Server
Open-source server emulator for Final Fantasy XIV
| Feature | Cocos Engine | Sapphire Server |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Game Engines & Frameworks | Game Engines & Frameworks |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | source, binary | bare-metal, docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 9,735 | ★ 819 |
| First released | 2010 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Unity | official FFXIV servers |
Why pick each one
Choose Cocos Engine if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Mature project with 9.7k GitHub stars
- Written in C++
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Sapphire Server if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in C++
Frequently asked questions
Is Cocos Engine or Sapphire Server better?
Cocos Engine is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Sapphire Server if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Cocos Engine and Sapphire Server free and open-source?
Yes. Cocos Engine is licensed under MIT and Sapphire Server under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cocos Engine and Sapphire Server with Docker?
Cocos Engine: check the project docs for container support. Sapphire Server: yes.