Cstate vs Kener
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted monitoring & status options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Kener
Modern status page system built with SvelteKit
| Feature | Cstate | Kener |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | ≈5-minute setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 77 · Good | 90 · Excellent |
| Category | Monitoring & Status | Monitoring & Status |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | HTML | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | one-click, source | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,895 | ★ 5,177 |
| First released | 2018 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Statuspage | Statuspage, Better Uptime |
What are Cstate and Kener?
Cstate
cState is a status page system built on the Hugo static site generator, using Markdown files for incidents. It produces a fast, lightweight status page that can be hosted on any static host.
- Static Hugo-based site
- Markdown incident files
- Very fast and lightweight
- Hostable anywhere
Kener
Kener is an open-source status page system built with SvelteKit that monitors services and displays their health. It supports incidents, maintenance windows, and a polished, customizable interface.
- Modern SvelteKit interface
- Incident and maintenance management
- Multiple monitor types
- Customizable theming
Cstate vs Kener: key differences
Cstate is written in HTML, while Kener is built with TypeScript. Cstate is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Kener. Cstate is the more established project (first released 2018), while Kener arrived in 2023. Kener lists first-class Docker deployment; Cstate does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Cstate if…
- No backend needed
- Cheap to host
Watch out for
- Manual incident editing
- No automatic checks
Choose Kener if…
- Attractive modern UI
- Easy to deploy
Watch out for
- Younger project
- Smaller plugin ecosystem
Frequently asked questions
Is Cstate or Kener better?
Neither is universally better. Kener has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Cstate and Kener free and open-source?
Yes. Cstate is licensed under MIT and Kener under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cstate and Kener with Docker?
Cstate: check the project docs for container support. Kener: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Cstate or Kener?
Cstate has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Kener. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.