Dagster vs Luigi
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?
Dagster
Data orchestrator for the full development lifecycle
VS
Luigi
Python module for building complex batch job pipelines
| Feature | Dagster | Luigi |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, helm | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15,943 | ★ 18,762 |
| First released | 2019 | 2012 |
| Replaces | AWS Step Functions, Azure Data Factory | AWS Step Functions |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Dagster or Luigi better?
Neither is universally better. Luigi has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Dagster and Luigi free and open-source?
Yes. Dagster is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Luigi under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dagster and Luigi with Docker?
Dagster: yes. Luigi: check the project docs for container support.