Is Dagu a good alternative to Apache Airflow?

Yes! Dagu is an excellent alternative to Apache Airflow for teams wanting simplicity. It's a single binary with zero dependencies (no database or message broker needed), installs in seconds, and provides the same core DAG workflow capabilities with a beautiful web UI.

What makes Dagu different from Airflow?

Dagu is lightweight (single binary vs Airflow's complex infrastructure), language-agnostic (not Python-only), has zero external dependencies, and can be set up in minutes instead of days. Perfect for teams who find Airflow overly complex.

Can Dagu replace Apache Airflow?

Yes, Dagu can replace Airflow for most use cases. It supports DAG workflows, scheduling, retries, dependencies, and monitoring - all the core features teams use in Airflow, but in a much simpler package.

A batteries-included workflow engine that doesn't get in your way.

NEW v1.26

Change Log→

COMMUNITY

Understanding Partial Success in DAG Systems→

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Define workflows in simple YAML, execute them anywhere with a single binary, compose complex pipelines from reusable sub-workflows, and distribute tasks across workers. All this without requiring databases, message brokers, or code changes to your existing scripts.

# Get started instantly

$curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dagu-org/dagu/main/scripts/installer.sh | sh

✓ dagu installed successfully

$dagustart-all

✓ Web UI ready at http://localhost:8080

Quick Start View Examples

Powerful

Enterprise ready

Portable

Run anywhere

Local-First

No vendor lock-in

Compose anything in YAML

Local scripts, remote commands, containers. All unified in simple, readable workflows.

workflow.yaml

schedule: "0 0 * * *" # Runs at 00:00 everyday

steps:
  - name: local script
    command: python data_extract.py

  - name: remote command
    executor: ssh
    command: backup_database.sh

  - name: docker container
    executor: docker
    command: python:3.11 python process.py

Air-Gapped Ready

Works offline and in isolated environments. No database, no external services, no internet required.

Universal Execution

Run anything: local scripts, remote SSH commands, Docker containers, HTTP calls, and more.

Instant Setup

Download, run, done. Start orchestrating workflows in minutes with sensible defaults.

A Powerful, Portable, Local-First Workflow Engine

Packed with production-ready features in a single binary.

NEW

User Management & RBAC

Built-in user management with role-based access control - Admin, Manager, Operator, and Viewer roles

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Compose anything in YAML

Air-Gapped Ready

Universal Execution

Instant Setup

A Powerful, Portable, Local-First Workflow Engine

User Management & RBAC

GitHub Actions

Nested Workflows

Distributed Execution

Docker Integration

Shell Commands

Conditional Steps

Automatic Retries

Repeat Policy

Environment Variables

Rich Web UI

Authentication

Email Notifications

Advanced Scheduler

Timezone Support

Remote Command Execution

Queue Management

Quickstart

Install Dagu

Create a workflow

Run it

Explore the Web UI

Architecture

Interfaces

Core Components

File-Based Storage

Join our community! 👋

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