Apache Airflow
apache.orgplatformself-hosted
Apache Airflow is a self-hosted platform in the Workflow Orchestration layer of the AI stack. Scheduler and DAG engine long used for batch data engineering.
By Lattice editorial · Facts verified · method
- licence
- Apache-2.0
- language
- Python
- cost
- free
- owned by
- ML PlatformData & Retrieval
Verified 2026-09build refuses it from 2027-04
Use Apache Airflow when
Scheduled batch data engineering, where DAGs are the shared language.
Skip Apache Airflow when
You are building a latency-sensitive product — it was not designed for one.
Survives the retries, the waits and the crashes. — that is what this layer of the stack is answerable for. See the full Workflow Orchestration section for the rest of the options.
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[](https://lattice.kunjshah.in/workflow-orchestration/apache-airflow)Quick answers
- Is Apache Airflow open source?
- Yes. Apache Airflow is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. It is free to use.
- What are the alternatives to Apache Airflow?
- The closest alternatives to Apache Airflow are Dagster and Prefect.
Reading on workflows
Alternatives to Apache Airflow
Listed as an alternative to
- DagsterDagsterAsset-oriented orchestration for data and ML pipelines.Use when Data and ML pipelines framed as assets with explicit dependencies.Skip when You want a task queue rather than a lineage-aware orchestrator.Apache-2.0 · self-hosted · free
- PrefectPrefectPython-native workflow orchestration with a managed cloud option.Use when Python-native flows with a managed cloud option behind them.Skip when You need deep lineage modelling.Apache-2.0 · self-hosted · free-tier
Also in workflows
- TemporalTemporalDurable execution engine that survives crashes and long waits.Use when Work spanning minutes or hours that must survive restarts and retries.Skip when You need it live in a day — the adoption cost is real.MIT · self-hosted · free
- InngestInngestEvent-driven step functions with durable replay for TypeScript.Use when Durable step functions in TypeScript, without running the engine.Skip when You are not working in TypeScript.Apache-2.0 · saas · free-tier
- Trigger.devTrigger.devBackground jobs and AI workflows with long-running task support.Use when Long-running background jobs that must survive a deploy.Skip when You need more than TypeScript.Apache-2.0 · saas · free-tier
- DagsterDagsterAsset-oriented orchestration for data and ML pipelines.Use when Data and ML pipelines framed as assets with explicit dependencies.Skip when You want a task queue rather than a lineage-aware orchestrator.Apache-2.0 · self-hosted · free
- PrefectPrefectPython-native workflow orchestration with a managed cloud option.Use when Python-native flows with a managed cloud option behind them.Skip when You need deep lineage modelling.Apache-2.0 · self-hosted · free-tier
- RestateRestateDurable execution with a low-latency stateful API surface.Use when Durable execution with a genuinely low-latency stateful API surface.Skip when You need the largest ecosystem around the engine.BSL-1.1 · self-hosted · free
- DBOSDBOSDurable workflows as ordinary Python functions and decorators.Use when Durable workflows as ordinary Python functions and decorators.Skip when You want a separate service to operate.Apache-2.0 · self-hosted · free
- Fly MachinesFly MachinesHosting for stateful containers that fits durable agent workers.Use when Hosting stateful containers that fits durable agent workers.Skip when You want to own the infrastructure layer.proprietary · managed · usage-based
- ModalModalServerless GPU and container platform popular for batch inference.Use when Serverless GPUs and containers for batch inference and scheduled jobs.Skip when Data locality rules forbid ephemeral compute.proprietary · saas · usage-based