Comparison
Stella Ops vs GitHub Actions
GitHub Actions runs CI/CD pipelines.
Stella Ops orchestrates releases with security gates, reachability analysis, and audit-ready evidence.
GitHub Actions
- • General-purpose CI/CD workflows
- • Cloud-hosted runners (or self-hosted)
- • Tightly integrated with GitHub repos
- • No built-in security scanning
- • Workflow-based, not release-centric
Stella Ops Suite
- • Release orchestration control plane
- • 100% self-hosted, air-gap ready
- • Works with any SCM/registry
- • Built-in reachability-aware scanning
- • Release-centric with evidence gates
Feature Comparison
| Capability | GitHub Actions | Stella Ops |
|---|---|---|
| Build automation | Yes | Integrates with CI |
| Deployment workflows | Yes (manual setup) | Yes (built-in) |
| Environment management | Basic | Full (promotion graphs) |
| Vulnerability scanning | Via Dependabot/CodeQL | Built-in + reachability |
| Reachability analysis | No | Yes (hybrid 3-layer) |
SBOMSoftware Bill of Materials - a complete list of all packages and dependencies in your software SBOM generation | Via actions | Built-in |
| Decision Capsules | No | Yes |
| Deterministic replay | No | Yes |
| Air-gap deployment | No (requires internet) | Full (Offline Kit) |
| Non-K8s deployment | Manual scripting | First-class support |
Different Tools for Different Jobs
GitHub Actions is excellent for building and testing. Stella Ops is designed for releasing with proof.
GitHub Actions handles:
- → Running tests on PR
- → Building container images
- → Pushing to registry
- → Basic deployment scripts
Stella Ops handles:
- → Security scanning with reachability
- → Policy-gated promotions
- → Environment orchestration
- → Audit-ready evidence export
Use them together: GitHub Actions builds → Stella Ops scans, gates, and deploys.
Deployment Capabilities
GitHub Actions can deploy via scripts, but Stella provides structured release orchestration:
Deployment Targets
- → Docker Compose deployments
- → Docker Swarm clusters
- → AWS ECS / Fargate
- → HashiCorp Nomad
- → Scripted deployments (.NET 10)
Infrastructure Integration
- → SSH/WinRM agentless deployment
- → HashiCorp Vault for secrets
- → HashiCorp Consul for service registry
- → Environment promotions (Dev→Stage→Prod)
- → Approval workflows
When to Use Which
GitHub Actions alone if...
- • Simple deploy scripts are sufficient
- • Security scanning isn't a gate requirement
- • Audit evidence isn't needed
- • Cloud connectivity is always available
Add Stella Ops if...
- • Security must gate promotions
- • Auditors need exportable evidence
- • Non-Kubernetes is your target
- • Air-gap deployment is required
- • You need reachability analysis
Methodology: This comparison is based on publicly available documentation, release notes, and hands-on evaluation as of January 2026. Features and capabilities change over time. We encourage you to verify current capabilities with each vendor's official documentation.
Stella Ops is committed to accurate, fair comparisons. If you believe any information is outdated or incorrect, please contact hello@stella-ops.org.
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