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Comparison · Infra & APIs

Hanko vs NGINX

A side-by-side editorial comparison of Hanko and NGINX — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.

Shared themes:open-source

Hanko vs NGINX: at a glance

FeatureHankoNGINX
SectorInfra & APIsInfra & APIs
Velocity score0.05.0
Sparks · 30d00
Top themesauthentication, passkeys, enterprise-sso, identityweb-server, reverse-proxy, http3, security
Last editorial update1h ago6h ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is Hanko?

Hanko maps SAML and OIDC attributes into custom claims, a step toward enterprise SSO.

Hanko is a passkey-first authentication platform, open source or cloud-hosted. October's update lets teams bring attributes from SAML and custom OIDC connections into Hanko as custom claims, configured in the Cloud Console. Earlier 2026 releases added Firebase password hash import, inactivity logouts, session transparency and stronger passcode policies.

Read the full Hanko trajectory →

What is NGINX?

nginx patched HTTP/3 twice in a month and is trimming old platform code on mainline.

nginx runs a 1.31 mainline and a 1.30 stable line. After 1.31.5 added a native control API, a JSON module and predicate locations in September, the following releases were mostly security: 1.31.6 and 1.30.5 fixed an HTTP/3 buffer overflow (CVE-2026-90439), then 1.31.7 and 1.30.6 fixed five more CVEs including HTTP/3 request body injection. 1.31.8 on October 21 removed the Win32 iocp event module and fixed further HTTP/3 issues.

Read the full NGINX trajectory →

Hanko vs NGINX: editorial side-by-side

H
Hanko
INFRA · APIS
0.0

Hanko maps SAML and OIDC attributes into custom claims, a step toward enterprise SSO.

◆ Current state

Hanko is a passkey-first authentication platform, open source or cloud-hosted. October's update lets teams bring attributes from SAML and custom OIDC connections into Hanko as custom claims, configured in the Cloud Console. Earlier 2026 releases added Firebase password hash import, inactivity logouts, session transparency and stronger passcode policies.

◆ Where it's heading

Hanko is filling in what enterprise customers expect from an identity provider: SSO attribute mapping, session controls and migration paths from incumbents. Releases arrive monthly or less, each with a narrow feature.

◆ Prediction

More enterprise SSO features, such as directory sync or role mapping from claims, are the likely next additions; the entries do not confirm a timeline.

N
NGINX
INFRA · APIS
5.0

nginx patched HTTP/3 twice in a month and is trimming old platform code on mainline.

◆ Current state

nginx runs a 1.31 mainline and a 1.30 stable line. After 1.31.5 added a native control API, a JSON module and predicate locations in September, the following releases were mostly security: 1.31.6 and 1.30.5 fixed an HTTP/3 buffer overflow (CVE-2026-90439), then 1.31.7 and 1.30.6 fixed five more CVEs including HTTP/3 request body injection. 1.31.8 on October 21 removed the Win32 iocp event module and fixed further HTTP/3 issues.

◆ Where it's heading

HTTP/3 has needed fixes in each of the last three mainline releases, two of them CVEs. Mainline is adding features and removing legacy code at the same time, while stable gets the CVE backports.

◆ Prediction

More HTTP/3 fixes on both lines are likely; on mainline, follow-up work on the control API and JSON module is the next feature thread to watch.

Alternatives to Hanko and NGINX

Other Infra & APIs products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Hanko or NGINX.

See all Hanko alternatives → · See all NGINX alternatives →

Recent activity from Hanko and NGINX

Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.

  1. 12d agoNGINXnginx 1.31.8 removes the Win32 iocp module, fixes HTTP/3
  2. 18d agoNGINXnginx 1.31.7 fixes five CVEs on mainline
  3. 19d agoNGINXnginx 1.30.6 fixes five CVEs including HTTP/3 injection
  4. 1mo agoHankoHanko maps SAML and OIDC attributes to custom claims
  5. 1mo agoNGINXnginx 1.30.5 fixes an HTTP/3 buffer overflow
  6. 1mo agoNGINXnginx 1.31.6 fixes HTTP/3 overflow and control API bugs
  7. 2mo agoNGINXrelease-1.31.5 ⚡
  8. 5mo agoHankoJune 2026 Updates
  9. 6mo agoHankoApril 2026 Updates
  10. 8mo agoHankoMarch 2026 Updates
  11. 9mo agoHankoJanuary 2026 Updates
  12. 11mo agoHankoDecember 2025 Updates

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Hanko and NGINX?

Both compete on the same themes — open-source — within Infra & APIs. NGINX is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.

Is Hanko better than NGINX?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. NGINX is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Infra & APIs products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to Hanko?

Top Hanko alternatives in Infra & APIs are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Hanko alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/hanko for the full list with editorial commentary on each.

What are the best alternatives to NGINX?

Top NGINX alternatives in Infra & APIs are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "NGINX alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/nginx for the full list with editorial commentary on each.