A comparative DNS study of the ignition characteristics of dual-fueled reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) and stratification charge compression ignition (SCCI) is investigated using a 116-species reduced primary reference fuel (PRF) mechanism. In the RCCI combustion, two PRF fuels (n-heptane and iso-octane) with opposite autoignition characteristics are separatedly supplied and in-cylinder blended such that spatial variations in fuel reactivity, fuel concentration and temperature are achieved. In the SCCI combustion, however, just a single fuel (PRF50) is used such that only fuel concentration and temperature inhomoginieties are obtained. Because three factors, rather than only two as in SCCI combustion, govern the overall RCCI combustion, combustion timing and combustion duration or heat release rate of RCCI combustion are flexibly and effectively controlled. It is found that the overall RCCI combustion occurs much earlier and its combustion duration is longer compared to SCC combustionI. Moreover, the negative temperature coefficient (NTC) has a positive effect on enhancing RCCI combustion by inducing a shorter combustion timing and a longer combustion duration as a result of the occurrence of a predominant low-speed deflagration-combustion mode.