Acrylamid vs Nibbleblog
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Acrylamid | Nibbleblog |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 10 · At risk | 7 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | BSD-2-Clause | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | source, binary | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 280 | ★ 227 |
| First released | 2011 | 2009 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Blogger | WordPress, Blogger |
What are Acrylamid and Nibbleblog?
Acrylamid
Acrylamid is a static blog compiler written in Python that focuses on fast incremental rebuilds and supports multiple markup languages. It generates a complete static site that can be hosted anywhere.
- Incremental rebuilds
- Multiple markup formats
- Static output
- Jinja2 templating
Nibbleblog
Nibbleblog is a simple, lightweight blog engine written in PHP that stores its data in XML files rather than a database. It is designed for quick setup of a personal blog.
- No database required
- XML-based storage
- Plugin support
- Quick installation
Acrylamid vs Nibbleblog: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Nibbleblog's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Acrylamid is actively maintained. Acrylamid is written in Python, while Nibbleblog is built with PHP. Licensing differs — BSD-2-Clause for Acrylamid versus GPL-3.0 for Nibbleblog. Acrylamid is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Nibbleblog. Nibbleblog is the more established project (first released 2009), while Acrylamid arrived in 2011.
Why pick each one
Choose Acrylamid if…
- Released under the BSD-2-Clause license
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Choose Nibbleblog if…
- Very easy to install
- Easy to back up
Watch out for
- Development is inactive
- Limited features
Frequently asked questions
Is Acrylamid or Nibbleblog better?
Neither is universally better. Acrylamid has the larger community, while Nibbleblog is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Acrylamid and Nibbleblog free and open-source?
Yes. Acrylamid is licensed under BSD-2-Clause and Nibbleblog under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Acrylamid and Nibbleblog with Docker?
Acrylamid: check the project docs for container support. Nibbleblog: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Acrylamid or Nibbleblog?
Acrylamid has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Nibbleblog. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.