Adapt Authoring Tool vs eXeLearning
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted learning & courses options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Adapt Authoring Tool | eXeLearning |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 62 · Good | 74 · Good |
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 562 | ★ 143 |
| First released | 2014 | 2004 |
| Replaces | Articulate Rise, Adobe Captivate | Articulate, Adobe Captivate |
What are Adapt Authoring Tool and eXeLearning?
Adapt Authoring Tool
The Adapt Authoring Tool is an open-source platform for building fully responsive HTML5 e-learning content. Course authors assemble interactive components and publish SCORM-compliant packages from a web interface.
- Responsive HTML5 output
- Drag-and-drop authoring
- SCORM and xAPI export
- Plugin component library
eXeLearning
eXeLearning is an open-source authoring tool for creating interactive educational web content and learning resources. Teachers build lessons offline and export them as web pages or SCORM packages for any LMS.
- Interactive content authoring
- SCORM export
- Offline lesson building
- Reusable learning objects
Adapt Authoring Tool vs eXeLearning: key differences
Both projects are written in JavaScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Adapt Authoring Tool versus GPL-2.0 for eXeLearning. EXeLearning is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Adapt Authoring Tool. EXeLearning is the more established project (first released 2004), while Adapt Authoring Tool arrived in 2014. Adapt Authoring Tool has the considerably larger community, at 562 GitHub stars versus 143. Adapt Authoring Tool lists first-class Docker deployment; eXeLearning does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Adapt Authoring Tool if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in JavaScript
Choose eXeLearning if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Adapt Authoring Tool or eXeLearning better?
Neither is universally better. Adapt Authoring Tool has the larger community, while eXeLearning is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Adapt Authoring Tool and eXeLearning free and open-source?
Yes. Adapt Authoring Tool is licensed under GPL-3.0 and eXeLearning under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Adapt Authoring Tool and eXeLearning with Docker?
Adapt Authoring Tool: yes. eXeLearning: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Adapt Authoring Tool or eXeLearning?
eXeLearning has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Adapt Authoring Tool. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.