Adapt Authoring Tool vs Open edX
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted learning & courses options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Adapt Authoring Tool
Build responsive HTML5 e-learning courses
VS
Open edX
Scalable open-source platform for online courses
| Feature | Adapt Authoring Tool | Open edX |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 8,192 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 558 | ★ 8,156 |
| First released | 2014 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Articulate Rise, Adobe Captivate | Coursera, Canvas |
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 Open edX if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 8.2k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Adapt Authoring Tool or Open edX better?
Neither is universally better. Open edX has the larger community, while Adapt Authoring Tool is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Adapt Authoring Tool and Open edX free and open-source?
Yes. Adapt Authoring Tool is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Open edX under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Adapt Authoring Tool and Open edX with Docker?
Adapt Authoring Tool: yes. Open edX: yes.