Apache Solr vs tinysearch
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted search engines options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Apache Solr | tinysearch |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 81 · Excellent | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | Search Engines | Search Engines |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Java | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,674 | ★ 2,972 |
| First released | 2006 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Elasticsearch, Algolia | Algolia |
What are Apache Solr and tinysearch?
Apache Solr
Apache Solr is a highly reliable, scalable and fault-tolerant open-source search platform built on Apache Lucene. It powers full-text search, faceting and analytics for many large websites and applications.
- Lucene-powered full-text search
- Faceting and rich querying
- Distributed SolrCloud mode
- Extensive plugin ecosystem
tinysearch
tinysearch is a lightweight full-text search engine that compiles a static site's content into a small WebAssembly module for client-side search. It is designed for blogs and documentation where a search server would be overkill.
- WebAssembly search module
- No backend required
- Tiny index size
- Client-side full-text search
Apache Solr vs tinysearch: key differences
Apache Solr is written in Java, while tinysearch is built with Rust. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Apache Solr versus MIT for tinysearch. Tinysearch is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Apache Solr. Apache Solr is the more established project (first released 2006), while tinysearch arrived in 2019. Apache Solr lists first-class Docker deployment; tinysearch does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Apache Solr if…
- Mature and battle-tested
- Powerful faceting
Watch out for
- Configuration is complex
Choose tinysearch if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
- Written in Rust
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Apache Solr or tinysearch better?
tinysearch is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Apache Solr if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Apache Solr and tinysearch free and open-source?
Yes. Apache Solr is licensed under Apache-2.0 and tinysearch under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Apache Solr and tinysearch with Docker?
Apache Solr: yes. tinysearch: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Apache Solr or tinysearch?
tinysearch has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Apache Solr. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.