Astro vs Hexo
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Astro | Hexo |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 100 · Excellent | 98 · Excellent |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 62,756 | ★ 41,775 |
| First released | 2021 | 2012 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Medium | WordPress, Blogger |
What are Astro and Hexo?
Astro
Astro is an open-source web framework for building fast, content-focused websites and blogs. It ships zero JavaScript by default and supports components from React, Vue, Svelte, and more.
- Zero JavaScript by default
- Use any UI framework
- Content collections for blogs
- Fast static output
Hexo
Hexo is an open-source static blog framework built with Node.js that turns Markdown into a fast static site. It is widely used by developers for personal blogs with a rich plugin ecosystem.
- Fast Markdown-based builds
- Large plugin and theme ecosystem
- One-command deployment
- Highly extensible
Astro vs Hexo: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Hexo is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Astro. Hexo is the more established project (first released 2012), while Astro arrived in 2021.
Why pick each one
Choose Astro if…
- Excellent performance
- Flexible component model
Watch out for
- No admin UI
- Requires Node tooling
Choose Hexo if…
- Popular with developers
- Rich plugin ecosystem
Watch out for
- No admin UI
- Node toolchain required
Frequently asked questions
Is Astro or Hexo better?
Neither is universally better. Astro has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Astro and Hexo free and open-source?
Yes. Astro is licensed under MIT and Hexo under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Astro and Hexo with Docker?
Astro: check the project docs for container support. Hexo: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Astro or Hexo?
Hexo has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Astro. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.