Bashblog vs Gatsby
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Gatsby
React-based static site and blog generator
| Feature | Bashblog | Gatsby |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 76 · Good | 96 · Excellent |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Shell | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,931 | ★ 55,942 |
| First released | 2012 | 2015 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Blogger | WordPress, Medium |
What are Bashblog and Gatsby?
Bashblog
Bashblog is an extremely minimal blog engine implemented as a single Bash script. It generates static HTML pages from posts written in a terminal, ideal for hackers who want the simplest possible blog.
- Single Bash script
- Static HTML output
- Terminal-based authoring
- Zero dependencies beyond Bash
Gatsby
Gatsby is an open-source React-based framework for building fast static websites and blogs. It pulls content from many sources via a GraphQL data layer and produces highly optimized output.
- React-powered sites
- GraphQL data layer
- Rich plugin ecosystem
- Performance-optimized output
Bashblog vs Gatsby: key differences
Bashblog is written in Shell, while Gatsby is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Bashblog versus MIT for Gatsby. Bashblog is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Gatsby. Bashblog is the more established project (first released 2012), while Gatsby arrived in 2015. Gatsby has the considerably larger community, at 55,942 GitHub stars versus 1,931.
Why pick each one
Choose Bashblog if…
- Incredibly minimal
- No runtime to maintain
Watch out for
- Very bare-bones
- No admin interface
Choose Gatsby if…
- Great for React developers
- Pulls content from many sources
Watch out for
- Heavier build process
- Steeper learning curve
Frequently asked questions
Is Bashblog or Gatsby better?
Neither is universally better. Gatsby has the larger community, while Bashblog is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Bashblog and Gatsby free and open-source?
Yes. Bashblog is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Gatsby under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bashblog and Gatsby with Docker?
Bashblog: check the project docs for container support. Gatsby: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Bashblog or Gatsby?
Bashblog has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Gatsby. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.