Bashblog vs Hexo Admin
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Bashblog | Hexo Admin |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 76 · Good | 20 · At risk |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Shell | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | source, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,931 | ★ 1,788 |
| First released | 2012 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Blogger | WordPress |
What are Bashblog and Hexo Admin?
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
Hexo Admin
Hexo Admin is a plugin that adds a web-based editing dashboard to the Hexo static blog generator, allowing posts to be written and managed through a browser. It brings a CMS-like workflow to an otherwise file-based generator.
- Browser-based editor
- Live preview
- Image uploads
- Hexo integration
Bashblog vs Hexo Admin: key differences
Bashblog is written in Shell, while Hexo Admin is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Bashblog versus MIT for Hexo Admin. Bashblog is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Hexo Admin. Bashblog is the more established project (first released 2012), while Hexo Admin arrived in 2014.
Why pick each one
Choose Bashblog if…
- Incredibly minimal
- No runtime to maintain
Watch out for
- Very bare-bones
- No admin interface
Choose Hexo Admin if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.8k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Bashblog or Hexo Admin better?
Neither is universally better. Bashblog has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Bashblog and Hexo Admin free and open-source?
Yes. Bashblog is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Hexo Admin under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bashblog and Hexo Admin with Docker?
Bashblog: check the project docs for container support. Hexo Admin: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Bashblog or Hexo Admin?
Bashblog has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Hexo Admin. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.