Bashblog 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 | Bashblog | Hexo |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 76 · Good | 98 · Excellent |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Shell | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,931 | ★ 41,774 |
| First released | 2012 | 2012 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Blogger | WordPress, Blogger |
What are Bashblog and Hexo?
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
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
Bashblog vs Hexo: key differences
Bashblog is written in Shell, while Hexo is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Bashblog versus MIT for Hexo. Bashblog is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Hexo. Hexo has the considerably larger community, at 41,774 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 Hexo if…
- Popular with developers
- Rich plugin ecosystem
Watch out for
- No admin UI
- Node toolchain required
Frequently asked questions
Is Bashblog or Hexo better?
Neither is universally better. Hexo 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 Hexo free and open-source?
Yes. Bashblog is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Hexo under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bashblog and Hexo with Docker?
Bashblog: check the project docs for container support. Hexo: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Bashblog or Hexo?
Bashblog has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Hexo. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.