Bashblog vs Lektor
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Bashblog | Lektor |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 76 · Good | 89 · Excellent |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | GPL-3.0 | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | Shell | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,931 | ★ 3,948 |
| First released | 2012 | 2015 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Blogger | WordPress, Squarespace |
What are Bashblog and Lektor?
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
Lektor
Lektor is an open-source static content management system that combines a static site generator with an optional admin UI. It lets non-technical users edit content while developers control the structure.
- Static generator with admin UI
- Flexible content models
- Flat-file content
- One-step deployment
Bashblog vs Lektor: key differences
Bashblog is written in Shell, while Lektor is built with Python. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Bashblog versus BSD-3-Clause for Lektor. Bashblog is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Lektor. Bashblog is the more established project (first released 2012), while Lektor arrived in 2015. Lektor has the considerably larger community, at 3,948 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 Lektor if…
- Admin UI makes editing easy
- Static output is fast and secure
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Less active development
Frequently asked questions
Is Bashblog or Lektor better?
Neither is universally better. Lektor 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 Lektor free and open-source?
Yes. Bashblog is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Lektor under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bashblog and Lektor with Docker?
Bashblog: check the project docs for container support. Lektor: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Bashblog or Lektor?
Bashblog has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Lektor. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.