Bashblog vs Publii
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Bashblog | Publii |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 76 · Good | 91 · Excellent |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Shell | HTML |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,931 | ★ 7,318 |
| First released | 2012 | 2017 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Blogger | WordPress, Squarespace |
What are Bashblog and Publii?
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
Publii
Publii is an open-source desktop application for building fast, secure static websites and blogs. It provides a friendly graphical interface and publishes the generated site to hosting or Git.
- Desktop GUI for static sites
- One-click publishing
- Built-in themes
- No server runtime needed
Bashblog vs Publii: key differences
Bashblog is written in Shell, while Publii is built with HTML. Bashblog is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Publii. Bashblog is the more established project (first released 2012), while Publii arrived in 2017. Publii has the considerably larger community, at 7,318 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 Publii if…
- Very approachable for non-developers
- Secure static output
Watch out for
- Single-author workflow
- Desktop app required to edit
Frequently asked questions
Is Bashblog or Publii better?
Neither is universally better. Publii has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Bashblog and Publii free and open-source?
Yes. Bashblog is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Publii under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bashblog and Publii with Docker?
Bashblog: check the project docs for container support. Publii: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Bashblog or Publii?
Bashblog has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Publii. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.