Bashblog vs Serendipity
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Bashblog | Serendipity |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 76 · Good | 76 · Good |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | GPL-3.0 | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | Shell | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,931 | ★ 227 |
| First released | 2012 | 2003 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Blogger | WordPress, Blogger |
What are Bashblog and Serendipity?
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
Serendipity
Serendipity is an open-source PHP and MySQL-powered weblog application that emphasizes ease of use and effective spam protection. It supports plugins, themes, and multiple blogs.
- Strong built-in spam protection
- Plugin and theme system
- Multiple blog support
- Easy upgrades
Bashblog vs Serendipity: key differences
Bashblog is written in Shell, while Serendipity is built with PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Bashblog versus BSD-3-Clause for Serendipity. Bashblog is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Serendipity. Serendipity is the more established project (first released 2003), while Bashblog arrived in 2012. Bashblog has the considerably larger community, at 1,931 GitHub stars versus 227. Serendipity lists first-class Docker deployment; Bashblog does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Bashblog if…
- Incredibly minimal
- No runtime to maintain
Watch out for
- Very bare-bones
- No admin interface
Choose Serendipity if…
- Excellent spam handling
- Stable long-running project
Watch out for
- Small modern community
- Dated default themes
Frequently asked questions
Is Bashblog or Serendipity 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 Serendipity free and open-source?
Yes. Bashblog is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Serendipity under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bashblog and Serendipity with Docker?
Bashblog: check the project docs for container support. Serendipity: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Bashblog or Serendipity?
Bashblog has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Serendipity. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.