Blogofile vs Dotclear
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Blogofile | Dotclear |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 11 · At risk | 62 · Good |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | MIT | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | source, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 347 | ★ 46 |
| First released | 2009 | 2003 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Blogger | WordPress, Blogger |
What are Blogofile and Dotclear?
Blogofile
Blogofile is a static website compiler that lets you write a blog or site using flat files and templates, producing pure HTML output. It includes built-in blog features such as archives, categories, and feeds.
- Static blog generation
- Categories and archives
- Atom and RSS feeds
- Mako templating
Dotclear
Dotclear is a long-standing open-source blogging engine designed to be easy to install and use. It offers themes, plugins, and full control over publishing without proprietary lock-in.
- Easy installation
- Theme and plugin support
- Multi-blog management
- Built-in media handling
Blogofile vs Dotclear: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Blogofile's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Dotclear is actively maintained. Blogofile is written in Python, while Dotclear is built with PHP. Licensing differs — MIT for Blogofile versus GPL-2.0 for Dotclear. Blogofile is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Dotclear. Dotclear is the more established project (first released 2003), while Blogofile arrived in 2009. Blogofile has the considerably larger community, at 347 GitHub stars versus 46. Dotclear lists first-class Docker deployment; Blogofile does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Blogofile if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Choose Dotclear if…
- Simple to set up
- Mature and stable
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Less known outside France
Frequently asked questions
Is Blogofile or Dotclear better?
Neither is universally better. Blogofile has the larger community, while Dotclear is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Blogofile and Dotclear free and open-source?
Yes. Blogofile is licensed under MIT and Dotclear under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Blogofile and Dotclear with Docker?
Blogofile: check the project docs for container support. Dotclear: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Blogofile or Dotclear?
Blogofile has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Dotclear. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.