Canvas LMS vs Flashy
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted learning & courses options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Canvas LMS
Open-source learning management system by Instructure
VS
Flashy
Open-source spaced repetition flashcard web app
| Feature | Canvas LMS | Flashy |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Ruby | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,763 | ★ 13 |
| First released | 2011 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Blackboard, Moodle | Anki, Quizlet |
Why pick each one
Choose Canvas LMS if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 6.8k GitHub stars
- Written in Ruby
Choose Flashy if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Canvas LMS or Flashy better?
Neither is universally better. Canvas LMS has the larger community, while Flashy is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Canvas LMS and Flashy free and open-source?
Yes. Canvas LMS is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Flashy under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Canvas LMS and Flashy with Docker?
Canvas LMS: yes. Flashy: yes.