Chamilo vs Claroline Connect
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted learning & courses options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Chamilo | Claroline Connect |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 75 · Good |
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,005 | ★ 349 |
| First released | 2010 | 2002 |
| Replaces | Moodle, Blackboard | Moodle, Blackboard |
What are Chamilo and Claroline Connect?
Chamilo
Chamilo is an open-source e-learning and course management system focused on ease of use and accessibility. It is popular for corporate training and education in many languages.
- Easy course authoring
- Built-in collaboration tools
- Many languages
- Corporate training focus
Claroline Connect
Claroline Connect is an open-source learning management and collaboration platform for schools and training organizations. It offers course paths, resources, quizzes, and group workspaces.
- Learning path builder
- Group workspaces
- Quiz and survey tools
- Resource library
Chamilo vs Claroline Connect: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Claroline Connect is the more established project (first released 2002), while Chamilo arrived in 2010. Chamilo has the considerably larger community, at 1,005 GitHub stars versus 349. Chamilo lists first-class Docker deployment; Claroline Connect does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Chamilo if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1k GitHub stars)
- Written in PHP
Choose Claroline Connect if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Chamilo or Claroline Connect better?
Neither is universally better. Chamilo has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Chamilo and Claroline Connect free and open-source?
Yes. Chamilo is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Claroline Connect under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Chamilo and Claroline Connect with Docker?
Chamilo: yes. Claroline Connect: check the project docs for container support.