Chamilo vs ILIAS
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted learning & courses options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Chamilo | ILIAS |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 79 · Good |
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,005 | ★ 505 |
| First released | 2010 | 2000 |
| Replaces | Moodle, Blackboard | Moodle, Blackboard |
What are Chamilo and ILIAS?
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
ILIAS
ILIAS is a flexible open-source learning management system used by universities, schools, and companies. It provides courses, tests, learning paths, and SCORM support with strong standards compliance.
- Standards-compliant LMS
- SCORM and LTI support
- Tests and learning paths
- Strong access control
Chamilo vs ILIAS: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Chamilo is the lighter option, starting around 1,024 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for ILIAS. ILIAS is the more established project (first released 2000), while Chamilo arrived in 2010.
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 ILIAS if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Chamilo or ILIAS better?
Chamilo is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider ILIAS if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Chamilo and ILIAS free and open-source?
Yes. Chamilo is licensed under GPL-3.0 and ILIAS under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Chamilo and ILIAS with Docker?
Chamilo: yes. ILIAS: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Chamilo or ILIAS?
Chamilo has the smaller minimum footprint at 1,024 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for ILIAS. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.