Daux.io vs Read the Docs
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted wikis & documentation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Daux.io | Read the Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 81 · Excellent | 92 · Excellent |
| Category | Wikis & Documentation | Wikis & Documentation |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 829 | ★ 8,390 |
| First released | 2014 | 2010 |
| Replaces | GitBook, Confluence | GitBook, Confluence |
What are Daux.io and Read the Docs?
Daux.io
Daux.io is an open-source documentation generator that turns a folder of Markdown files into a navigable documentation website. It needs no database and supports both dynamic serving and static export.
- Markdown folder to docs site
- No database required
- Built-in themes
- Static export option
Read the Docs
Read the Docs is an open-source documentation hosting platform that automatically builds and versions documentation from a Git repository. The community edition can be self-hosted for internal docs.
- Automatic docs builds from Git
- Version and language management
- Webhook-triggered rebuilds
- Full-text search
Daux.io vs Read the Docs: key differences
Daux.io is written in PHP, while Read the Docs is built with Python. Daux.io is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Read the Docs. Read the Docs is the more established project (first released 2010), while Daux.io arrived in 2014. Read the Docs has the considerably larger community, at 8,390 GitHub stars versus 829.
Why pick each one
Choose Daux.io if…
- Very easy to set up
- Content stays in plain files
Watch out for
- Documentation-only focus
- No web-based editing
Choose Read the Docs if…
- Great for versioned project docs
- Automated build pipeline
Watch out for
- Complex to self-host
- Heavier resource needs
Frequently asked questions
Is Daux.io or Read the Docs better?
Neither is universally better. Read the Docs has the larger community, while Daux.io is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Daux.io and Read the Docs free and open-source?
Yes. Daux.io is licensed under MIT and Read the Docs under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Daux.io and Read the Docs with Docker?
Daux.io: yes. Read the Docs: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Daux.io or Read the Docs?
Daux.io has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Read the Docs. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.