DAViCal vs Davis
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted groupware options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
DAViCal
Server for sharing calendars and address books via DAV
VS
Davis
Modern admin interface for sabre/dav CalDAV server
| Feature | DAViCal | Davis |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Groupware | Groupware |
| License | GPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 200 | ★ 753 |
| First released | 2007 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Google Calendar, Microsoft Exchange | Google Calendar, iCloud |
What are DAViCal and Davis?
DAViCal
DAViCal is a mature CalDAV and CardDAV server that stores calendars and address books in a PostgreSQL database. It supports sharing and fine-grained access control between users.
- CalDAV and CardDAV server
- PostgreSQL-backed storage
- Calendar sharing and permissions
- LDAP authentication support
Davis
Davis is a simple, modern web administration interface for a sabre/dav-based CalDAV and CardDAV server. It makes managing calendars, address books, and users straightforward.
- Modern admin UI for sabre/dav
- CalDAV and CardDAV support
- User and resource management
- Docker-ready deployment
DAViCal vs Davis: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for DAViCal versus MIT for Davis. Davis is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for DAViCal. DAViCal is the more established project (first released 2007), while Davis arrived in 2020. Davis has the considerably larger community, at 753 GitHub stars versus 200.
Why pick each one
Choose DAViCal if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Dated administration UI
- PostgreSQL required
Choose Davis if…
- Cleaner UI than Baikal
- Easy to deploy
Watch out for
- Admin tool only
- No calendar viewing UI
Frequently asked questions
Is DAViCal or Davis better?
Davis is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider DAViCal if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are DAViCal and Davis free and open-source?
Yes. DAViCal is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Davis under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run DAViCal and Davis with Docker?
DAViCal: yes. Davis: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, DAViCal or Davis?
Davis has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for DAViCal. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.