Docs by Suite Numerique vs CodiMD
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted office suites options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Docs by Suite Numerique | CodiMD |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 95 · Excellent | 53 · Fair |
| Category | Office Suites | Office Suites |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, helm | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 16,854 | ★ 10,150 |
| First released | 2024 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Notion, Google Docs | Google Docs, HackMD |
What are Docs by Suite Numerique and CodiMD?
Docs by Suite Numerique
Docs is an open-source collaborative document editor for teams to write and share rich-text documents. It supports real-time co-editing, comments, and a clean block-based writing experience.
- Block-based editor
- Real-time co-editing
- Inline comments
- Document sharing
CodiMD
CodiMD is an open-source, real-time collaborative Markdown editor and platform. It is a community-maintained continuation of HackMD's open-source codebase.
- Real-time Markdown editing
- Slide presentation mode
- Permission and sharing controls
- OAuth and LDAP login
Docs by Suite Numerique vs CodiMD: key differences
Docs by Suite Numerique is written in Python, while CodiMD is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — MIT for Docs by Suite Numerique versus AGPL-3.0 for CodiMD. CodiMD is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Docs by Suite Numerique. CodiMD is the more established project (first released 2016), while Docs by Suite Numerique arrived in 2024.
Why pick each one
Choose Docs by Suite Numerique if…
- Real-time co-editing
- Clean block editor
- Government-backed development
Watch out for
- Requires OIDC provider
- Young project
Choose CodiMD if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 10.2k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Docs by Suite Numerique or CodiMD better?
Neither is universally better. Docs by Suite Numerique has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Docs by Suite Numerique and CodiMD free and open-source?
Yes. Docs by Suite Numerique is licensed under MIT and CodiMD under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Docs by Suite Numerique and CodiMD with Docker?
Docs by Suite Numerique: yes. CodiMD: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Docs by Suite Numerique or CodiMD?
CodiMD has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Docs by Suite Numerique. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.