Docusaurus 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.
Not the right match-up?
Docusaurus
Documentation website generator built with React
VS
Read the Docs
Documentation hosting platform you can self-host
| Feature | Docusaurus | Read the Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Wikis & Documentation | Wikis & Documentation |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 65,862 | ★ 8,373 |
| First released | 2017 | 2010 |
| Replaces | GitBook, Confluence | GitBook, Confluence |
Why pick each one
Choose Read the Docs if…
- Great for versioned project docs
- Automated build pipeline
Frequently asked questions
Is Docusaurus or Read the Docs better?
Docusaurus is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Read the Docs if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Docusaurus and Read the Docs free and open-source?
Yes. Docusaurus is licensed under MIT and Read the Docs under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Docusaurus and Read the Docs with Docker?
Docusaurus: check the project docs for container support. Read the Docs: yes.