Dotclear vs PluXml
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Dotclear | PluXml |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 62 · Good | 76 · Good |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 46 | ★ 235 |
| First released | 2003 | 2007 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Blogger | WordPress, Blogger |
What are Dotclear and PluXml?
Dotclear
Dotclear is a long-standing open-source blogging engine designed to be easy to install and use. It offers themes, plugins, and full control over publishing without proprietary lock-in.
- Easy installation
- Theme and plugin support
- Multi-blog management
- Built-in media handling
PluXml
PluXml is an open-source blog and content management system that stores all content in XML files, requiring no database. It is lightweight and aimed at simple personal sites and blogs.
- XML flat-file storage
- No database required
- Theme and plugin support
- Lightweight
Dotclear vs PluXml: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. PluXml is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Dotclear. Dotclear is the more established project (first released 2003), while PluXml arrived in 2007. PluXml has the considerably larger community, at 235 GitHub stars versus 46.
Why pick each one
Choose Dotclear if…
- Simple to set up
- Mature and stable
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Less known outside France
Choose PluXml if…
- No database needed
- Easy to back up
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Limited modern themes
Frequently asked questions
Is Dotclear or PluXml better?
Neither is universally better. PluXml has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Dotclear and PluXml free and open-source?
Yes. Dotclear is licensed under GPL-2.0 and PluXml under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dotclear and PluXml with Docker?
Dotclear: yes. PluXml: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Dotclear or PluXml?
PluXml has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Dotclear. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.