FlatPress vs HTMLy
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | FlatPress | HTMLy |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 73 · Good | 56 · Fair |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | GPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 215 | ★ 1,364 |
| First released | 2005 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Blogger | WordPress, Blogger |
What are FlatPress and HTMLy?
FlatPress
FlatPress is an open-source blogging engine that requires no database, storing all content in flat files. It is designed to be simple, fast, and easy to deploy on minimal hosting.
- No database required
- Flat-file storage
- Plugin and theme support
- Lightweight
HTMLy
HTMLy is an open-source databaseless flat-file blogging platform written in PHP. It is fast, lightweight, and stores all posts as text files for easy backup and migration.
- Databaseless flat-file storage
- Markdown content
- Multi-user roles
- Built-in themes
FlatPress vs HTMLy: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for FlatPress versus MIT for HTMLy. FlatPress is the more established project (first released 2005), while HTMLy arrived in 2014. HTMLy has the considerably larger community, at 1,364 GitHub stars versus 215. HTMLy lists first-class Docker deployment; FlatPress does not.
Why pick each one
Choose FlatPress if…
- Trivial to install and back up
- Runs on minimal hosting
Watch out for
- Small community
- Basic feature set
Choose HTMLy if…
- No database to maintain
- Fast and lightweight
Watch out for
- Limited plugin ecosystem
- Small community
Frequently asked questions
Is FlatPress or HTMLy better?
Neither is universally better. HTMLy has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are FlatPress and HTMLy free and open-source?
Yes. FlatPress is licensed under GPL-2.0 and HTMLy under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run FlatPress and HTMLy with Docker?
FlatPress: check the project docs for container support. HTMLy: yes.