Scoold vs Shapado
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted forums & community options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Scoold | Shapado |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 13 · At risk |
| Category | Forums & Community | Forums & Community |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | Ruby |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 922 | ★ 527 |
| First released | 2014 | 2009 |
| Replaces | Stack Overflow | Stack Overflow, Quora |
What are Scoold and Shapado?
Scoold
Scoold is an open-source question-and-answer platform written in Java that mirrors the Stack Overflow experience. It supports SAML, LDAP, OAuth, and a flexible plugin architecture.
- Stack Overflow-style Q&A
- SAML, LDAP and OAuth login
- Reputation and badges
- Pluggable storage via Para backend
Shapado
Shapado is an open-source Q&A software written in Ruby that allows hosting multiple question-and-answer communities. It supports tags, voting, and badges in a StackOverflow-like format.
- Multi-community Q&A hosting
- Voting and reputation
- Tag-based browsing
- Badges and gamification
Scoold vs Shapado: key differences
Scoold is written in Java, while Shapado is built with Ruby. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Scoold versus AGPL-3.0 for Shapado. Shapado is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Scoold. Shapado is the more established project (first released 2009), while Scoold arrived in 2014. Scoold lists first-class Docker deployment; Shapado does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Scoold if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Java
Watch out for
- Requires a Para backend
- Java memory footprint
Choose Shapado if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Written in Ruby
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Project is dormant
- Outdated Ruby stack
Frequently asked questions
Is Scoold or Shapado better?
Scoold is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Shapado if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Scoold and Shapado free and open-source?
Yes. Scoold is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Shapado under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Scoold and Shapado with Docker?
Scoold: yes. Shapado: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Scoold or Shapado?
Shapado has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Scoold. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.