Gatsby vs Marmite
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Gatsby
React-based static site and blog generator
VS
Marmite
Zero-config static blog generator from Markdown
| Feature | Gatsby | Marmite |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 96 · Excellent | 82 · Excellent |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 55,942 | ★ 875 |
| First released | 2015 | 2024 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Medium | Medium |
What are Gatsby and Marmite?
Gatsby
Gatsby is an open-source React-based framework for building fast static websites and blogs. It pulls content from many sources via a GraphQL data layer and produces highly optimized output.
- React-powered sites
- GraphQL data layer
- Rich plugin ecosystem
- Performance-optimized output
Marmite
Marmite is a static site generator focused on blogs that turns a folder of Markdown files into a complete website with zero configuration. It supports tags, RSS feeds, and themes while keeping setup effortless.
- Zero configuration
- Markdown to blog
- Tags and RSS
- Single fast binary
Gatsby vs Marmite: key differences
Gatsby is written in JavaScript, while Marmite is built with Rust. Marmite is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Gatsby. Gatsby is the more established project (first released 2015), while Marmite arrived in 2024. Gatsby has the considerably larger community, at 55,942 GitHub stars versus 875.
Why pick each one
Choose Gatsby if…
- Great for React developers
- Pulls content from many sources
Watch out for
- Heavier build process
- Steeper learning curve
Frequently asked questions
Is Gatsby or Marmite better?
Neither is universally better. Gatsby has the larger community, while Marmite is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Gatsby and Marmite free and open-source?
Yes. Gatsby is licensed under MIT and Marmite under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gatsby and Marmite with Docker?
Gatsby: check the project docs for container support. Marmite: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Gatsby or Marmite?
Marmite has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Gatsby. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.