Gibbon vs OpenOLAT
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted learning & courses options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Gibbon | OpenOLAT |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 76 · Good | 74 · Good |
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 633 | ★ 443 |
| First released | 2010 | 2011 |
| Replaces | PowerSchool, Blackboard | Moodle, Blackboard |
What are Gibbon and OpenOLAT?
Gibbon
Gibbon is a free, open-source school management and learning platform built for teachers and schools. It combines a virtual learning environment with timetabling, attendance, and student records.
- School management plus VLE
- Timetabling and attendance
- Student records
- Free for schools
OpenOLAT
OpenOLAT is an open-source LMS for organizing courses, assessments, and collaborative learning. It is widely used by universities and offers a modern interface with extensive course-building tools.
- Flexible course editor
- Assessment tools
- Video and SCORM support
- Institutional scale
Gibbon vs OpenOLAT: key differences
Gibbon is written in PHP, while OpenOLAT is built with Java. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Gibbon versus Apache-2.0 for OpenOLAT. Gibbon is the lighter option, starting around 1,024 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for OpenOLAT.
Why pick each one
Choose Gibbon if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
Choose OpenOLAT if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Java
Frequently asked questions
Is Gibbon or OpenOLAT better?
Gibbon is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider OpenOLAT if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Gibbon and OpenOLAT free and open-source?
Yes. Gibbon is licensed under GPL-3.0 and OpenOLAT under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gibbon and OpenOLAT with Docker?
Gibbon: yes. OpenOLAT: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Gibbon or OpenOLAT?
Gibbon has the smaller minimum footprint at 1,024 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for OpenOLAT. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.