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GoBlog vs ActivityPub for WordPress

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
GO GoBlog Lightweight blogging engine with ActivityPub VS AC ActivityPub for WordPress Turn a WordPress blog into a fediverse actor
FeatureGoBlogActivityPub for WordPress
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupRead-the-docs project
Health score71 · Good80 · Excellent
CategorySocial NetworksSocial Networks
LicenseMITMIT
LanguageGoPHP
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM128 MB256 MB
Deploymentdocker, binary, sourcesource
GitHub stars★ 280★ 583
First released20202019
ReplacesMedium, WordPressTwitter, Medium

What are GoBlog and ActivityPub for WordPress?

GoBlog

GoBlog is a fast, single-binary blogging system written in Go that supports ActivityPub federation, IndieWeb features, and webmentions. It is designed for personal sites that want fediverse interaction.

  • Single Go binary
  • ActivityPub and IndieWeb
  • Webmention support
  • SQLite storage

ActivityPub for WordPress

The ActivityPub plugin lets a self-hosted WordPress site federate with the fediverse, so people can follow blog posts from Mastodon and other ActivityPub software. It also delivers comments back as replies.

  • Federates WordPress posts
  • Follow blogs from Mastodon
  • Comments as replies
  • Official Automattic plugin

GoBlog vs ActivityPub for WordPress: key differences

GoBlog is written in Go, while ActivityPub for WordPress is built with PHP. GoBlog is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for ActivityPub for WordPress. ActivityPub for WordPress has the considerably larger community, at 583 GitHub stars versus 280. GoBlog lists first-class Docker deployment; ActivityPub for WordPress does not.

Why pick each one

Choose GoBlog if…

  • Released under the MIT license
  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Written in Go
GoBlog details

Choose ActivityPub for WordPress if…

  • Released under the MIT license
  • Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
  • Written in PHP
  • Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
ActivityPub for WordPress details

Frequently asked questions

Is GoBlog or ActivityPub for WordPress better?

Neither is universally better. ActivityPub for WordPress has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are GoBlog and ActivityPub for WordPress free and open-source?

Yes. GoBlog is licensed under MIT and ActivityPub for WordPress under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run GoBlog and ActivityPub for WordPress with Docker?

GoBlog: yes. ActivityPub for WordPress: check the project docs for container support.

Which is lighter on resources, GoBlog or ActivityPub for WordPress?

GoBlog has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for ActivityPub for WordPress. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.

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