Gotenberg vs Islandora
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted document management options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Gotenberg
API for converting documents to PDF
VS
Islandora
Drupal module for browsing and managing Fedora-based digital
| Feature | Gotenberg | Islandora |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Document Management | Document Management |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 12,808 | ★ 157 |
| First released | 2019 | 2026 |
| Replaces | Adobe PDF Services | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Islandora if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in PHP
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Gotenberg or Islandora better?
Gotenberg is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Islandora if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Gotenberg and Islandora free and open-source?
Yes. Gotenberg is licensed under MIT and Islandora under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gotenberg and Islandora with Docker?
Gotenberg: yes. Islandora: check the project docs for container support.