Halo vs Hexo
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Halo | Hexo |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 99 · Excellent | 98 · Excellent |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Java | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 39,879 | ★ 41,774 |
| First released | 2018 | 2012 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Medium | WordPress, Blogger |
What are Halo and Hexo?
Halo
Halo is a modern open-source blogging and website platform written in Java. It offers a clean admin interface, a plugin and theme marketplace, and an extensible architecture.
- Modern admin interface
- Plugin and theme marketplace
- REST API
- Markdown editor
Hexo
Hexo is an open-source static blog framework built with Node.js that turns Markdown into a fast static site. It is widely used by developers for personal blogs with a rich plugin ecosystem.
- Fast Markdown-based builds
- Large plugin and theme ecosystem
- One-command deployment
- Highly extensible
Halo vs Hexo: key differences
Halo is written in Java, while Hexo is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Halo versus MIT for Hexo. Hexo is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Halo. Hexo is the more established project (first released 2012), while Halo arrived in 2018. Halo lists first-class Docker deployment; Hexo does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Halo if…
- Polished modern UI
- Active development
Watch out for
- Higher memory needs from Java
- Docs strongest in Chinese
Choose Hexo if…
- Popular with developers
- Rich plugin ecosystem
Watch out for
- No admin UI
- Node toolchain required
Frequently asked questions
Is Halo or Hexo better?
Neither is universally better. Hexo has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Halo and Hexo free and open-source?
Yes. Halo is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Hexo under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Halo and Hexo with Docker?
Halo: yes. Hexo: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Halo or Hexo?
Hexo has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Halo. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.