Harp vs Lektor
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Harp
Static web server with built-in preprocessing
VS
Lektor
Static CMS with a built-in admin interface
| Feature | Harp | Lektor |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | MIT | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | JavaScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | source, binary | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,995 | ★ 3,946 |
| First released | 2013 | 2015 |
| Replaces | Jekyll | WordPress, Squarespace |
Why pick each one
Choose Harp if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (5k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Harp or Lektor better?
Harp is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Lektor if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Harp and Lektor free and open-source?
Yes. Harp is licensed under MIT and Lektor under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Harp and Lektor with Docker?
Harp: check the project docs for container support. Lektor: check the project docs for container support.