ILIAS 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 | ILIAS | OpenOLAT |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 79 · Good | 74 · Good |
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 506 | ★ 443 |
| First released | 2000 | 2011 |
| Replaces | Moodle, Blackboard | Moodle, Blackboard |
What are ILIAS and OpenOLAT?
ILIAS
ILIAS is a flexible open-source learning management system used by universities, schools, and companies. It provides courses, tests, learning paths, and SCORM support with strong standards compliance.
- Standards-compliant LMS
- SCORM and LTI support
- Tests and learning paths
- Strong access control
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
ILIAS vs OpenOLAT: key differences
ILIAS is written in PHP, while OpenOLAT is built with Java. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for ILIAS versus Apache-2.0 for OpenOLAT. ILIAS is the lighter option, starting around 2,048 MB of RAM against 4,096 MB for OpenOLAT. ILIAS is the more established project (first released 2000), while OpenOLAT arrived in 2011.
Why pick each one
Choose ILIAS 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 ILIAS or OpenOLAT better?
Neither is universally better. ILIAS has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are ILIAS and OpenOLAT free and open-source?
Yes. ILIAS is licensed under GPL-3.0 and OpenOLAT under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ILIAS and OpenOLAT with Docker?
ILIAS: yes. OpenOLAT: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, ILIAS or OpenOLAT?
ILIAS has the smaller minimum footprint at 2,048 MB of RAM, compared to about 4,096 MB for OpenOLAT. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.