Joomla vs SPIP
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Joomla
Versatile CMS balancing power and ease of use
VS
SPIP
CMS with a focus on collaborative edition and multilingualism
| Feature | Joomla | SPIP |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Language | PHP | |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,143 | — |
| First released | 2005 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Wix, Squarespace | Blogger, Coldfusion, Wix |
What are Joomla and SPIP?
Joomla
Joomla is a long-established open-source CMS that sits between WordPress and Drupal in complexity. It offers built-in multilingual support, flexible templating, and a wide range of extensions for building websites and portals.
- Built-in multilingual content
- Flexible access control levels
- Large extension directory
- Strong templating system
SPIP
CMS with a focus on collaborative edition and multilingualism.
Joomla vs SPIP: key differences
Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Joomla versus GPL-3.0-or-later for SPIP. SPIP is the lighter option, starting around 50 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Joomla. Joomla is the more established project (first released 2005), while SPIP arrived in 2023. Joomla lists first-class Docker deployment; SPIP does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Joomla if…
- Good middle ground in flexibility
- Multilingual without extra plugins
Watch out for
- Smaller community than WordPress
- Extension quality varies
Choose SPIP if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0-or-later license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Joomla or SPIP better?
Neither is universally better. Joomla has the larger community, while SPIP is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Joomla and SPIP free and open-source?
Yes. Joomla is licensed under GPL-2.0 and SPIP under GPL-3.0-or-later. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Joomla and SPIP with Docker?
Joomla: yes. SPIP: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Joomla or SPIP?
SPIP has the smaller minimum footprint at 50 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Joomla. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.