lemmyBB vs mlmym
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | lemmyBB | mlmym |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 6 · At risk | 11 · At risk |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 200 | ★ 287 |
| First released | 2023 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Reddit, phpBB |
What are lemmyBB and mlmym?
lemmyBB
lemmyBB is an alternative front-end for Lemmy that presents the federated link aggregator with a traditional phpBB-style forum interface. It connects to any Lemmy instance through the public API.
- Classic forum-style Lemmy UI
- Works with any Lemmy instance
- Lightweight Rust front-end
- ActivityPub Threadiverse
mlmym
mlmym is a lightweight alternative web interface for Lemmy that mimics the classic old.reddit.com design. It connects to any Lemmy instance and renders a fast, minimal experience.
- Old Reddit style UI
- Works with any Lemmy instance
- Very lightweight
- Fast page loads
lemmyBB vs mlmym: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: lemmyBB's repository is archived and no longer developed, while mlmym is actively maintained. LemmyBB is written in JavaScript, while mlmym is built with Go. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for lemmyBB versus MIT for mlmym. Mlmym is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for lemmyBB.
Why pick each one
Choose lemmyBB if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Choose mlmym if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Go
Frequently asked questions
Is lemmyBB or mlmym better?
mlmym is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider lemmyBB if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are lemmyBB and mlmym free and open-source?
Yes. lemmyBB is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and mlmym under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run lemmyBB and mlmym with Docker?
lemmyBB: yes. mlmym: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, lemmyBB or mlmym?
mlmym has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for lemmyBB. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.