Lunr.js vs Vespa
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted search engines options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Lunr.js
Small full-text search library for the browser
VS
Vespa
Open-source big data serving engine for search and recommendation
| Feature | Lunr.js | Vespa |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Search Engines | Search Engines |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | source | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 9,202 | ★ 7,043 |
| First released | 2013 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Algolia, Elasticsearch | Elasticsearch, Algolia |
Why pick each one
Choose Lunr.js if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 9.2k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Lunr.js or Vespa better?
Lunr.js is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Vespa if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Lunr.js and Vespa free and open-source?
Yes. Lunr.js is licensed under MIT and Vespa under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Lunr.js and Vespa with Docker?
Lunr.js: check the project docs for container support. Vespa: yes.