massCode vs Ghostbin
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted pastebins & snippets options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | massCode | Ghostbin |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 7 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Pastebins & Snippets | Pastebins & Snippets |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,997 | ★ 188 |
| First released | 2019 | 2014 |
| Replaces | GitHub Gist, SnippetsLab | Pastebin.com, GitHub Gist |
What are massCode and Ghostbin?
massCode
massCode is a free, open-source code snippets manager for developers with a built-in code editor and folder organization. It stores snippets locally and supports tagging and full-text search.
- Built-in code editor
- Folder and tag organization
- Local snippet storage
- Full-text search
Ghostbin
Ghostbin, whose engine is now called spectre, is a feature-rich, self-hosted pastebin offering syntax highlighting, paste expiration, and optional encryption. It is the open-source software that powered the public Ghostbin service.
- Syntax highlighting
- Optional encryption
- Paste expiration
- Self-hosted control
massCode vs Ghostbin: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Ghostbin's repository is archived and no longer developed, while massCode is actively maintained. MassCode is written in TypeScript, while Ghostbin is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for massCode versus MIT for Ghostbin. Ghostbin is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for massCode. Ghostbin is the more established project (first released 2014), while massCode arrived in 2019. MassCode has the considerably larger community, at 6,997 GitHub stars versus 188. Ghostbin lists first-class Docker deployment; massCode does not.
Why pick each one
Choose massCode if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 7k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Ghostbin if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is massCode or Ghostbin better?
massCode is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Ghostbin if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are massCode and Ghostbin free and open-source?
Yes. massCode is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Ghostbin under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run massCode and Ghostbin with Docker?
massCode: check the project docs for container support. Ghostbin: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, massCode or Ghostbin?
Ghostbin has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for massCode. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.