Mezzanine vs Pagekit
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Mezzanine | Pagekit |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 66 · Good | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | BSD-2-Clause | MIT |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,816 | ★ 5,454 |
| First released | 2010 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WordPress | WordPress |
What are Mezzanine and Pagekit?
Mezzanine
Mezzanine is an open-source content management platform built on Django that provides a simple yet flexible CMS out of the box. It includes a blog engine, in-line editing, and rich content tools.
- Built-in blog engine
- In-line content editing
- Hierarchical page tree
- Django integration
Pagekit
Pagekit is a modular, open-source content management system with a clean, modern interface built on Symfony components and Vue.js. It includes a blog and a marketplace for extensions.
- Modern Vue.js interface
- Modular architecture
- Built-in blog
- Marketplace for extensions
Mezzanine vs Pagekit: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Pagekit's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Mezzanine is actively maintained. Mezzanine is written in Python, while Pagekit is built with PHP. Licensing differs — BSD-2-Clause for Mezzanine versus MIT for Pagekit. Pagekit is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Mezzanine. Mezzanine is the more established project (first released 2010), while Pagekit arrived in 2014.
Why pick each one
Choose Mezzanine if…
- Quick to get a Django site running
- Includes blogging out of the box
Watch out for
- Development has slowed
- Smaller community now
Choose Pagekit if…
- Clean, modern admin
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Development has stalled
- Limited active maintenance
Frequently asked questions
Is Mezzanine or Pagekit better?
Pagekit is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Pagekit if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Mezzanine and Pagekit free and open-source?
Yes. Mezzanine is licensed under BSD-2-Clause and Pagekit under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mezzanine and Pagekit with Docker?
Mezzanine: yes. Pagekit: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Mezzanine or Pagekit?
Pagekit has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Mezzanine. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.