OpenOLAT vs Scratch
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted learning & courses options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
OpenOLAT
Web-based learning management system for institutions
VS
Scratch
Programming language to create your own interactive stories, games,
| Feature | OpenOLAT | Scratch |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | Apache-2.0 | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | Java | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 434 | ★ 4,811 |
| First released | 2011 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Moodle, Blackboard | — |
Why pick each one
Choose OpenOLAT if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Java
Choose Scratch if…
- Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (4.8k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenOLAT or Scratch better?
Scratch is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider OpenOLAT if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are OpenOLAT and Scratch free and open-source?
Yes. OpenOLAT is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Scratch under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenOLAT and Scratch with Docker?
OpenOLAT: yes. Scratch: check the project docs for container support.