PluXml vs Serendipity
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | PluXml | Serendipity |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 76 · Good | 76 · Good |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | GPL-2.0 | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 235 | ★ 227 |
| First released | 2007 | 2003 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Blogger | WordPress, Blogger |
What are PluXml and Serendipity?
PluXml
PluXml is an open-source blog and content management system that stores all content in XML files, requiring no database. It is lightweight and aimed at simple personal sites and blogs.
- XML flat-file storage
- No database required
- Theme and plugin support
- Lightweight
Serendipity
Serendipity is an open-source PHP and MySQL-powered weblog application that emphasizes ease of use and effective spam protection. It supports plugins, themes, and multiple blogs.
- Strong built-in spam protection
- Plugin and theme system
- Multiple blog support
- Easy upgrades
PluXml vs Serendipity: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for PluXml versus BSD-3-Clause for Serendipity. PluXml is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Serendipity. Serendipity is the more established project (first released 2003), while PluXml arrived in 2007.
Why pick each one
Choose PluXml if…
- No database needed
- Easy to back up
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Limited modern themes
Choose Serendipity if…
- Excellent spam handling
- Stable long-running project
Watch out for
- Small modern community
- Dated default themes
Frequently asked questions
Is PluXml or Serendipity better?
Neither is universally better. PluXml has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are PluXml and Serendipity free and open-source?
Yes. PluXml is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Serendipity under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run PluXml and Serendipity with Docker?
PluXml: yes. Serendipity: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, PluXml or Serendipity?
PluXml has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Serendipity. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.