Gibbon vs Tsugi
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?
Gibbon
Open-source school management and learning platform
VS
Tsugi
Framework for building LTI learning tools
| Feature | Gibbon | Tsugi |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 620 | ★ 371 |
| First released | 2010 | 2014 |
| Replaces | PowerSchool, Blackboard | LTI Marketplace tools |
Why pick each one
Choose Gibbon if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
Choose Tsugi if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Written in PHP
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Gibbon or Tsugi better?
Neither is universally better. Gibbon has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Gibbon and Tsugi free and open-source?
Yes. Gibbon is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Tsugi under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gibbon and Tsugi with Docker?
Gibbon: yes. Tsugi: check the project docs for container support.