SHSelfHostIndex

Redoc vs Scalar

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted developer tools & git options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
RE Redoc Generate clean API documentation from OpenAPI definitions VS SC Scalar Modern OpenAPI documentation and API reference
FeatureRedocScalar
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupUnder-an-hour setup
Health score96 · Excellent95 · Excellent
CategoryDeveloper Tools & GitDeveloper Tools & Git
LicenseMITMIT
LanguageTypeScriptTypeScript
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM256 MB256 MB
Deploymentdocker, sourcedocker, source
GitHub stars★ 25,924★ 16,179
First released20162023
ReplacesStoplight, ReadMeStoplight, ReadMe

What are Redoc and Scalar?

Redoc

Redoc is an open-source tool that renders OpenAPI definitions into responsive three-panel API documentation. It can be deployed as a static site or container for self-hosted API reference pages.

  • Three-panel doc layout
  • OpenAPI 3.x support
  • Static site output
  • Deep linking

Read the full Redoc guide →

Scalar

Scalar is an open-source API documentation platform that generates interactive reference docs from OpenAPI specs. It includes a built-in API client and can be self-hosted alongside your services.

  • Interactive API reference
  • Built-in API client
  • OpenAPI native
  • Themeable docs

Read the full Scalar guide →

Redoc vs Scalar: key differences

Both projects are written in TypeScript. Redoc is the more established project (first released 2016), while Scalar arrived in 2023.

Why pick each one

Choose Redoc if…

  • Clean three-panel docs
  • Zero-backend static deploys
  • Wide OpenAPI support

Watch out for

  • Read-only documentation
  • Advanced features paid
Redoc details

Choose Scalar if…

  • Interactive try-it client
  • Modern polished design
  • Easy static deployment

Watch out for

  • Young rapidly evolving project
  • Docs still maturing
Scalar details

Frequently asked questions

Is Redoc or Scalar better?

Neither is universally better. Redoc has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Redoc and Scalar free and open-source?

Yes. Redoc is licensed under MIT and Scalar under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Redoc and Scalar with Docker?

Redoc: yes. Scalar: yes.

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