Ghost
56kJust a blogging platform.
Blogging PlatformsMIT
Self-hosted Blogging Platforms
SelfHostHub lists 14 open-source Blogging Platforms projects you can host on your own server. The most-starred on GitHub are Ghost (55,563 stars), WriteFreely (5,273 stars) and Ech0 (2,074 stars). 2 of them document a Docker install, and 3 offer a live demo you can try first.
Replacing a paid app? See open-source alternatives to WordPress.com, open-source alternatives to Medium.
WriteFreely
5.3kWriting software for starting a minimalist, federated blog — or an entire community.
Blogging PlatformsAGPL-3.0
Ech0
2.1kLightweight federated publishing platform focused on personal idea sharing (documentation in Chinese).
Blogging PlatformsAGPL-3.0
HTMLy
1.4kDatabaseless PHP blogging platform. A flat-file CMS that allows you to create a fast, secure, and powerful website or blog in seconds.
Blogging PlatformsGPL-2.0
Known
1.1kCollaborative social publishing platform.
Blogging PlatformsApache-2.0
Haven
811Private blogging system with markdown editing and built in RSS reader.
Blogging PlatformsMIT
Chyrp Lite
496Extra-awesome, extra-lightweight blog engine.
Blogging PlatformsBSD-3-Clause
Mataroa
371Naked blogging platform for minimalists.
Blogging PlatformsMIT
bloglite
328Micro-blog tool offering built-in syntax highlighting, mobile publishing and more (alternative to Twitter, Bluesky).
Blogging PlatformsMIT
PluXml
233XML-based blog/CMS platform.
Blogging PlatformsGPL-3.0
Serendipity
228Serendipity (s9y) is a highly extensible and customizable PHP blog engine using Smarty templating.
Blogging PlatformsBSD-3-Clause
FlatPress
216A lightweight, easy-to-set-up flat-file blogging engine.
Blogging PlatformsGPL-2.0
Antville
89Free, open source project aimed at the development of a high performance, feature rich weblog hosting software.
Blogging PlatformsApache-2.0
Take control over your blog.
Blogging PlatformsGPL-2.0
How to choose self-hosted Blogging Platforms software
- Check project health. Stars show popularity, not maintenance. Open the source repository and look at recent commits and releases.
- Match the licence to your use. 6 use a GPL-family licence (copyleft, including AGPL) and 8 use a permissive licence such as MIT, Apache-2.0 or BSD. AGPL matters if you modify the software and offer it to others over a network.
- Pick a stack you can run. The most common platforms here are PHP (7), Docker (2), Nodejs (1) and Go (1). Docker is usually the easiest path for a home server or VPS.
- Try before you migrate. Use a live demo where one exists (3 here), or a throwaway container first, and confirm it can import your existing data before switching.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular self-hosted Blogging Platforms software?
By GitHub stars, the top projects in this category are Ghost (55,563 stars), WriteFreely (5,273 stars) and Ech0 (2,074 stars).
How many open-source Blogging Platforms tools are listed?
14 projects are currently listed in the Blogging Platforms category on SelfHostHub.
Which licences do self-hosted Blogging Platforms projects use?
The most common licences in this category are MIT (4), GPL-2.0 (3) and AGPL-3.0 (2).
Can I run these Blogging Platforms tools with Docker?
2 of the 14 projects list Docker as a supported platform. Check each project's documentation for the exact install steps.