Docusaurus vs VuePress
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A tool for building and maintaining open source documentation websites.
Open source · MIT
A minimal static site generator for docs and blogs, built on Vue (v1, now in maintenance mode).
The short answer
Choose Docusaurus if you need…
- Open source projects that need a documentation website
- Teams that want built-in docs, blog, and home pages without building them from scratch
- Projects that need multiple languages, since the README mentions localization support via CrowdIn
- People comfortable with JavaScript and React who want to customize their site
Choose VuePress if you need…
- Developers with an existing VuePress v1 documentation site who need to keep it running
- Teams already comfortable with Vue who want a simple Markdown-to-site tool
- People maintaining a project that already uses VuePress v1
Side-by-side
| Docusaurus | VuePress | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Framework | Dev tool |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 66.6k | 22.7k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Clone and build from source |
| Main language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 2 years ago |
What each one is
Docusaurus
Docusaurus is a project for building, deploying, and maintaining open source project websites. It ships with a home page, a docs section, an optional blog, and support pages, which you can customize. The README describes it as a way to get a site running quickly so you can focus on your project rather than the build process.
VuePress
VuePress is a tool that turns Markdown files into a static website, using Vue for the page templates. It is aimed mainly at documentation sites and blogs. The README says VuePress v1 is now in maintenance mode, and points to VitePress (officially supported by the Vue team) and VuePress v2+ (community supported) as the newer options.
Best for
Docusaurus
- Open source projects that need a documentation website
- Teams that want built-in docs, blog, and home pages without building them from scratch
- Projects that need multiple languages, since the README mentions localization support via CrowdIn
- People comfortable with JavaScript and React who want to customize their site
VuePress
- Developers with an existing VuePress v1 documentation site who need to keep it running
- Teams already comfortable with Vue who want a simple Markdown-to-site tool
- People maintaining a project that already uses VuePress v1
Strengths
Docusaurus
- The README says it is built to get running in as little time as possible
- Includes docs, blog, and home pages out of the box
- Backed by Meta and released under the permissive MIT license
VuePress
- Minimal and focused on turning Markdown into a static site
- Uses Vue, so customization can be done with familiar Vue concepts
- Released under the permissive MIT license
Not ideal for
Docusaurus
- Non-technical users who want a no-code site builder, since setup uses a command-line tool and code customization
- Very small static pages where a simple HTML site would be enough
VuePress
- New projects: the README says v1 is in maintenance mode, so VitePress or VuePress v2+ is the better starting point
- Non-developers who want a no-code website builder, since it requires working with Node-based tooling
- Anyone needing active new feature development, since the README does not indicate ongoing feature work on v1
Trade-offs
Docusaurus
- Customization is described as possible, but deeper changes likely require React and JavaScript knowledge
- The README does not detail hosting requirements or deployment steps beyond linking to the docs
VuePress
- v1 is in maintenance mode according to the README, so new features are unlikely
- The README offers little detail on setup for end users; most guidance is for contributors
- Newer alternatives (VitePress, VuePress v2+) are recommended by the project itself
Getting started
VuePress
Install all dependencies (from a local checkout)
yarn installServe VuePress' own docs with itself
yarn devFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Docusaurus and VuePress?
Docusaurus: A tool for building and maintaining open source documentation websites. VuePress: A minimal static site generator for docs and blogs, built on Vue (v1, now in maintenance mode). Docusaurus suits open source projects that need a documentation website, while VuePress suits developers with an existing vuepress v1 documentation site who need to keep it running.
Are Docusaurus and VuePress free?
Docusaurus: Free and open source. VuePress: Free and open source.
Is Docusaurus or VuePress more popular?
Docusaurus has more GitHub stars (66.6k) than VuePress (22.7k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Docusaurus and VuePress?
Other options people compare them with include VitePress, Jekyll, Eleventy, Claude SEO.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.