halo-dev/halo

Analysis updated 2026-06-20

★ 38,472JavaAudience · pm founderComplexity · 3/5LicenseSetup · moderate

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Self-hosted CMS
      Blog and wiki platform
      Optional e-commerce
    Editions
      Community free GPL
      Professional mobile app
      Commercial WeChat Pay
    Features
      100 plus themes
      Plugin marketplace
      Docker deployment
    Tech stack
      Java Spring Boot
      Kotlin
      Vue.js admin panel
    Use cases
      Personal blog
      Company website
      Online store

mindmap root((repo)) What it does Self-hosted CMS Blog and wiki platform Optional e-commerce Editions Community free GPL Professional mobile app Commercial WeChat Pay Features 100 plus themes Plugin marketplace Docker deployment Tech stack Java Spring Boot Kotlin Vue.js admin panel Use cases Personal blog Company website Online store

Click or tap to explore — scroll the page freely

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Deploy a self-hosted personal blog or company website with Docker and choose from over 100 free themes in minutes.

USE CASE 2

Build a knowledge base or documentation site with Halo's content management features and extensible plugin system.

USE CASE 3

Set up an online store with integrated payment support using the commercial edition.

What is it built with?

JavaSpring BootKotlinVue.jsDocker

How does it compare?

	halo-dev/halo	philjay/mpandroidchart	teamnewpipe/newpipe
Stars	38,472	38,218	37,983
Language	Java	Java	Java
Setup difficulty	moderate	easy	easy
Complexity	3/5	2/5	3/5
Audience	pm founder	developer	general

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 1h+

Requires a Linux server with Docker, 1Panel is recommended for SSL and reverse proxy setup.

The community edition is free to use and modify under GPL v3, but any modified versions you distribute must also be released as open-source under the same license.

In plain English

Halo is an open-source website building and content management tool aimed primarily at Chinese-speaking users, though it can be used internationally. Based on the description and README (which is written in Chinese), it positions itself as a versatile platform that can power personal blogs, knowledge bases, company websites, and online stores from a single installation. The project emphasizes ease of use alongside a rich feature set, making it suitable for individuals who want to run a self-hosted website without deep technical expertise. The README describes three tiers: a community edition that is free and open-source under the GPL v3 license, a professional edition with added features like a mobile app and AI-assisted site building, and a commercial edition that adds full e-commerce capabilities including order management and payment integrations for Chinese platforms like WeChat Pay and Alipay. The community edition supports over 100 free themes and plugins from an official marketplace. Deployment is Docker-based, and the project integrates with tools like the 1Panel Linux server management panel for setting up SSL certificates, reverse proxies, and backups. You would use Halo when you want a self-hosted CMS that goes beyond a simple blog, covering content management, optional e-commerce, and a plugin ecosystem, and prefer to run it on your own Linux server rather than depending on a hosted service. The tech stack is Java with Spring Boot on the backend, with Kotlin also referenced in the ecosystem, and the front-end admin console is a separate Vue.js-based application.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1

How do I deploy Halo CMS with Docker on a Linux server, including SSL and a reverse proxy using 1Panel?

Prompt 2

I want to start a personal blog with Halo. How do I install a theme from the marketplace and publish my first post?

Prompt 3

What is the difference between Halo's community, professional, and commercial editions, and which one do I need for a basic blog with no e-commerce?

Prompt 4

How do I set up automated backups for my Halo installation on a VPS?

Frequently asked questions

What is halo?

Halo is a self-hosted, open-source website builder and CMS that powers blogs, knowledge bases, company sites, and online stores from one Docker installation, with a marketplace of over 100 free themes and plugins.

What language is halo written in?

Mainly Java. The stack also includes Java, Spring Boot, Kotlin.

What license does halo use?

The community edition is free to use and modify under GPL v3, but any modified versions you distribute must also be released as open-source under the same license.

How hard is halo to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 1h+ to a first successful run.

Who is halo for?

Mainly pm founder.

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