Canvas LMS
Learning management system (LMS) that is revolutionizing the way we educate.
Canvas LMS vs Gibbon
Two self-hosted Learning and Courses apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| Canvas LMS | Gibbon | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Learning management system (LMS) that is revolutionizing the way we educate. | Flexible school management platform designed to make life better for teachers, students, parents and leaders. |
| GitHub stars | 6,902 | 638 |
| Forks | – | – |
| Open issues | – | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 3.8k | 249 |
| Last activity | 2026-04-30 | 2026-11-04 |
| Latest release | – | v30.0.01 (2026-02-06) |
| Maintenance health | Maintained | Active |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language / platform | Ruby | PHP |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~1 GB, 1 vCPU | ~1 GB, 1 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $5/mo | $5/mo |
| Categories | Learning and Courses | Learning and Courses |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- Canvas LMS is more popular on GitHub: 6.9k stars vs 638 for Gibbon.
- Canvas LMS had more commits in the last 12 months (3,789 vs 249).
- Gibbon has more recent repository activity (2026-11-04 vs 2026-04-30).
- Gibbon publishes GitHub releases (latest v30.0.01); no GitHub release was found for Canvas LMS.
- Canvas LMS is licensed under AGPL-3.0, Gibbon under GPL-3.0.
- Canvas LMS is written in Ruby; Gibbon in PHP.
Summary: Canvas LMS leads on GitHub popularity and commit activity; Gibbon leads on recent activity. The right choice depends on the features you need — read both project descriptions and docs.
This summary is generated from GitHub, Docker Hub and awesome-selfhosted data as of 2026-11-05. It does not rate features or quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is Canvas LMS or Gibbon more popular?
Canvas LMS has more GitHub stars (6,902 vs 638 for Gibbon, as of 2026-11-05). Stars measure interest, not quality.
Which is more actively maintained, Canvas LMS or Gibbon?
Canvas LMS had more commits over the last 12 months (3,789 vs 249). The last recorded activity was 2026-04-30 for Canvas LMS and 2026-11-04 for Gibbon. Our health labels: Canvas LMS is “Maintained”, Gibbon is “Active”.
What licenses do Canvas LMS and Gibbon use?
Canvas LMS: AGPL-3.0. Gibbon: GPL-3.0.
Can I run Canvas LMS and Gibbon with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
Gibbon
Flexible school management platform designed to make life better for teachers, students, parents and leaders.
Browse all self-hosted Learning and Courses apps.