Canvas LMS
Learning management system (LMS) that is revolutionizing the way we educate.
Canvas LMS vs ILIAS
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 | ILIAS | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Learning management system (LMS) that is revolutionizing the way we educate. | Learning management system that can cope with anything you throw at it. |
| GitHub stars | 6,902 | 507 |
| Forks | – | – |
| Open issues | – | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 3.8k | 1.7k |
| Last activity | 2026-04-30 | 2026-11-04 |
| Latest release | – | v12.0_beta1 (2026-11-02) |
| 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 507 for ILIAS.
- Canvas LMS had more commits in the last 12 months (3,789 vs 1,731).
- ILIAS has more recent repository activity (2026-11-04 vs 2026-04-30).
- ILIAS publishes GitHub releases (latest v12.0_beta1); no GitHub release was found for Canvas LMS.
- Canvas LMS is licensed under AGPL-3.0, ILIAS under GPL-3.0.
- Canvas LMS is written in Ruby; ILIAS in PHP.
Summary: Canvas LMS leads on GitHub popularity and commit activity; ILIAS 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 ILIAS more popular?
Canvas LMS has more GitHub stars (6,902 vs 507 for ILIAS, as of 2026-11-05). Stars measure interest, not quality.
Which is more actively maintained, Canvas LMS or ILIAS?
Canvas LMS had more commits over the last 12 months (3,789 vs 1,731). The last recorded activity was 2026-04-30 for Canvas LMS and 2026-11-04 for ILIAS. Our health labels: Canvas LMS is “Maintained”, ILIAS is “Active”.
What licenses do Canvas LMS and ILIAS use?
Canvas LMS: AGPL-3.0. ILIAS: GPL-3.0.
Can I run Canvas LMS and ILIAS with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
ILIAS
Learning management system that can cope with anything you throw at it.
Browse all self-hosted Learning and Courses apps.