Comparison

Hexo vs MkDocs

On the evidence we track, MkDocs leads this comparison with a composite score of 57/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

Machine formatsMarkdownJSONGraphQLMarkdown is open. JSON and GraphQL need a free key.
Hexo50
★MkDocs57
Score
vioscaleAI score
Hexo50 / 100low · 38%
MkDocs57 / 100medium · 71%
Pricing
Free tier
Hexo✓
MkDocs✓
Model
Hexofree
Price level
Hexofree
MkDocsfree
Transparent
Hexo–
MkDocs✓
Integrations
Count
Hexo9
MkDocs–
Adoption
Dependent repos
Hexo21,451
MkDocs18,004
Github stars
Hexo41,778
MkDocs22,497
Package downloads weekly
Hexo–
MkDocs3,612,213
Activity
Commits last 30d
Hexo6
MkDocs0
Release
Cadence days
Hexo80
MkDocs77
History
License
Spdx
HexoMIT
Language
Primary
Content
Faq
MkDocs5 items

Capabilities

Feature-by-feature on the axes that matter for static site generators. “-” means undocumented, not absent.

Capabilities
Runtime
HexoNode
MkDocs-
Build model
HexoFully static
MkDocsFully static
Incremental builds
Hexo-
MkDocs-
Islands partial hydration
Hexo-
MkDocs-
I18n
Hexo-
MkDocs✓
Image optimization
Hexo-
MkDocs-
Docs specialised
Hexo-
MkDocs✓
Plugin ecosystem size
Hexo-
MkDocs-
Zero js by default
Hexo-
MkDocs-
Mdx component embeds
Hexo-
MkDocs-
Single binary no deps
Hexo-
MkDocs-

What each one is

The product in its own terms, so the numbers below have context.

Hexo

A static blog generator powered by Node.js that rapidly compiles markdown files. It offers extensible plugins, multiple template engines, and command-line deployment tools.

Independently observed

MkDocs

Leader

A documentation platform that converts Markdown files into static HTML websites. It offers built-in themes, plugin support for extensions, and YAML-based configuration for easy customization.

Independently observed

Pricing

List pricing as published by each vendor, with the date we read it. Always verify at the source before you buy.

Hexo

Free
as of verify ↗

MkDocs

Leader
Open sourceFree tier
as of verify ↗

Platform & deployment

Where each product runs and how it can be hosted. A dash means undocumented, not unsupported.

Platforms
Web
Hexo✓
MkDocs✗
Linux
Hexo✓
MkDocs✗
CLI
Hexo✓
MkDocs✓
Deployment
Cloud / SaaS
Hexo✓
MkDocs✗
Self-hosted
Hexo✓
MkDocs✓

Integrations

What each product connects to. Counts come from the vendor's own integration directory where one exists.

Hexo

11 total
  • EJS
  • Pug
  • Nunjucks
  • Babel
  • PostCSS
  • Less
  • Sass
  • GitHub Flavored Markdown
  • Octopress
  • GitHub Pages
  • Heroku
Independently observed

MkDocs

Leader

Not documented yet.

Still deciding?

Hexo or MkDocs: which one depends on you

A composite score cannot know your constraints. Describe them and both get re-weighted against what you actually need, with the evidence behind every position.

Free to run, no account needed to start. How the evaluation works

Comparison generated from independently-sourced facts. Every value links to its source and retrieval date. See the method.