# Sphinx vs Starlight

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Sphinx

| Attribute | Sphinx | Starlight |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 68.9 (71% (medium)) | 59.5 (77% (high)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 2 | 38 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 68,751 | 35 |
| adoption.github_stars | 7,989 | 9,131 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | 15,422,418 | 845,041 |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | `{"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | Converts reStructuredText and Markdown into multiple output formats including HTML, PDF, and ePub, with support for automatic API documentation, customizable themes, and internationalization. | An open-source documentation platform that provides built-in navigation, search, internationalization, and dark mode. Supports Markdown, Markdoc, and MDX authoring with extensibility via React, Vue, Svelte, and Solid components. |
| features.capabilities | `{"i18n":true,"kind":"static_generator","engine":"Python","themeable":true,"api_reference":true,"self_hostable":true,"hosted_offering":false}` | `{"i18n":true,"kind":"static_generator","engine":"Astro","search":"built_in","themeable":true,"self_hostable":true}` |
| integrations.count | - | 4 |
| integrations.list | - | `[{"name":"React"},{"name":"Vue"},{"name":"Svelte"},{"name":"Solid"}]` |
| language.primary | Python | TypeScript |
| license.spdx | - | MIT |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true}` | `{"web":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","sourceUrl":"https://www.sphinx-doc.org","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T15:27:10.554Z"}` | - |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | - |
| pricing.model | open_source | - |
| pricing.price_level | free | - |
| pricing.transparent | yes | - |
| release.cadence_days | 1 | 5 |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v9.1.0","date":"2025-12-31T15:08:45Z","type":"stable","version":"v9.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v9.1.0rc2","date":"2025-12-27T03:17:14Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v9.1.0rc2"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v9.1.0rc1","date":"2025-12-19T23:30:08Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v9.1.0rc1"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v9.0.4","date":"2025-12-04T07:46:04Z","type":"stable","version":"v9.0.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v9.0.3","date":"2025-12-04T01:46:38Z","type":"stable","version":"v9.0.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v9.0.2","date":"2025-12-03T23:03:33Z","type":"stable","version":"v9.0.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v9.0.1","date":"2025-12-01T16:43:08Z","type":"stable","version":"v9.0.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v9.0.0","date":"2025-11-30T12:41:22Z","type":"stable","version":"v9.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v9.0.0rc4","date":"2025-11-30T06:18:15Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v9.0.0rc4"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v9.0.0rc3","date":"2025-11-30T03:03:03Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v9.0.0rc3"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v9.0.0rc2","date":"2025-11-29T02:44:03Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v9.0.0rc2"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v9.0.0rc1","date":"2025-11-28T00:47:08Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v9.0.0rc1"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v8.2.3","date":"2025-03-02T22:31:26Z","type":"stable","version":"v8.2.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v8.2.2","date":"2025-03-02T21:01:13Z","type":"stable","version":"v8.2.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v8.2.1","date":"2025-02-21T23:29:16Z","type":"stable","version":"v8.2.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v8.2.0","date":"2025-02-18T19:52:45Z","type":"stable","version":"v8.2.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v8.2.0rc2","date":"2025-02-18T00:39:02Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v8.2.0rc2"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v8.2.0rc1","date":"2025-02-16T05:41:49Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v8.2.0rc1"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v8.1.3","date":"2024-10-13T20:26:47Z","type":"stable","version":"v8.1.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/releases/tag/v8.1.2","date":"2024-10-12T18:44:16Z","type":"stable","version":"v8.1.2"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.41.9","date":"2026-08-25T17:23:04Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.41.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.41.8","date":"2026-08-24T16:56:44Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.41.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.41.7","date":"2026-08-05T10:18:34Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.41.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.41.6","date":"2026-07-31T19:55:11Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.41.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.41.5","date":"2026-07-28T07:55:30Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.41.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.41.4","date":"2026-07-22T14:16:32Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.41.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.41.3","date":"2026-07-03T20:20:31Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.41.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.41.2","date":"2026-07-01T11:32:49Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.41.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.41.1","date":"2026-06-25T12:49:53Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.41.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.41.0","date":"2026-06-23T19:21:49Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.41.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight-markdoc%400.7.0","date":"2026-06-23T19:21:47Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight-markdoc@0.7.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.40.0","date":"2026-06-09T17:33:05Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.40.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.39.3","date":"2026-06-02T11:41:05Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.39.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.39.2","date":"2026-05-08T16:50:52Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.39.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.39.1","date":"2026-05-07T18:08:34Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.39.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.39.0","date":"2026-05-07T09:08:14Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.39.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.38.5","date":"2026-05-05T18:20:23Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.38.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.38.4","date":"2026-04-23T13:29:39Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.38.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.38.3","date":"2026-04-07T13:08:22Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.38.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/withastro/starlight/releases/tag/%40astrojs/starlight%400.38.2","date":"2026-03-20T18:00:14Z","type":"stable","version":"@astrojs/starlight@0.38.2"}]` |
| security.scorecard | 5.5 | - |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=pypi&package_name=sphinx&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=%40astrojs%2Fstarlight&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Documentation Tools)

| Capability | Sphinx | Starlight |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Tool kind | Static-site generator | Static-site generator |
| Engine / language | Python | Astro |
| **Authoring** |  |  |
| Authoring format | - | - |
| **API docs** |  |  |
| API reference from OpenAPI / code | ✓ | - |
| **Content** |  |  |
| Multi-version docs | - | - |
| Internationalisation | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Discovery** |  |  |
| Search | - | Built-in |
| **Design** |  |  |
| Theming / custom design | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Workflow** |  |  |
| Edit-in-Git / WYSIWYG round-trip | - | - |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Self-hostable | ✓ | ✓ |
| Official managed host | ✗ | - |
| **Insight** |  |  |
| Built-in usage analytics | - | - |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T14:39:30.539Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*