Quick Verdict
BookStack is easier to set up and has built-in authentication (email/password). Outline has a more modern UI and better real-time collaboration. Choose BookStack for simplicity and structured documentation. Choose Outline for a Notion-like team knowledge base with real-time editing.
Overview
BookStack organizes content in a fixed hierarchy: Shelves → Books → Chapters → Pages. WYSIWYG and Markdown editors, built-in auth with LDAP/SAML/OIDC support, and role-based permissions. PHP/Laravel stack.
Outline organizes content in flat collections with nested documents. Clean, modern UI with slash commands, real-time collaboration, and Markdown-native editing. Requires an external authentication provider (OIDC, Google, Slack). Node.js stack.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | BookStack | Outline |
|---|---|---|
| Content structure | Shelves → Books → Chapters → Pages | Collections → nested documents |
| Editor | WYSIWYG + Markdown toggle | Markdown with slash commands |
| Real-time collaboration | No (last-save-wins) | Yes (simultaneous editing) |
| Built-in auth | Yes (email/password) | No (requires OIDC/OAuth) |
| SSO support | LDAP + SAML + OIDC | OIDC + Google + Slack + Azure + Discord |
| Search | Built-in full-text | PostgreSQL full-text |
| API | REST | REST |
| PDF export | Built-in | No native PDF export |
| Image management | Built-in gallery | Inline uploads |
| Templates | Page templates | Document templates |
| Public sharing | Publicly viewable shelves/books | Public document links |
| Mobile experience | Responsive web | Responsive web (more polished) |
| Language | PHP (Laravel) | Node.js (TypeScript) |
Installation Complexity
BookStack is simpler to deploy. Two containers (app + database), default credentials work immediately, and built-in email/password auth means no external dependencies.
Outline requires three containers (app + PostgreSQL + Redis) and an external authentication provider. You need to set up OIDC (via Authentik, Keycloak, etc.), Google OAuth, or Slack before anyone can log in. This adds meaningful setup complexity.
BookStack wins on setup simplicity.
Performance and Resource Usage
| Resource | BookStack | Outline |
|---|---|---|
| RAM (idle) | ~150 MB | ~200 MB (+ Redis) |
| RAM (full stack) | ~300 MB | ~500 MB |
| CPU | Low | Low |
Similar footprint. Outline's Redis requirement adds some overhead. Both are lightweight.
Community and Support
BookStack: ~16,000 GitHub stars, active forum, consistent solo developer, thorough documentation.
Outline: ~30,000 GitHub stars, growing community, backed by a small company (also offers a hosted version), good documentation.
Both have healthy communities. Outline has more stars but BookStack's solo developer maintains an impressively consistent release cadence.
Use Cases
Choose BookStack If...
- You want built-in authentication without OIDC setup
- You prefer structured hierarchy (books, chapters) for organizing content
- You need PDF export
- You want granular permissions per book/chapter/page
- You're building a team wiki that non-technical users need to navigate
- You want the simplest possible setup
Choose Outline If...
- You want real-time collaborative editing (Google Docs-style)
- You prefer a modern, Notion-like UI with slash commands
- Your organization already has an OIDC provider
- You want faster, more fluid document creation
- You prefer collections and nested documents over a rigid hierarchy
- You want a more polished reading experience
Final Verdict
It depends on your priority. BookStack is the safer, simpler choice — built-in auth, structured organization, PDF export, and it works great out of the box. Outline is the more modern choice — faster editing experience, real-time collaboration, and a UI that feels like a contemporary productivity tool.
If you're setting up a wiki for a small team and don't want to configure an identity provider, BookStack is the clear winner. If your organization already runs Authentik or Keycloak and you want the best editing experience, Outline is worth the extra setup.
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