Elgg
What it is
Elgg is a free, open-source framework for building web applications where people log in and share information. It can serve as a base for campus networks, organizational collaboration platforms, and company communications tools. Plugins can change application behavior through hooks and events, while the view system supports custom themes. Granular content permissions can support private networks and intranets, and user groups and a file-storage API provide building blocks for community applications. Elgg supports on-site and email notifications, as well as RPC web services for external applications and mobile clients. Its listed security features include anti-CSRF validation, XSS filters, HMAC signatures, and password hashing. The project offers documentation, tutorials, an API reference, community discussions, and a repository with more than 1,000 open-source plugins. It can be installed on a user's own server with Composer or a ZIP package, but an installation needs a database and configured cron job. The full package with core plugins is GPLv2; the MIT framework-only release excludes the mod directory containing plugins.
For and against
For
- Free to download, install, and use.
- Granular access controls support private networks and intranets.
- Plugins can extend behavior and themes.
- Community repository lists more than 1,000 open-source plugins.
- Offers documentation, tutorials, and an API reference.
Against
- Self-hosting requires a database and configured cron job.
- MIT release excludes the mod directory of plugins.
- Installation and maintenance are the user's responsibility.
The verdict
Elgg offers a customizable foundation for social and collaborative web applications, with access controls and community extensions. Its self-hosted setup requires a database and cron configuration, and the MIT release does not include plugins.
Who it suits
Elgg suits universities, schools, organizations, or companies building a community or collaboration application they can host and customize. It is intended for users comfortable handling installation and server requirements.
Plans and prices
Free
Read 11 Oct 2026 · learn.elgg.org
On the record
- Access control
- Elgg includes granular content access policies for private networks and intranets.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Access controls
- Elgg provides granular content access policies that can support private networks and intranets.learn.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Audience
- The site describes Elgg as suitable for universities, schools, colleges, organizations, and companies building communities or collaborative platforms.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Community resources
- The project lists a community repository with more than 1,000 open source plugins and provides documentation, tutorials, and an API reference.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Community support
- Elgg points users to its community, documentation, plugin repository, and professional service providers for help and services.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Customization
- Plugins can extend Elgg's views to create custom themes.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- Its hooks and events let plugins extend and modify most aspects of an application's functionality and behavior.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Groups and files
- Elgg includes support for user groups and a file storage API for user-generated files.learn.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Hosting
- Elgg lists third-party hosting providers and says the project does not officially endorse the listed companies.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The download page recommends Composer as the simplest way to install and maintain an Elgg project.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Elgg provides RPC web services for integrations with external applications and mobile clients.learn.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- License
- The full package with core plugins is available under GPLv2, while the framework without those plugins is also available under MIT.learn.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- License and cost
- Elgg is free to download, install, and use; the full framework and core plugins are offered under GPLv2, while the framework without plugins is offered under MIT.learn.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Notable limit
- The download page says the MIT release excludes the contents of the mod directory, which contains Elgg's plugins.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Notifications
- Elgg supports on-site and email notifications and says its notification service can integrate with third-party services.learn.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Private spaces
- Yeselgg.org · read 21 Sep 2026
- Purpose
- Elgg is an open source social networking engine for building social environments such as campus networks, organizational collaboration platforms, and company communications tools.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Security
- Elgg documents bcrypt password hashing, login throttling, input filtering, CSRF tokens, and access control lists.learn.elgg.org · read 11 Oct 2026
