Remark42: Privacy-Focused Commenting Engine
Remark42 is a self-hosted, lightweight, and simple comment engine designed for blogs, articles, and other platforms where reader interaction is key. Unlike many commenting systems, Remark42 prioritizes user privacy by avoiding tracking and minimizing data collection. It offers a clean, customizable UI with both white and dark themes, making it adaptable to various website designs.
Key Features
- Privacy First: No tracking, minimal data storage (only hashed user ID and name), and options for data export or complete data deletion via a "deleteme" request.
- Authentication Options: Supports social logins (Google, Facebook, GitHub, etc.), email login, and optional anonymous access.
- Comment Management: Multi-level nested comments, voting, pinning, moderation tools to remove comments or block users, and sortable comment views.
- Media and Formatting: Markdown support with a friendly toolbar and image uploads via drag-and-drop.
- Notifications: Admin alerts via Telegram, Slack, email, or webhooks, plus user notifications for comment replies.
- Deployment Simplicity: Fully Dockerized for one-command deployment, or available as a self-contained executable for Linux, Windows, and macOS.
- Data Handling: No external databases needed, with all data in a single file, exportable to JSON with automatic backups.
- Multi-Site Support: Run multiple sites from a single instance with integration for automatic SSL.
Use Cases
Remark42 is ideal for bloggers, content creators, and website owners who need a functional commenting system without compromising user privacy. It suits small to medium-sized websites looking for an easy-to-deploy, customizable solution that integrates seamlessly into existing platforms.
Unique Selling Points
Its strong emphasis on privacy, lightweight design, and self-hosting capabilities make Remark42 a standout alternative to mainstream commenting platforms like Disqus, especially for privacy-conscious developers and site owners.
