Developer Tools · head to head
Keycloak vs Read the Docs
Keycloak
Developer Tools
Open-source identity and access management server.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Read the Docs
Documentation
Documentation hosting with versioning built for open source
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Keycloak requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain; Read the Docs build configuration is finicky, and build failures on dependency changes are a common frustration
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Keycloak and Read the Docs actually diverge.
| Attribute | Keycloak | Read the Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | open-source | Free for open source; paid business plans for private documentation |
| Platforms | Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API | Web, Cloud |
| Category | Developer Tools | Documentation |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Keycloak
Nothing recorded that Read the Docs does not also cover.
Only in Read the Docs
- Build on commit
- Version by branch and tag
- Pull request previews
- Free for open source
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Keycloak
- Organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residencynot Read the Docs
- Companies with existing LDAP/Active Directory systems needing federated authenticationnot Read the Docs
- Open-source projects and communities requiring free IAM without licensing costsnot Read the Docs
- Enterprises building custom identity workflows requiring fine-grained authorisationnot Read the Docs
- Teams with sufficient operational expertise to manage infrastructurenot Read the Docs
Read the Docs
- Open-source projects needing free hosted versioned documentationnot Keycloak
- Teams wanting docs rebuilt automatically on every commitnot Keycloak
- Reviewing documentation changes in a pull request before mergenot Keycloak
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Keycloak
- Requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain
- No managed cloud option provided by Red Hat; organisations must operate infrastructure themselves or use third-party distributions
- Clustering and high-availability configurations require additional operational knowledge
- Community support only; commercial support requires third-party vendors or distributions
Read the Docs
- Build configuration is finicky, and build failures on dependency changes are a common frustration
- Default themes are recognisable and dated, so sites look alike unless customised
- Private documentation requires a paid business plan
- Build times on large projects are slow enough to interrupt a review cycle
Pricing, plan by plan
Keycloak
Free- Open-sourceFree
- Full platform functionality
- Self-hosted deployment
- Community support
Read the Docs
Free- FreeFree
- Core functionality
- Public projects
Which should you pick?
Choose Keycloak if
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API.
Choose Read the Docs if
- You need build on commit.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Cloud.
- You also want version by branch and tag.
Questions people ask
- Is Keycloak or Read the Docs better?
- Neither clearly leads. Keycloak starts at Free and Read the Docs at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Keycloak or Read the Docs?
- Keycloak starts at Free and Read the Docs at Free.
- Does Keycloak or Read the Docs run on more platforms?
- Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API. Read the Docs runs on Web, Cloud.
- Can I use Keycloak for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Keycloak best used for?
- Keycloak is most often used for organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residency, companies with existing ldap/active directory systems needing federated authentication, open-source projects and communities requiring free iam without licensing costs, enterprises building custom identity workflows requiring fine-grained authorisation. Of those, organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residency and companies with existing ldap/active directory systems needing federated authentication are not what Read the Docs is typically brought in for.
- What can Keycloak do that Read the Docs cannot?
- Read the Docs covers Build on commit, Version by branch and tag, Pull request previews, Free for open source.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Keycloak: What protocols does Keycloak support?
Keycloak supports OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0 and SAML 2.0 protocols for authentication and authorisation.
SourceRead the Docs: Is Read the Docs free?
Free for open-source public projects. Private documentation requires a paid business plan.
Keycloak: Can Keycloak integrate with existing user directories?
Yes. Keycloak supports user federation with LDAP and Active Directory systems, allowing organisations to leverage existing user directories.
SourceRead the Docs: What does it build from?
Most commonly Sphinx or MkDocs sources kept in your repository.
Keycloak: Is Keycloak free?
Yes. Keycloak is fully open-source and free to deploy and use. No licensing fees are required.
SourceRead the Docs: How does versioning work?
It maps branches and tags to documentation versions, so several releases are served side by side without manual work.
Related pages
More on Read the Docs
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