Isso
Isso is a lightweight commenting server written in Python & JS, designed as a drop-in replacement for Disqus. It uses SQLite, supports Markdown, and provides a tiny JS client.
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Self-hosted commenting server that is lightweight, private, and easy to embed.
Core Features
- Comments written in Markdown
- SQLite backend – no Big Data overhead
- Users can edit/delete comments within 15 minutes
- Import from Disqus and WordPress
- JS client only 65 kB (20 kB gzipped)
What It Can't Do
- •Default comment edit/delete window is 15 minutes (configurable). 2. Email notifications require SMTP setup. 3. Docker image tag changed from :latest to :release; pin version. 4. SQLite only; not suitable for high-traffic large sites.
Use Cases
- Add comments to static sites (Hugo, Jekyll, etc.)
- Replace Disqus to avoid tracking and ads
- Personal blogs or small team project comments
Detailed Introduction
Isso (Ich schrei sonst) is an open-source, self-hosted commenting system designed to be a drop-in replacement for Disqus. It stores comments in SQLite (no Big Data hype), supports Markdown formatting, and allows users to edit or delete their own comments within 15 minutes. The JavaScript client is just 65 kB (20 kB gzipped) and easy to embed. You can also import existing comments from Disqus or WordPress. It runs on any server with Python 3.8+ and SQLite, and is available via Docker. Isso prioritizes privacy and simplicity, making it ideal for static sites, blogs, and personal projects.
Troubleshooting & FAQ (2)
TroubleshootingHow to fix 'No module named pkg_resources' error when running Isso on Python 3.13 or 3.14?
This error occurs because Python 3.13+ ships with a newer setuptools that removed the deprecated pkg_resources module. Workaround: Pin setuptools to 81.0.0 with pip install setuptools==81.0.0. Permanent fix: Upgrade Isso to version 0.14.0 or later, which no longer depends on pkg_resources.
TroubleshootingHow to fix missing embed.min.js after pip install Isso 0.13.2?
The issue is that the embed.min.js file is not included in the PyPI package for Isso 0.13.2. To resolve, either manually build the file using esbuild: run esbuild --minify --alias:app=./app --loader:.svg=dataurl --bundle embed.js --outfile=embed.min.js (you may need to first install esbuild, e.g., via Debian repos or npm). Alternatively, downgrade to Isso 0.13.0 where the file is present, using pip install isso==0.13.0. This bug is fixed in version 0.14.0.
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Getting Started
Download installer
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Install the software
Double-click the downloaded installer and follow the prompts
Install Python 3.8+ and pip, ensure SQLite is available
Run: pip install isso
Create configuration file isso.cfg (see official docs)
- Install Python 3.8+ and pip, ensure SQLite is available
- Run: pip install isso
- Create configuration file isso.cfg (see official docs)
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Run 'pip uninstall isso'. If using Docker, remove container and image.
No Extra Dependencies
Ready to use after download. No additional runtime required.
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