WordPress keeps winning mindshare and shared hosting, while Apache Roller keeps winning respect inside Java shops. Both publish posts and feeds. Both can power a serious blog. The real question is simple. When does Java for a blog make sense compared to the familiar PHP route.
Who should even look at Roller
If your team lives in the JVM, knows Tomcat, and already runs a MySQL or Derby box, Roller feels like home. It is a Java webapp with templating, multi user, multi blog, and strong RSS and Atom support. It runs cleanly in Tomcat, GlassFish, JBoss, and can sit behind Apache with mod jk or a simple proxy.
What is Roller in plain terms
Roller is a Java based blog server that powers multi user publishing out of the box. It uses Velocity templates and a friendly browser editor. You can host many blogs, share themes, assign roles, and publish to RSS and Atom without hacks.
What does WordPress bring right now
WordPress is the five minute install, one MySQL database, one config file, and you are live. The plugin world is huge, themes are everywhere, and most shared hosts put it in one click installers. For a public blog with zero drama, it is easy to love.
Why pick Java for a blog at all
Because your world already runs on Java. You want container managed security, LDAP or Active Directory, and SSO. You want to deploy a WAR, manage it like any other app, log it with the same tools, and keep ops happy. That is where Roller fits.
How painful is setup
WordPress is famous for quick installs. Upload, create database, visit install page, done. Roller needs a JDK, an app server, a datasource, and some app server know how. The guide is clear, but you will touch Tomcat config and JDBC before first post.
What about themes and customization
WordPress wins on sheer theme variety. Thousands of templates and a quick switch in the dashboard. Roller ships with clean themes and a template editor. If you enjoy Velocity and JSP taglibs, Roller gives you power. If you want to point and click, WordPress feels faster.
Where do plugins stand
WordPress plugins cover spam control, SEO tweaks, caching, galleries, widgets and more. Akismet is basically standard. Roller has macros, page models, and a plugin hook, but the catalog is smaller. You will do a bit more custom work or keep things simple.
How about the editor and daily writing
WordPress ships a smooth visual editor and a plain text mode. Roller gives a straightforward editor too, plus MetaWeblog and AtomPub API support. That means you can post from Windows Live Writer, Ecto, MarsEdit and similar tools in both cases. Day to day, both feel fine for writers.
Do both handle multiple authors
WordPress is perfect for a single blog and a small team. For many blogs on one install you look at WordPress MU. Roller is multi user and multi blog from first boot with roles like admin, editor, author. If you need one platform for dozens of team blogs, Roller is ready.
What is the story with performance
WordPress serves pages fast, and with a simple cache plugin it can take serious traffic. WordPress.com shows the ceiling can be high with smart caching. Roller benefits from JVM tuning, connection pooling, and app server caches. Put it behind Apache, add a front cache, and it handles spikes like a pro.
Is Java really more secure here
Security depends on how you run it. WordPress gets a lot of attention from bots, so you update often. Roller runs in a managed container with roles and can sit behind corporate auth. Patching a WAR inside change windows fits IT routines. Both need regular updates. Neither is fire and forget.
Which one is better for SEO
WordPress is a joy for clean permalinks, titles, sitemaps, and pings. Plugins like Google Sitemaps Generator and SEO title helpers make it easy. Roller supports pretty URLs, pings, category pages, Atom and RSS feeds. You can get good titles and meta in Roller templates, it just takes a little template work.
How does content organization compare
Both do categories and tags. WordPress leans on tags and archives that are easy to theme and browse. Roller gives folders, categories, tag clouds, and per blog pages. If you want a company space with many blogs sharing a navbar and a home page, Roller is comfortable.
What about spam and comments
Spam is a part of life. WordPress has Akismet built in and it is excellent. Roller supports captchas, blacklists, and moderation queues. With a reverse proxy or a front filter you can block a lot before it touches the app. Either way, plan for spam control from day one.
Can I migrate in or out
WordPress imports from Blogger, Movable Type, and RSS. Roller can import and export using Atom and has a Movable Type path as well. Moving between the two is doable with a little script and patience. Feeds and slugs need careful mapping so links do not die.
How do backups and upgrades feel
WordPress keeps content in MySQL and files on disk. You back those up, test upgrades on a copy, then update in minutes. Roller runs as a WAR and stores content in the database and uploads on disk. You version the WAR, back up the database, and you have an ops friendly path that mirrors other Java apps.
What is the hosting story
WordPress runs anywhere. Cheap shared hosting is full of it. There are managed blog hosts and it is on every control panel. Roller needs Java hosting with Tomcat or a full container. That is rarer on budget hosts. Inside a company with an app server farm, Roller is easy to place.
How does integration with other apps work
WordPress talks to the world with XML RPC, feeds, and plugins. It is great for public sites and quick integrations. Roller sits near your Java apps, SSO, build tools, and logging. You can use Java libraries, job schedulers, and the same deploy story as your other apps. That keeps one mental model for the team.
What do big installs tell us
WordPress is proven by countless public blogs and big networks that run custom clusters and caches. Roller powers company wide blogging at places that bet on Java. Both are battle tested, just in different neighborhoods. Choose the one that matches your street.
How fast can I get from zero to first post
WordPress: an evening and you are live with a nice theme, comments, and a few plugins that make life easy. Roller: an evening if you already have Tomcat ready and know the knobs. If not, plan a bit more time to wire the server and the database before the fun part.
Where does each shine for teams
For marketing and public content, where SEO, themes, and plugins matter most, WordPress shines. For engineering groups and intranets, where SSO, role based control, and many blogs on one host matter, Roller makes a lot of sense. Your team culture decides more than the feature list.
What are the hidden costs
WordPress can tempt you into plugin sprawl and theme tinkering. Keep it lean and it stays fast. Roller can tempt you into custom Velocity magic that only one person understands. Keep templates simple and versioned, and it stays friendly. Restraint pays off on both sides.
So when does Java make sense for a blog
When you already run Java everywhere. When you want central auth, managed deploys, and many blogs living together. When IT wants one stack to support. Put Roller on the same rails as your other apps and your blog stops being a special snowflake.
And when should you pick WordPress
When you want to publish this week and spend your time on content not servers. When you want the easiest SEO path and a buffet of themes. When cost matters and shared hosting is already paid. WordPress gets you there with less ceremony.
What would I do today
Public product blog, press page, and a small team of editors. I would pick WordPress and keep plugins tight. Company intranet with departments and engineering teams, all on corporate auth, and devs who breathe Java. I would pick Roller and wire it to our directory and build pipeline.
Final take
Roller versus WordPress is not about features as much as it is about fit. PHP wins when speed and price and themes are the goal. Java wins when the blog is another app in a grown up stack. Know your street, pick your ride, and keep shipping posts.