What it is

Tutor is the official Docker-based distribution of Open edX, built for both production deployments and local development. It lives in the Open edX ecosystem, written in Python and licensed under the AGPL-3.0, and it carries the stated goal of making Open edX easy to deploy, customise, upgrade and scale. The project packages the platform as a set of Docker images managed through Docker Compose, with support for Kubernetes, plugins and a hosted AWS image.

The concrete problem it solves is the operational friction of running Open edX. Instead of assembling the platform by hand, operators get a distribution that ships with theming, SCORM support, HTTPS, a mobile app and custom translations already included, plus one-click installation and upgrades. The project states that it is reliable, fast and extensible, and that it is already used to deploy hundreds of Open edX platforms around the world.

Key capabilities

• Distributed entirely as Docker images, with Docker Compose as the standard orchestration path and Kubernetes support for larger deployments.
• One-click installation and upgrade workflow, invoked through the tutor command-line tool rather than manual platform assembly.
• Batteries-included feature set covering theming, SCORM, HTTPS, the mobile app and custom translations.
• Extensible architecture through plugins, allowing behaviour and configuration to be added without forking the distribution.
• Fully open source under the AGPL-3.0, which permits inspection, modification and redistribution under the same terms.
• A zero-click Tutor AWS image that reduces the deployment process to a hosted option requiring no technical skill.
• Documented release channel on PyPI, so installation tracks the latest stable release of the tool.

Who uses it and how

• Institutions and teams deploying production Open edX platforms, with the project reporting hundreds of live installations worldwide.
• Developers running local Open edX instances for development and testing, using the same Docker-based stack as production.
• Operators scaling Open edX onto Kubernetes clusters when a single-host Compose deployment is no longer sufficient.
• Administrators customising a platform through theming, plugins and custom translations without patching core code.
• Non-specialist users deploying through the zero-click Tutor AWS image, which removes the need for technical skill.
• Teams needing support, who engage Edly for professional assistance as part of its Open edX installation service, while community help is available on the official Open edX discussion forum.

Getting started

Install the