If Moodle is the structured, learning management side of online education, then Mahara is the social, friendly side. Mahara, meaning 'think' or 'thought' in Te Reo Māori, is a user centred environment with a permission framework that enables different views of an e-portfolio to be easily managed. Mahara also features a resume builder, web log, file area, groups with discussion forums and a social networking system connecting users and creating online learner communities. Learners can work on their e-portfolios individually, but also share resources and create group e-portfolios collaboratively.

As e-portfolios are not only important in the school context but also for professional development and lifelong learning in general, Mahara allows users to export their portfolio and have it imported into another Mahara or even another e-portfolio software that supports the LEAP2A standard.

Mahara can be used as a stand-alone application on a server or in conjunction with Moodle where Single-Sign-On is available. Through the implementation of the Portfolio and Repository APIs in Moodle 2, the exchange of resources between Moodle and Mahara is greatly facilitated.