Charybdis IRCd vs The Lounge
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
The Lounge
Modern, self-hosted web IRC client
| Feature | Charybdis IRCd | The Lounge |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 7 · At risk | 91 · Excellent |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | GPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | C | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 230 | ★ 6,336 |
| First released | 2008 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Discord, Slack | IRCCloud, Slack |
What are Charybdis IRCd and The Lounge?
Charybdis IRCd
Charybdis is an IRCv3-capable IRC server daemon descended from ratbox, designed to power large IRC networks. It has been used as the basis for several other IRC server projects and is fully self-hostable.
- IRCv3-capable IRC server
- Designed for large networks
- Basis for other IRC daemons
The Lounge
The Lounge is a modern web-based IRC client that you host yourself, staying always connected and synchronizing across devices. It offers a responsive interface accessible from any browser.
- Always-on IRC connection
- Synchronized multi-device experience
- Responsive web and mobile UI
- Push notifications
Charybdis IRCd vs The Lounge: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Charybdis IRCd's repository is archived and no longer developed, while The Lounge is actively maintained. Charybdis IRCd is written in C, while The Lounge is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Charybdis IRCd versus MIT for The Lounge. Charybdis IRCd is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for The Lounge. Charybdis IRCd is the more established project (first released 2008), while The Lounge arrived in 2014. The Lounge has the considerably larger community, at 6,336 GitHub stars versus 230. The Lounge lists first-class Docker deployment; Charybdis IRCd does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Charybdis IRCd if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Choose The Lounge if…
- Great IRC experience in the browser
- Multi-user support
Watch out for
- IRC-only
- No built-in voice or video
Frequently asked questions
Is Charybdis IRCd or The Lounge better?
The Lounge is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Charybdis IRCd if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Charybdis IRCd and The Lounge free and open-source?
Yes. Charybdis IRCd is licensed under GPL-2.0 and The Lounge under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Charybdis IRCd and The Lounge with Docker?
Charybdis IRCd: check the project docs for container support. The Lounge: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Charybdis IRCd or The Lounge?
Charybdis IRCd has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for The Lounge. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.