Cinny vs Openfire
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Cinny | Openfire |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,903 | ★ 3,064 |
| First released | 2021 | 2004 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Slack, Microsoft Teams |
What are Cinny and Openfire?
Cinny
Cinny is a Matrix client focused on a clean, simple and modern user interface. It can be self-hosted as a static web app to connect to any Matrix homeserver.
- Clean and minimal UI
- End-to-end encryption
- Static web app deployment
- Desktop builds available
Openfire
Openfire is a mature, cross-platform real-time collaboration server that uses the XMPP protocol. It offers a clean web administration console and an extensive plugin ecosystem for chat, presence, and group communication.
- Web-based admin console
- Rich plugin ecosystem
- LDAP and Active Directory integration
- Group chat and presence
Cinny vs Openfire: key differences
Cinny is written in TypeScript, while Openfire is built with Java. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Cinny versus Apache-2.0 for Openfire. Cinny is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Openfire. Openfire is the more established project (first released 2004), while Cinny arrived in 2021.
Why pick each one
Choose Cinny if…
- Lightweight to host
- Attractive interface
Watch out for
- Fewer features than Element
- Matrix-only
Choose Openfire if…
- Easy to administer
- Long track record
Watch out for
- Java memory footprint
- Dated user interface
Frequently asked questions
Is Cinny or Openfire better?
Cinny is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Openfire if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Cinny and Openfire free and open-source?
Yes. Cinny is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Openfire under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cinny and Openfire with Docker?
Cinny: yes. Openfire: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Cinny or Openfire?
Cinny has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Openfire. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.