Telegram Bot API Server vs irssi
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Telegram Bot API Server
Self-hosted local Telegram Bot API server
VS
irssi
Modular terminal IRC client with scripting
| Feature | Telegram Bot API Server | irssi |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | BSL-1.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,395 | ★ 3,129 |
| First released | 2021 | 1999 |
| Replaces | — | Slack |
Why pick each one
Choose Telegram Bot API Server if…
- Released under the BSL-1.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.4k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
Choose irssi if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Active community (3.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 32 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Telegram Bot API Server or irssi better?
Neither is universally better. Telegram Bot API Server has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Telegram Bot API Server and irssi free and open-source?
Yes. Telegram Bot API Server is licensed under BSL-1.0 and irssi under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Telegram Bot API Server and irssi with Docker?
Telegram Bot API Server: yes. irssi: check the project docs for container support.