Comm vs irssi
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Comm | irssi |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 74 · Good | 69 · Good |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | C |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 331 | ★ 3,141 |
| First released | 2022 | 1999 |
| Replaces | Discord, Slack | Slack |
What are Comm and irssi?
Comm
Comm is an open-source messaging app focused on a personal server model where users can host their own Comm node. It provides end-to-end encryption and is designed for communities and small groups.
- Personal server model
- End-to-end encryption
- Native mobile apps
- Community-oriented
irssi
irssi is a terminal-based IRC client known for its stability, scripting support, and clean interface. It can be combined with screen or tmux to act as a long-running session.
- Terminal interface
- Perl scripting
- Themeable display
- Long-running stability
Comm vs irssi: key differences
Comm is written in JavaScript, while irssi is built with C. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for Comm versus GPL-2.0 for irssi. Irssi is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Comm. Irssi is the more established project (first released 1999), while Comm arrived in 2022. Irssi has the considerably larger community, at 3,141 GitHub stars versus 331. Comm lists first-class Docker deployment; irssi does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Comm if…
- Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in JavaScript
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 Comm or irssi better?
irssi is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Comm if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Comm and irssi free and open-source?
Yes. Comm is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and irssi under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Comm and irssi with Docker?
Comm: yes. irssi: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Comm or irssi?
irssi has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Comm. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.