Comm vs Miaou
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Comm | Miaou |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 74 · Good | 65 · Good |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 331 | ★ 553 |
| First released | 2022 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Discord, Slack | Discord, Slack |
What are Comm and Miaou?
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
Miaou
Miaou is a real-time chat server geared toward developer communities, with markdown formatting, syntax-highlighted code blocks, polls, and per-room moderation. It is the software behind the public Miaou chat used by Rust developers.
- Markdown and code-block friendly chat
- Multi-room with moderation
- OAuth login support
- Popular with developer communities
Comm vs Miaou: key differences
Both projects are written in JavaScript. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for Comm versus MIT for Miaou. Miaou is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Comm. Miaou is the more established project (first released 2014), while Comm arrived in 2022. Comm lists first-class Docker deployment; Miaou 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 Miaou if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Comm or Miaou better?
Miaou 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 Miaou free and open-source?
Yes. Comm is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Miaou under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Comm and Miaou with Docker?
Comm: yes. Miaou: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Comm or Miaou?
Miaou has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Comm. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.