Continuwuity vs Converse.js
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Continuwuity
Community-maintained Rust Matrix homeserver
VS
Converse.js
Web-based XMPP/Jabber chat client
| Feature | Continuwuity | Converse.js |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Rust | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 700 | ★ 3,294 |
| First released | 2024 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Slack |
What are Continuwuity and Converse.js?
Continuwuity
Continuwuity is a community continuation of the conduwuit Matrix homeserver, written in Rust. It provides an efficient, federated Matrix server with a focus on stability and ongoing maintenance.
- Drop-in conduwuit replacement
- Active community maintenance
- Efficient single binary
- Full Matrix federation
Converse.js
Converse.js is a free and open-source XMPP chat client that runs in the browser. It can be embedded into websites or hosted as a standalone full-page chat application.
- Embeddable XMPP web client
- OMEMO encryption support
- Plugin architecture
- Works with any XMPP server
Continuwuity vs Converse.js: key differences
Continuwuity is written in Rust, while Converse.js is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Continuwuity versus MPL-2.0 for Converse.js. Converse.js is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Continuwuity. Converse.js is the more established project (first released 2013), while Continuwuity arrived in 2024. Converse.js has the considerably larger community, at 3,294 GitHub stars versus 700.
Why pick each one
Choose Continuwuity if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Rust
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Choose Converse.js if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.3k GitHub stars)
Watch out for
- Requires an XMPP server
- No voice or video
Frequently asked questions
Is Continuwuity or Converse.js better?
Converse.js is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Continuwuity if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Continuwuity and Converse.js free and open-source?
Yes. Continuwuity is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Converse.js under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Continuwuity and Converse.js with Docker?
Continuwuity: yes. Converse.js: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Continuwuity or Converse.js?
Converse.js has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Continuwuity. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.