Converse.js vs ejabberd
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Converse.js | ejabberd |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 91 · Excellent |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | MPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Erlang |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,295 | ★ 6,730 |
| First released | 2013 | 2002 |
| Replaces | Slack | Slack, WhatsApp |
What are Converse.js and ejabberd?
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
ejabberd
ejabberd is a robust and scalable XMPP server powering instant messaging, presence, and real-time communication. It targets operators running large messaging deployments. It is deployed via Docker or native packages.
- Highly scalable XMPP server
- Clustering support
- Many extension modules
- MQTT and SIP support
Converse.js vs ejabberd: key differences
Converse.js is written in JavaScript, while ejabberd is built with Erlang. Licensing differs — MPL-2.0 for Converse.js versus GPL-2.0 for ejabberd. Converse.js is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for ejabberd. Ejabberd is the more established project (first released 2002), while Converse.js arrived in 2013. Ejabberd has the considerably larger community, at 6,730 GitHub stars versus 3,295.
Why pick each one
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
Choose ejabberd if…
- Extremely scalable
- Battle-tested
- Standards-based
Watch out for
- XMPP UX depends on clients
- Advanced config is complex
Frequently asked questions
Is Converse.js or ejabberd better?
Neither is universally better. ejabberd has the larger community, while Converse.js is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Converse.js and ejabberd free and open-source?
Yes. Converse.js is licensed under MPL-2.0 and ejabberd under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Converse.js and ejabberd with Docker?
Converse.js: yes. ejabberd: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Converse.js or ejabberd?
Converse.js has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for ejabberd. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.