Converse.js vs Dendrite
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Converse.js
Web-based XMPP/Jabber chat client
VS
Dendrite
Second-generation Matrix homeserver written in Go
| Feature | Converse.js | Dendrite |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | MPL-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,285 | ★ 5,632 |
| First released | 2013 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Slack | Slack, Discord |
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)
Frequently asked questions
Is Converse.js or Dendrite better?
Neither is universally better. Dendrite 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 Dendrite free and open-source?
Yes. Converse.js is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Dendrite under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Converse.js and Dendrite with Docker?
Converse.js: yes. Dendrite: yes.