Convos vs Dendrite Lite
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Convos | Dendrite Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 79 · Good | 73 · Good |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | Artistic-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Perl | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,191 | ★ 969 |
| First released | 2012 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Slack, IRCCloud | Slack, Discord |
What are Convos and Dendrite Lite?
Convos
Convos is a self-hosted, always-online IRC client with a web interface that keeps you connected and logs conversations while you are away. It supports multiple networks and notifications.
- Always-online IRC
- Web interface
- Multi-network support
- Conversation logging
Dendrite Lite
A Matrix homeserver implementation in Go designed to be efficient and easy to run for small to medium communities. It speaks the Matrix federation protocol so users can chat across the wider network.
- Matrix federation
- End-to-end encryption
- Lower resource use
- Single binary deployment
Convos vs Dendrite Lite: key differences
Convos is written in Perl, while Dendrite Lite is built with Go. Licensing differs — Artistic-2.0 for Convos versus Apache-2.0 for Dendrite Lite. Convos is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Dendrite Lite. Convos is the more established project (first released 2012), while Dendrite Lite arrived in 2017.
Why pick each one
Choose Convos if…
- Stays connected for you
- Simple to deploy
Watch out for
- IRC only
- No voice or video
Choose Dendrite Lite if…
- Lighter than Synapse
- Open standard protocol
Watch out for
- Some features still maturing
- Smaller deployment base
Frequently asked questions
Is Convos or Dendrite Lite better?
Convos is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Dendrite Lite if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Convos and Dendrite Lite free and open-source?
Yes. Convos is licensed under Artistic-2.0 and Dendrite Lite under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Convos and Dendrite Lite with Docker?
Convos: yes. Dendrite Lite: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Convos or Dendrite Lite?
Convos has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Dendrite Lite. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.