Dendrite Lite vs Dino
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Dendrite Lite | Dino |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 73 · Good | 80 · Excellent |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, binary | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 969 | ★ 2,492 |
| First released | 2017 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Skype, Slack |
What are Dendrite Lite and Dino?
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
Dino
Dino is a free desktop XMPP client built with GTK that focuses on a clean, modern interface. It supports end-to-end encryption with OMEMO, file transfer, and audio and video calls.
- Modern GTK interface
- OMEMO encryption
- Audio and video calls
- Multiple account support
Dendrite Lite vs Dino: key differences
Dendrite Lite is written in Go, while Dino is built with Vala. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Dendrite Lite versus GPL-3.0 for Dino. Dino is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Dendrite Lite. Dino has the considerably larger community, at 2,492 GitHub stars versus 969. Dendrite Lite lists first-class Docker deployment; Dino does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Dendrite Lite if…
- Lighter than Synapse
- Open standard protocol
Watch out for
- Some features still maturing
- Smaller deployment base
Choose Dino if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (2.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in Vala
Frequently asked questions
Is Dendrite Lite or Dino better?
Dino 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 Dendrite Lite and Dino free and open-source?
Yes. Dendrite Lite is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Dino under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dendrite Lite and Dino with Docker?
Dendrite Lite: yes. Dino: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Dendrite Lite or Dino?
Dino has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Dendrite Lite. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.