Dendrite Lite vs gomuks
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 | gomuks |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 73 · Good | 85 · Excellent |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, binary | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 969 | ★ 1,727 |
| First released | 2017 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Slack, Discord |
What are Dendrite Lite and gomuks?
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
gomuks
gomuks is a terminal user interface client for the Matrix protocol. It supports end-to-end encryption and provides a keyboard-driven chat experience for people who prefer the command line.
- Terminal UI
- End-to-end encryption
- Keyboard-driven
- Single Go binary
Dendrite Lite vs gomuks: key differences
Both projects are written in Go. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Dendrite Lite versus AGPL-3.0 for gomuks. Gomuks is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Dendrite Lite. Dendrite Lite lists first-class Docker deployment; gomuks 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 gomuks if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in Go
Frequently asked questions
Is Dendrite Lite or gomuks better?
gomuks 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 gomuks free and open-source?
Yes. Dendrite Lite is licensed under Apache-2.0 and gomuks under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dendrite Lite and gomuks with Docker?
Dendrite Lite: yes. gomuks: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Dendrite Lite or gomuks?
gomuks 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.