Dendrite Lite vs JSXC
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 | JSXC |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 73 · Good | 12 · At risk |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Go | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, binary | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 969 | ★ 731 |
| First released | 2017 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Slack |
What are Dendrite Lite and JSXC?
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
JSXC
JSXC is a real-time XMPP chat application that runs in the browser and can be integrated into web platforms like Nextcloud and SOGo. It supports OTR and OMEMO encryption.
- Browser-based XMPP client
- OTR and OMEMO encryption
- Integrates with Nextcloud
- Audio and video via WebRTC
Dendrite Lite vs JSXC: key differences
Dendrite Lite is written in Go, while JSXC is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Dendrite Lite versus MIT for JSXC. JSXC is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Dendrite Lite. JSXC is the more established project (first released 2013), while Dendrite Lite arrived in 2017. Dendrite Lite lists first-class Docker deployment; JSXC 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 JSXC if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Needs an XMPP backend
- Integration-focused
Frequently asked questions
Is Dendrite Lite or JSXC better?
Neither is universally better. Dendrite Lite has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Dendrite Lite and JSXC free and open-source?
Yes. Dendrite Lite is licensed under Apache-2.0 and JSXC under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dendrite Lite and JSXC with Docker?
Dendrite Lite: yes. JSXC: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Dendrite Lite or JSXC?
JSXC has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Dendrite Lite. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.