Dendrite Lite vs Construct
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 | Construct |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 73 · Good | 11 · At risk |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | Apache-2.0 | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | Go | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, binary | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 969 | ★ 394 |
| First released | 2017 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Slack, Discord |
What are Dendrite Lite and Construct?
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
Construct
Construct is a Matrix homeserver implementation written in C++ focused on raw performance and efficiency. It is one of the original alternative homeserver projects in the Matrix ecosystem.
- Written in modern C++
- Designed for low overhead
- Matrix federation support
- Embedded database
Dendrite Lite vs Construct: key differences
Dendrite Lite is written in Go, while Construct is built with C++. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Dendrite Lite versus BSD-3-Clause for Construct. Construct is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Dendrite Lite. Dendrite Lite has the considerably larger community, at 969 GitHub stars versus 394. Dendrite Lite lists first-class Docker deployment; Construct 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 Construct if…
- Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
- Written in C++
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Complex to build
- Limited documentation
Frequently asked questions
Is Dendrite Lite or Construct better?
Dendrite Lite is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Construct if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Dendrite Lite and Construct free and open-source?
Yes. Dendrite Lite is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Construct under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dendrite Lite and Construct with Docker?
Dendrite Lite: yes. Construct: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Dendrite Lite or Construct?
Construct 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.