Dino vs ejabberd
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Dino | ejabberd |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 80 · Excellent | 91 · Excellent |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Vala | Erlang |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,492 | ★ 6,732 |
| First released | 2017 | 2002 |
| Replaces | Skype, Slack | Slack, WhatsApp |
What are Dino and ejabberd?
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
ejabberd
ejabberd is a robust and scalable XMPP server powering instant messaging, presence, and real-time communication. It targets operators running large messaging deployments. It is deployed via Docker or native packages.
- Highly scalable XMPP server
- Clustering support
- Many extension modules
- MQTT and SIP support
Dino vs ejabberd: key differences
Dino is written in Vala, while ejabberd is built with Erlang. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Dino versus GPL-2.0 for ejabberd. Dino is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for ejabberd. Ejabberd is the more established project (first released 2002), while Dino arrived in 2017. Ejabberd has the considerably larger community, at 6,732 GitHub stars versus 2,492. Ejabberd lists first-class Docker deployment; Dino does not.
Why pick each one
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
Choose ejabberd if…
- Extremely scalable
- Battle-tested
- Standards-based
Watch out for
- XMPP UX depends on clients
- Advanced config is complex
Frequently asked questions
Is Dino or ejabberd better?
Neither is universally better. ejabberd has the larger community, while Dino is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Dino and ejabberd free and open-source?
Yes. Dino is licensed under GPL-3.0 and ejabberd under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dino and ejabberd with Docker?
Dino: check the project docs for container support. ejabberd: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Dino or ejabberd?
Dino has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for ejabberd. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.