Dino 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 | Dino | gomuks |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 80 · Excellent | 85 · Excellent |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Vala | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,492 | ★ 1,727 |
| First released | 2017 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Skype, Slack | Slack, Discord |
What are Dino and gomuks?
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
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
Dino vs gomuks: key differences
Dino is written in Vala, while gomuks is built with Go. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Dino versus AGPL-3.0 for gomuks.
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 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 Dino or gomuks better?
Neither is universally better. Dino has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Dino and gomuks free and open-source?
Yes. Dino is licensed under GPL-3.0 and gomuks under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dino and gomuks with Docker?
Dino: check the project docs for container support. gomuks: check the project docs for container support.