ejabberd vs Gajim
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | ejabberd | Gajim |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Erlang | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,732 | ★ 600 |
| First released | 2002 | 2005 |
| Replaces | Slack, WhatsApp | Skype, Slack |
What are ejabberd and Gajim?
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
Gajim
Gajim is a cross-platform XMPP instant messaging client written in Python with a GTK interface. It supports OMEMO encryption, group chats, file transfer, and an extensive plugin system.
- OMEMO encryption
- Plugin system
- Group chat support
- Cross-platform
ejabberd vs Gajim: key differences
Ejabberd is written in Erlang, while Gajim is built with Python. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for ejabberd versus GPL-3.0 for Gajim. Gajim 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 Gajim arrived in 2005. Ejabberd has the considerably larger community, at 6,732 GitHub stars versus 600. Ejabberd lists first-class Docker deployment; Gajim does not.
Why pick each one
Choose ejabberd if…
- Extremely scalable
- Battle-tested
- Standards-based
Watch out for
- XMPP UX depends on clients
- Advanced config is complex
Choose Gajim if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is ejabberd or Gajim better?
Neither is universally better. ejabberd has the larger community, while Gajim is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are ejabberd and Gajim free and open-source?
Yes. ejabberd is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Gajim under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ejabberd and Gajim with Docker?
ejabberd: yes. Gajim: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, ejabberd or Gajim?
Gajim 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.