Gajim 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 | Gajim | gomuks |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 600 | ★ 1,727 |
| First released | 2005 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Skype, Slack | Slack, Discord |
What are Gajim and gomuks?
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
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
Gajim vs gomuks: key differences
Gajim is written in Python, while gomuks is built with Go. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Gajim versus AGPL-3.0 for gomuks. Gajim is the more established project (first released 2005), while gomuks arrived in 2018. Gomuks has the considerably larger community, at 1,727 GitHub stars versus 600.
Why pick each one
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
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 Gajim or gomuks better?
Neither is universally better. gomuks has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Gajim and gomuks free and open-source?
Yes. Gajim is licensed under GPL-3.0 and gomuks under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gajim and gomuks with Docker?
Gajim: check the project docs for container support. gomuks: check the project docs for container support.