Gamja vs The Lounge
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Gamja | The Lounge |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 400 | ★ 6,336 |
| First released | 2020 | 2014 |
| Replaces | IRCCloud | IRCCloud, Slack |
What are Gamja and The Lounge?
Gamja
Gamja is a minimal IRC client for the web designed to pair with the soju bouncer. It is small, fast, and supports IRCv3 features for a modern chat experience.
- Very lightweight static web app
- IRCv3 support
- Pairs with soju bouncer
- No build step required
The Lounge
The Lounge is a modern web-based IRC client that you host yourself, staying always connected and synchronizing across devices. It offers a responsive interface accessible from any browser.
- Always-on IRC connection
- Synchronized multi-device experience
- Responsive web and mobile UI
- Push notifications
Gamja vs The Lounge: key differences
Gamja is written in JavaScript, while The Lounge is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Gamja versus MIT for The Lounge. Gamja is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 256 MB for The Lounge. The Lounge is the more established project (first released 2014), while Gamja arrived in 2020. The Lounge has the considerably larger community, at 6,336 GitHub stars versus 400. The Lounge lists first-class Docker deployment; Gamja does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Gamja if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 32 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Minimal feature set
- Best used with a bouncer
Choose The Lounge if…
- Great IRC experience in the browser
- Multi-user support
Watch out for
- IRC-only
- No built-in voice or video
Frequently asked questions
Is Gamja or The Lounge better?
Neither is universally better. The Lounge has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Gamja and The Lounge free and open-source?
Yes. Gamja is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and The Lounge under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gamja and The Lounge with Docker?
Gamja: check the project docs for container support. The Lounge: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Gamja or The Lounge?
Gamja has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for The Lounge. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.