gomuks vs Nheko
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | gomuks | Nheko |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 85 · Excellent | 77 · Good |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,727 | ★ 2,496 |
| First released | 2018 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Slack, Discord |
What are gomuks and Nheko?
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
Nheko
Nheko is a free desktop client for the Matrix protocol built with Qt and C++. It supports end-to-end encryption, voice and video calls, and a clean native interface across Linux, Windows, and macOS.
- Native Qt interface
- End-to-end encryption
- Voice and video calls
- Low resource usage
gomuks vs Nheko: key differences
Gomuks is written in Go, while Nheko is built with C++. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for gomuks versus GPL-3.0 for Nheko. Gomuks is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Nheko.
Why pick each one
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
Choose Nheko if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (2.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
Frequently asked questions
Is gomuks or Nheko better?
Neither is universally better. Nheko has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are gomuks and Nheko free and open-source?
Yes. gomuks is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Nheko under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run gomuks and Nheko with Docker?
gomuks: check the project docs for container support. Nheko: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, gomuks or Nheko?
gomuks has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Nheko. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.