InspIRCd vs ngIRCd
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
InspIRCd
Modular C++ Internet Relay Chat daemon
VS
ngIRCd
Lightweight Unix IRC server that is easy to configure
| Feature | InspIRCd | ngIRCd |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 76 · Good |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,347 | ★ 578 |
| First released | 2002 | 2001 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Slack |
What are InspIRCd and ngIRCd?
InspIRCd
InspIRCd is a modular, high-performance IRC server written in C++. Its plugin-based architecture lets administrators enable only the features they need for their network.
- Modular plugin architecture
- Lightweight and fast
- Supports large IRC networks
- Cross-platform
ngIRCd
ngIRCd is a free, portable, and lightweight IRC server for small to mid-sized networks. It focuses on simplicity, low resource use, and a straightforward configuration file.
- Very low resource use
- Simple configuration
- IPv6 and TLS support
- No external dependencies
InspIRCd vs ngIRCd: key differences
InspIRCd is written in C++, while ngIRCd is built with C. NgIRCd is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 64 MB for InspIRCd. InspIRCd has the considerably larger community, at 1,347 GitHub stars versus 578. InspIRCd lists first-class Docker deployment; ngIRCd does not.
Why pick each one
Choose InspIRCd if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
Watch out for
- Configuration is XML-based
- IRC-only
Choose ngIRCd if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 32 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is InspIRCd or ngIRCd better?
Neither is universally better. InspIRCd has the larger community, while ngIRCd is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are InspIRCd and ngIRCd free and open-source?
Yes. InspIRCd is licensed under GPL-2.0 and ngIRCd under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run InspIRCd and ngIRCd with Docker?
InspIRCd: yes. ngIRCd: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, InspIRCd or ngIRCd?
ngIRCd has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 64 MB for InspIRCd. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.