InspIRCd vs Quassel IRC
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
Quassel IRC
Distributed IRC client with an always-on core
| Feature | InspIRCd | Quassel IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 57 · Fair |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,347 | ★ 794 |
| First released | 2002 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Slack |
What are InspIRCd and Quassel IRC?
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
Quassel IRC
Quassel is a distributed IRC client built around a central core that stays connected and one or more clients that attach to it. The core acts as a permanent bouncer storing backlog for all devices.
- Always-on core bouncer
- Synced backlog across devices
- Qt desktop clients
- PostgreSQL or SQLite storage
InspIRCd vs Quassel IRC: key differences
Both projects are written in C++. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for InspIRCd versus GPL-3.0 for Quassel IRC. InspIRCd is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Quassel IRC. InspIRCd is the more established project (first released 2002), while Quassel IRC arrived in 2008.
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 Quassel IRC if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in C++
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is InspIRCd or Quassel IRC better?
Neither is universally better. InspIRCd has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are InspIRCd and Quassel IRC free and open-source?
Yes. InspIRCd is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Quassel IRC under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run InspIRCd and Quassel IRC with Docker?
InspIRCd: yes. Quassel IRC: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, InspIRCd or Quassel IRC?
InspIRCd has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Quassel IRC. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.