JSXC 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 | JSXC | Nheko |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 12 · At risk | 77 · Good |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 731 | ★ 2,496 |
| First released | 2013 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Slack | Slack, Discord |
What are JSXC and Nheko?
JSXC
JSXC is a real-time XMPP chat application that runs in the browser and can be integrated into web platforms like Nextcloud and SOGo. It supports OTR and OMEMO encryption.
- Browser-based XMPP client
- OTR and OMEMO encryption
- Integrates with Nextcloud
- Audio and video via WebRTC
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
JSXC vs Nheko: key differences
JSXC is written in TypeScript, while Nheko is built with C++. Licensing differs — MIT for JSXC versus GPL-3.0 for Nheko. JSXC is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Nheko. JSXC is the more established project (first released 2013), while Nheko arrived in 2017. Nheko has the considerably larger community, at 2,496 GitHub stars versus 731.
Why pick each one
Choose JSXC if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Needs an XMPP backend
- Integration-focused
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 JSXC or Nheko better?
Nheko is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider JSXC if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are JSXC and Nheko free and open-source?
Yes. JSXC is licensed under MIT and Nheko under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run JSXC and Nheko with Docker?
JSXC: check the project docs for container support. Nheko: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, JSXC or Nheko?
JSXC has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Nheko. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.