KiwiIRC vs Libervia
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | KiwiIRC | Libervia |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Vue | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 989 | ★ 50 |
| First released | 2011 | 2009 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Slack, Facebook |
What are KiwiIRC and Libervia?
KiwiIRC
KiwiIRC is a fully featured IRC client that runs in the browser and can be embedded into any website. It includes a webircgateway component for self-hosting your own embeddable IRC chat.
- Embeddable web IRC widget
- Themeable interface
- Plugin system
- Works without browser plugins
Libervia
Libervia, formerly Salut a Toi, is a communication ecosystem built on XMPP that offers desktop, web, and command-line frontends. It supports chat, blogging, file sharing, and more over a single decentralized network.
- Multiple frontends on XMPP
- Blogging and file sharing
- End-to-end encryption
- Command-line interface
KiwiIRC vs Libervia: key differences
KiwiIRC is written in Vue, while Libervia is built with Python. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for KiwiIRC versus AGPL-3.0 for Libervia. KiwiIRC is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Libervia. Libervia is the more established project (first released 2009), while KiwiIRC arrived in 2011. KiwiIRC has the considerably larger community, at 989 GitHub stars versus 50. KiwiIRC lists first-class Docker deployment; Libervia does not.
Why pick each one
Choose KiwiIRC if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Vue
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Watch out for
- IRC-only
- Needs gateway for direct connections
Choose Libervia if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is KiwiIRC or Libervia better?
KiwiIRC is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Libervia if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are KiwiIRC and Libervia free and open-source?
Yes. KiwiIRC is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Libervia under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run KiwiIRC and Libervia with Docker?
KiwiIRC: yes. Libervia: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, KiwiIRC or Libervia?
KiwiIRC has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Libervia. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.