Libervia vs UnrealIRCd
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Libervia | UnrealIRCd |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | C |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 50 | ★ 521 |
| First released | 2009 | 1999 |
| Replaces | Slack, Facebook | Slack, Discord |
What are Libervia and UnrealIRCd?
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
UnrealIRCd
UnrealIRCd is a long-established IRC server daemon known for its rich feature set, advanced security controls, and module system. It is one of the most widely deployed IRCd implementations.
- Extensive module system
- Advanced anti-abuse features
- TLS and IRCv3 support
- Highly configurable
Libervia vs UnrealIRCd: key differences
Libervia is written in Python, while UnrealIRCd is built with C. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Libervia versus GPL-2.0 for UnrealIRCd. UnrealIRCd is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Libervia. UnrealIRCd is the more established project (first released 1999), while Libervia arrived in 2009. UnrealIRCd has the considerably larger community, at 521 GitHub stars versus 50.
Why pick each one
Choose Libervia if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Choose UnrealIRCd if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Libervia or UnrealIRCd better?
UnrealIRCd 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 Libervia and UnrealIRCd free and open-source?
Yes. Libervia is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and UnrealIRCd under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Libervia and UnrealIRCd with Docker?
Libervia: check the project docs for container support. UnrealIRCd: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Libervia or UnrealIRCd?
UnrealIRCd 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.