SHSelfHostIndex

Construct vs Nheko

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
CO Construct High-performance Matrix homeserver written in C++ VS NH Nheko Desktop Matrix client with native Qt interface
FeatureConstructNheko
Deploy effortRead-the-docs projectRead-the-docs project
Health score11 · At risk77 · Good
CategoryMatrix & XMPPMatrix & XMPP
LicenseBSD-3-ClauseGPL-3.0
LanguageC++C++
Setup difficultyHardEasy
Min. RAM256 MB256 MB
Deploymentbinary, sourcebinary, source
GitHub stars★ 394★ 2,496
First released20182017
ReplacesSlack, DiscordSlack, Discord

What are Construct and Nheko?

Construct

Construct is a Matrix homeserver implementation written in C++ focused on raw performance and efficiency. It is one of the original alternative homeserver projects in the Matrix ecosystem.

  • Written in modern C++
  • Designed for low overhead
  • Matrix federation support
  • Embedded database

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

Construct vs Nheko: key differences

Both projects are written in C++. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for Construct versus GPL-3.0 for Nheko. Nheko has the considerably larger community, at 2,496 GitHub stars versus 394.

Why pick each one

Choose Construct if…

  • Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
  • Written in C++
  • Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM

Watch out for

  • Complex to build
  • Limited documentation
Construct details

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++
Nheko details

Frequently asked questions

Is Construct or Nheko better?

Nheko is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Construct if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Construct and Nheko free and open-source?

Yes. Construct is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Nheko under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Construct and Nheko with Docker?

Construct: check the project docs for container support. Nheko: check the project docs for container support.

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