Construct vs Prose
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Construct | Prose |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 11 · At risk | 64 · Good |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 394 | ★ 59 |
| First released | 2018 | 2025 |
| Replaces | Slack, Discord | Discord, Facebook Messenger, Signal |
What are Construct and Prose?
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
Prose
Prose Web application. XMPP client for team messaging.
Construct vs Prose: key differences
Construct is written in C++, while Prose is built with Vue. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for Construct versus MPL-2.0 for Prose. Prose is the lighter option, starting around 50 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Construct. Construct is the more established project (first released 2018), while Prose arrived in 2025. Construct has the considerably larger community, at 394 GitHub stars versus 59.
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
Choose Prose if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Vue
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Construct or Prose better?
Neither is universally better. Construct has the larger community, while Prose is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Construct and Prose free and open-source?
Yes. Construct is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Prose under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Construct and Prose with Docker?
Construct: check the project docs for container support. Prose: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Construct or Prose?
Prose has the smaller minimum footprint at 50 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Construct. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.