Hookshot vs ngIRCd
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Hookshot | ngIRCd |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 79 · Good | 76 · Good |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 453 | ★ 578 |
| First released | 2021 | 2001 |
| Replaces | Slack | Slack |
What are Hookshot and ngIRCd?
Hookshot
Hookshot is a Matrix integration bridge that connects rooms to GitHub, GitLab, Jira, RSS feeds, and generic webhooks. It lets teams receive and act on notifications inside Matrix.
- GitHub, GitLab and Jira integration
- Generic inbound and outbound webhooks
- RSS and Atom feed support
- Interactive notification actions
ngIRCd
ngIRCd is a free, portable, and lightweight IRC server for small to mid-sized networks. It focuses on simplicity, low resource use, and a straightforward configuration file.
- Very low resource use
- Simple configuration
- IPv6 and TLS support
- No external dependencies
Hookshot vs ngIRCd: key differences
Hookshot is written in TypeScript, while ngIRCd is built with C. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Hookshot versus GPL-2.0 for ngIRCd. NgIRCd is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Hookshot. NgIRCd is the more established project (first released 2001), while Hookshot arrived in 2021. Hookshot lists first-class Docker deployment; ngIRCd does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Hookshot if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Requires a Matrix homeserver
- Configuration is YAML-heavy
Choose ngIRCd if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 32 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Hookshot or ngIRCd better?
ngIRCd is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Hookshot if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Hookshot and ngIRCd free and open-source?
Yes. Hookshot is licensed under Apache-2.0 and ngIRCd under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Hookshot and ngIRCd with Docker?
Hookshot: yes. ngIRCd: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Hookshot or ngIRCd?
ngIRCd has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Hookshot. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.