Profanity vs Openfire
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted matrix & xmpp options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Profanity | Openfire |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | Matrix & XMPP | Matrix & XMPP |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | C | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,542 | ★ 3,064 |
| First released | 2012 | 2004 |
| Replaces | Slack | Slack, Microsoft Teams |
What are Profanity and Openfire?
Profanity
Profanity is a console XMPP client whose interface is inspired by irssi. It supports OMEMO and OTR encryption, group chats, and a fully keyboard-driven workflow for the terminal.
- Terminal interface
- OMEMO and OTR encryption
- Keyboard-driven workflow
- Plugin support
Openfire
Openfire is a mature, cross-platform real-time collaboration server that uses the XMPP protocol. It offers a clean web administration console and an extensive plugin ecosystem for chat, presence, and group communication.
- Web-based admin console
- Rich plugin ecosystem
- LDAP and Active Directory integration
- Group chat and presence
Profanity vs Openfire: key differences
Profanity is written in C, while Openfire is built with Java. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Profanity versus Apache-2.0 for Openfire. Profanity is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Openfire. Openfire is the more established project (first released 2004), while Profanity arrived in 2012. Openfire lists first-class Docker deployment; Profanity does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Profanity if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in C
- Tiny footprint — runs in 32 MB RAM
Choose Openfire if…
- Easy to administer
- Long track record
Watch out for
- Java memory footprint
- Dated user interface
Frequently asked questions
Is Profanity or Openfire better?
Neither is universally better. Openfire has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Profanity and Openfire free and open-source?
Yes. Profanity is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Openfire under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Profanity and Openfire with Docker?
Profanity: check the project docs for container support. Openfire: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Profanity or Openfire?
Profanity has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Openfire. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.