Red Eclipse vs Xonotic
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Red Eclipse | Xonotic |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Game Servers | Game Servers |
| License | Zlib | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 534 | ★ 700 |
| First released | 2011 | 2011 |
| Replaces | Quake, Unreal Tournament | Quake, Unreal Tournament |
What are Red Eclipse and Xonotic?
Red Eclipse
Red Eclipse is a free, open-source arena first-person shooter with parkour-style movement and built-in map editing. Players can run dedicated servers to host deathmatch and capture modes.
- Parkour movement
- In-game map editor
- Dedicated server support
- Multiple game modes
Xonotic
Xonotic is a free, open-source, fast-paced arena first-person shooter. It includes dedicated server software for hosting deathmatch, capture-the-flag, and other multiplayer game modes.
- Arena FPS gameplay
- Dedicated server included
- Many game modes
- Highly configurable
Red Eclipse vs Xonotic: key differences
Red Eclipse is written in C++, while Xonotic is built with C. Licensing differs — Zlib for Red Eclipse versus GPL-3.0 for Xonotic. Xonotic is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Red Eclipse.
Why pick each one
Choose Red Eclipse if…
- Released under the Zlib license
- Written in C++
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Xonotic if…
- Lightweight dedicated server
- Completely free assets
Watch out for
- Niche player base
- Server config is text-based
Frequently asked questions
Is Red Eclipse or Xonotic better?
Xonotic is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Red Eclipse if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Red Eclipse and Xonotic free and open-source?
Yes. Red Eclipse is licensed under Zlib and Xonotic under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Red Eclipse and Xonotic with Docker?
Red Eclipse: check the project docs for container support. Xonotic: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Red Eclipse or Xonotic?
Xonotic has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Red Eclipse. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.