Converse.jsvsejabberd
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Converse.js | ejabberd | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 63/100 | 72/100 |
| Rank in category | #6 of 13 in Instant Messaging | #5 of 110 in Chat |
| GitHub stars | 3 308 | 6 751 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +9 | +10 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 4 | 6 |
| Latest release | v14.0.1 · 17 Oct 2026 | 26.09 · 29 Sept 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | No | Yes |
| License | MPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Main language | JavaScript | Erlang |
Which one should you pick?
ejabberd scores 72/100 against 63/100 for Converse.js, so it is the safer default.
ejabberd ships more often: 6 stable releases in the past year, against 4 for Converse.js.
If you want the quickest setup, Converse.js is easier to run; ejabberd needs more configuration.
Key differences
- License: Converse.js is MPL-2.0, ejabberd is GPL-2.0.
- Language: Converse.js is written mainly in JavaScript, ejabberd in Erlang.
- Only ejabberd ships an official Docker image.
- Platforms only Converse.js lists: Linux.
- Platforms only ejabberd lists: Docker, Homebrew, Kubernetes, Windows.
- Features only Converse.js lists: Anonymous Login, BOSH and WebSocket transports, Desktop notifications, Direct messaging and 11 more.
- Features only ejabberd lists: CLI Administration (ejabberdctl), Flexible Storage Backends, Horizontal Clustering, Live Code Upgrades and 11 more.
Converse.js details →ejabberd details →
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