What is mesh-api?

MESH-API is a self-hosted Python application that connects LoRa mesh radios to AI services and external APIs. It works with Meshtastic and MeshCore hardware, letting users run either radio type or both simultaneously while routing messages between them. The software provides a built-in MCP server so external AI agents can control the mesh, a plugin architecture with over 30 extensions covering communication, notifications, emergency alerts, ham radio, smart home, and AI agents, support for twelve AI providers including local models, emergency alerting via SMS, email, and Discord, an interactive map with offline capability, and a responsive web dashboard. It runs on Python 3.11+ and offers Docker images for standard and ARM architectures, making it practical for Raspberry Pi and similar hardware. The current release is beta with MeshCore support noted as largely untested.

Should you self-host mesh-api?

mesh-api scores 43/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #32 of 33 in Communication. It has 183 GitHub stars.

There was no stable release in the past 12 months, so check the repository's recent activity before you rely on it.

Setup is advanced: plan for several services and some ongoing maintenance. An official Docker image is available. It is GPL-3.0-licensed and written mostly in Python.

Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is Jitsi Meet (79/100, 30 159 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See mesh-api vs Jitsi Meet side by side.