17 open-source apps
Best self-hosted IRC & XMPP apps
IRC and XMPP servers, bouncers and web clients. Open, federated chat protocols you can host for a community or company.
The most popular self-hosted apps for IRC & XMPP on GitHub are ejabberd, The Lounge and Weechat, ranked by stars below.
Ranked by GitHub stars
All 17 IRC & XMPP apps
ejabberd
processone/ejabberd
XMPP instant messaging server.
Active · last commit Oct 23, 2026
IRC & XMPPErlangDockerThe Lounge
thelounge/thelounge
Self-hosted web IRC client.
Active · last commit Oct 22, 2026
IRC & XMPPTypeScriptDockerWeechat
weechat/weechat
Fast, light and extensible chat client.
Active · last commit Oct 21, 2026
IRC & XMPPCDockerErgo
ergochat/ergo
Modern IRCv3 server written in Go, combining the features of an ircd, a services framework, and a bouncer.
Active · last commit Oct 22, 2026
IRC & XMPPGoDockerConverse.js
conversejs/converse.js
XMPP chat client in your browser.
Active · last commit Oct 26, 2026
IRC & XMPPJavaScriptOpenfire
igniterealtime/Openfire
Real time collaboration (RTC) server.
Active · last commit Oct 22, 2026
IRC & XMPPJavaZNC
znc/znc
Advanced IRC bouncer.
Active · last commit Oct 24, 2026
IRC & XMPPC++MongooseIM
esl/MongooseIM
Mobile messaging platform with a focus on performance and scalability.
Active · last commit Oct 15, 2026
IRC & XMPPErlangDockerInspIRCd
inspircd/inspircd
Modular IRC server written in C++ for Linux, BSD, Windows, and macOS.
Active · last commit Oct 24, 2026
IRC & XMPPC++DockerKiwi IRC
kiwiirc/kiwiirc
Responsive web IRC client with theming support.
Maintained · last commit Jun 19, 2026
IRC & XMPPVueGlowing Bear
glowing-bear/glowing-bear
A web frontend for WeeChat.
Maintained · last commit Aug 6, 2026
IRC & XMPPJavaScriptQuassel IRC
quassel/quassel
Distributed IRC client, meaning that one (or multiple) client(s) can attach to and detach from a central core.
Maintained · last commit Jun 27, 2026
IRC & XMPPC++ngircd
ngircd/ngircd
Portable and lightweight Internet Relay Chat server for small or private networks.
Active · last commit Oct 24, 2026
IRC & XMPPCUnrealIRCd
unrealircd/unrealircd
Modular, advanced and highly configurable IRC server written in C for Linux, BSD, Windows, and macOS.
Active · last commit Oct 23, 2026
IRC & XMPPCSnikket
snikket-im/snikket-server
All-in-one Dockerized easy XMPP solution, including web admin and clients.
Active · last commit Oct 23, 2026
IRC & XMPPLuaDockerTigase
tigase/tigase-server
XMPP server implementation in Java.
Active · last commit Oct 4, 2026
IRC & XMPPJavaRobust IRC
robustirc/robustirc
IRC without netsplits. Distributed IRC server, based on RobustSession protocol.
Maintained · last commit May 24, 2026
IRC & XMPPGo
What is the best self-hosted app for IRC & XMPP?
By GitHub stars, ejabberd is the most popular self-hosted app for IRC & XMPP with 6,749 stars, followed by The Lounge and Weechat. The best fit depends on your needs, so compare Docker support, license and recent activity on each app page.
Are these IRC & XMPP apps free?
Yes. All 17 apps in this category are open source and free to run on your own server. A few also offer a paid hosted plan or enterprise add-ons, but self-hosting the open-source edition costs nothing beyond your hardware.
How do I install a self-hosted IRC & XMPP app?
7 of the 17 apps here ship a Docker image, which is the easiest route: rent a small VPS or use a home server, install Docker, and start the app with its Docker Compose file. Apps without an image list their native install steps in the README.
Which IRC & XMPP apps are most actively developed?
Measured by commits in the last twelve months, the most active projects are Openfire (1,041 commits), MongooseIM (997 commits) and Weechat (901 commits). Active development usually means faster bug fixes and security patches.