Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Converse.JS VS Openfire

Compare Converse.JS VS Openfire and see what are their differences

Converse.JS logo Converse.JS

A free and open-source chat client for your website

Openfire logo Openfire

Openfire (formerly Wildfire) is a cross-platform instant messaging (IM) and groupchat server.
  • Converse.JS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-28
  • Openfire Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-27

Converse.JS features and specs

  • Open Source
    Converse.JS is open-source, which means that it is free to use and can be modified to fit specific needs. This allows for broad community support and contributions.
  • XMPP Protocol
    It operates on the XMPP protocol which is a mature and open standard for messaging, providing robust real-time messaging capabilities.
  • Easy Integration
    Converse.JS can be easily integrated into existing systems or web applications due to its flexibility and the fact that it is a JavaScript library.
  • Customizable
    The library offers a high level of customization, enabling developers to tailor the UI and features to closely match their application's needs.
  • Rich Features
    It supports features such as group chats, chat rooms, message archiving, and more, making it a comprehensive solution for chat functionalities.
  • Mobile Friendly
    Designed to be responsive, Converse.JS works well on mobile devices, providing a good user experience across different screen sizes.

Possible disadvantages of Converse.JS

  • Learning Curve
    While powerful, Converse.JS can have a steep learning curve for developers who are not familiar with XMPP or the intricacies of setting up chat services.
  • Requires Server Setup
    To function properly, Converse.JS requires a compatible XMPP server, which may add to the setup and maintenance overhead.
  • Browser Compatibility
    Some users might experience issues on older or less common browsers, as modern JavaScript libraries often rely on up-to-date browser capabilities.
  • Scalability Concerns
    For very large-scale applications, using XMPP and Converse.JS might require additional configuration and optimization efforts to ensure scalability.

Openfire features and specs

  • Easy to Install
    Openfire comes with an easy-to-use installation wizard which makes setting up the server relatively straightforward, even for those with limited technical expertise.
  • Real-time Collaboration Features
    Openfire supports various real-time collaboration tools such as messaging, file transfer, and group chat, which enhances team collaboration.
  • Extensible
    Openfire is built on the Smack library, which allows for easy extension through plugins. Users can add features like multi-user chat, gateways to other protocols, and more.
  • Active Community
    Being an open-source project, Openfire has an active community of developers and users who contribute to its development and provide support.
  • Administration Interface
    Openfire includes a powerful and user-friendly web-based admin console, which simplifies server management and monitoring.
  • Security
    Openfire offers various security features including SSL/TLS support for encrypted communication, making it reliable for enterprise use.

Possible disadvantages of Openfire

  • Scalability Issues
    Openfire can struggle with scalability and performance when handling very large numbers of concurrent users, which might not make it suitable for extremely large deployments.
  • Java Dependency
    The software is Java-based, which could be a limitation for environments where Java is not preferred or where there are specific performance constraints related to JVM.
  • Limited Mobile Support
    While there are some mobile clients available, the experience and features can be inconsistent compared to desktop versions.
  • Maintenance Overhead
    Running and maintaining an Openfire server requires regular updates and monitoring, which can introduce operational overhead.
  • Plugin Quality
    The quality and reliability of third-party plugins can vary, potentially leading to issues if they are not well-maintained.

Converse.JS videos

Real-Time Chat on the Web How to use XMPP and Converse.js to integrate webchat into any website

Openfire videos

The Kamoto OpenFire Pit by Primus [Review]

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Converse.JS and Openfire)
Communication
35 35%
65% 65
Group Chat & Notifications
Customer Support
100 100%
0% 0
Network & Admin
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Converse.JS and Openfire. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Converse.JS seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 10 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Converse.JS mentions (10)

  • Ask HN: What Are You Working On? (February 2025)
    Taking a sabbatical and spending more time on an open source XMPP web client that I started 10 years ago already. https://conversejs.org The website is a bit old, but lots of exciting changes are happening under the hood and I finally have the time to make big architectural and performance improvements. - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • An actually private messaging self hosted server
    I agree. IMHO the best variant is then to use something that is truely free. Like XMPP. There are a lot of servers and many clients to chose from and I can strongly recommend converse.js as a web client. It supports different ways of end to end encryption but I would recommend OMEMO which is basically the same encryption idea that you find in Signal. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Xmpp Bot with its own address.
    Hello, I recently started exploring xmpp, with snikket app and conversejs.org. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Matrix was worth the effort to self host.
    It is Converse.js (https://conversejs.org/) packaged into a one-click install for openfire (from the web admin). So, one-click install for an xmpp web client. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Ask HN: What is your recommended stack for real time chat?
    My choice, because it's the stack I know very well, would be Prosody ( https://prosody.im/ - I'm one of the devs) and a web client such as Converse.js ( https://conversejs.org/ ). XMPP is highly extensible, Prosody is highly modular, which make them a good foundation for building on top of. That said, the right stack is generally the one that matches your requirements, and (if this isn't primarily a learning... - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
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Openfire mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Openfire yet. Tracking of Openfire recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Converse.JS and Openfire, you can also consider the following products

tawk.to - tawk.to is a free live chat app that lets you monitor and chat with visitors on your website or from a free customizable page

Viber - Free and secure calls and messages to anyone, anywhere. Keep your conversations going no matter where you are.

Rocket.Chat - Rocket.Chat is a Web Chat Server, developed in JavaScript, using the Meteor fullstack framework.

MiVoice Business - MiVoice Business is a business communication platform that delivers voice, messaging, mobility, presence, conferencing, collaboration and applications.

Prosody - Prosody is a modern flexible communications server for Jabber/XMPP written in Lua.

MongooseIM platform - The massively-scalable XMPPJabber mobile messaging platform, for mobile and web, by Erlang Solutions