Who Converse.js is for#
Communities running XMPP
Use Converse.js when a community wants a modern web chat experience on top of an existing XMPP server.
Skip if:
Your community wants Discord-style voice rooms, discovery, and moderation tools out of the box.
Teams embedding private chat
Use Converse.js to add standards-based chat to an internal portal or product without maintaining a custom messaging UI.
Skip if:
You do not want to operate or integrate with XMPP infrastructure.
The problem it solves#
Chat systems can lock teams into a vendor's client, account model, and hosting path even when the underlying need is simple: private messaging that works with existing identity and communication infrastructure.
Organizations using XMPP need a modern web client that does not force users into a desktop app. Without that, teams either accept dated clients or rebuild chat UI from scratch.
How it solves it#
Web-based XMPP client
Runs in the browser and connects to XMPP servers, so teams can offer messaging through a web app without requiring every user to install a separate desktop client.
Embeddable chat interface
Converse.js can be used as a standalone app or embedded into another website, which helps communities and internal tools add chat without building a client from zero.
Privacy-focused messaging support
The project lists OMEMO among its topics, giving XMPP deployments a path toward end-to-end encrypted conversations when server and client configuration support it.
Strengths and trade-offs#
Strengths
- Standards-based messagingXMPP support keeps the client aligned with an open messaging protocol instead of a single proprietary chat network. That matters for organizations that already run XMPP or need federation.
- Flexible deployment shapeA browser client can serve public communities, private teams, or embedded product chat without asking users to adopt a new native app.
Trade-offs
- -Requires XMPP infrastructureConverse.js is a client, not a complete hosted chat service. Teams need an XMPP server, identity decisions, and operational ownership before users can rely on it.
What it's built on#
- Languages
- JavaScriptTypeScript
FAQ#
Does Converse.js include a chat server?
No. Converse.js is a web-based XMPP client, so it connects to an XMPP server that you run or choose separately.
Can Converse.js be embedded in another site?
Yes. Converse.js can run as a standalone web client or be embedded into another website or application.
Is Converse.js a Slack alternative?
Converse.js can replace some team chat needs when an organization wants XMPP-based messaging. Slack remains a broader hosted workspace with integrations, administration, and discovery features.
Similar open-source tools#
Rocket.Chat
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Prose
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Adapt
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SpacebarChat
Free open source Discord reimplementation with full API parity
Revolt
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Matrix
Open protocol for secure, decentralized messaging and VoIP