head to head · open source
chat vs octo-server
chat has 13,512 GitHub stars, 2,079 forks, 41 open issues and last shipped 7 days ago. octo-server has 1,059 stars, 165 forks, 29 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. chat leads on adoption by 1,176% (13,512 vs 1,059 stars). chat is written in Go under GPL-3.0; octo-server is written in Go under Apache-2.0. chat has attracted 15% as many forks as stars, octo-server 16%. octo-server was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 5 topic tags (chat, collaboration, go, golang), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| chat | octo-server | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 14K | ★ 1.1K |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Go | Go |
| Last push | 2026-09-13 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.1K | ⑂ 165 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick chat if
- You weight community size — 14K stars and counting
- You want the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick octo-server if
- You want the octo-server feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You evaluated both and octo-server fits your workflow better
About chat
Tinode is an open source, full stack instant messaging server that pairs a Go backend with native iOS, Android, web, and command line clients, built for developers and operators who want to run or federate their own messaging platform rather than rent one.
About octo-server
octo server is the Go backend at the centre of OCTO, an open workplace built for humans and AI agents, and it is aimed at teams that want to self host a collaboration platform where Lobster agents participate in conversations as first class members.
read the full octo-server overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is chat or octo-server more popular?
chat has 13,512 GitHub stars and octo-server has 1,059. chat has the larger community by that measure.
Are chat and octo-server free?
Both are open source. chat is licensed under GPL-3.0 and octo-server under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between chat and octo-server?
chat is written in Go and octo-server in Go. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, chat or octo-server?
Choose chat if you want the larger community (13,512 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose octo-server if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.