What it is

Galene is a videoconference server. It lives in the Go, WebRTC, SFU, video-conferencing, file-sharing, and webapp ecosystem. It is listed as Business Software / Collaboration & Communication. It is described as a fully-featured, easy-to-deploy videoconferencing system requiring very moderate server resources. It gives browser users named groups, operator permissions, and file sharing. It solves the problem of running video meetings without a heavy hosted stack. It also supports extension, because the README points to client, protocol, and administrative API documents.

The concrete problem is self-hosted collaboration. A team needs a meeting server, a group config, an operator user, and a browser client. Galene gives that path. The quick start creates a groups directory, writes a JSON user file, builds and runs the Go binary, and tells the user to point a browser at the server. The user then logs in with a username and password. The docs cover installation, usage, administration, client writing, client protocol, and admin API. General discussion uses the mailing list. Code changes can go through GitHub pull requests.

Key capabilities

• WebRTC videoconferencing server for browser-based meetings.
• SFU server role for video-conferencing, as listed in topics.
• File-sharing support for groups, matching project topics.
• Group and user configuration through JSON files, including username, password, and permissions.
• Operator permission model, shown by quick-start user with permissions: op.
• Administrative API for managing Galene beyond browser workflow.
• Client protocol and client-writing documentation, enabling custom clients.

Who uses it and how

• Self-hosters use Galene as a videoconference server for named groups, with users logging in from a browser.
• Group operators use the quick-start pattern to create an op user and manage meeting access through JSON config.
• Developers use the client protocol and client-writing docs to build or adapt WebRTC clients.
• Administrators use administrative API and administration docs to run Galene outside simple browser use.
• Contributors use the mailing list for general discussion and GitHub pull requests for patches.

Getting started

The README shows a Git clone, a Go build with CGO_ENABLED=0, a groups directory, a JSON user file, and running ./galene &. The user then opens the server in a browser and logs in with configured username and password.

When to use it — and when not to

Use Galene when a self-hosted, MIT-licensed, Go-based WebRTC SFU for videoconferencing and file-sharing is wanted, especially when resources are limited. A self-hoster must operate the built binary, groups JSON files, and browser access; the excerpt does not list database, storage, or SMTP requirements. Do not use it when a managed hosted service, package-manager or Docker path, or GitHub-only community support is needed; the quick start shows a browser certificate warning, so TLS setup is not covered in the excerpt.

git clone https://github.com/jech/galene
cd galene
CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -ldflags='-s -w'
mkdir groups
echo '{"users": {"vimes": {"password":"sybil", "permissions":"op"}}}' > groups/night-watch.json
./galene &