What is Dino used for?

Dino is a modern XMPP (Jabber) chat client for Linux built with GTK and Vala, supporting calls, OMEMO encryption, file transfers and group chats. It is a good fit for chatting on an XMPP server from the Linux desktop, using encrypted messaging on a self-hosted server and making calls over XMPP.

Yes. Dino is open source under the GPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at dino/dino and is written mainly in Vala.

Yes. Dino is open source, so the software itself is free to use.

Can I self-host Dino?

Yes. Dino can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.

What are some alternatives to Dino?

Similar open-source tools in the Team Chat category include Converse.js, ZapFast and Profanity. SaaS products in the same category include AWS Wickr, 8x8 and Anonymous Bot for Slack.

Is Dino actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to Dino was on 21 August 2026, and the latest release is v0.5.1, published on 15 November 2025. The project has 2.5k stars on GitHub.

Dino: open-source team chat

About Dino

Dino is an XMPP messaging app for Linux that uses GTK and Vala. XMPP, also known as Jabber, is an open federated messaging protocol, and Dino provides a modern desktop interface for it, supporting calls, encryption, file transfers, group chats and more.

Topics on the repository highlight OMEMO encryption, Jingle for calls and peer-to-peer transfers, and GTK4 for the interface. Prebuilt packages exist for many distributions, or it can be built with Meson after installing dependencies. The project runs a public XMPP channel for help, has a wiki with debugging tips, welcomes pull requests and translations, and accepts donations.

Dino is licensed under GPL-3.0 and installed on your own computer, connecting to any XMPP server you have an account on, including one you host yourself. It suits Linux users who want a clean, open, privacy-respecting chat client for XMPP.

Key features

XMPP chat client for Linux
OMEMO end-to-end encryption
Audio and video calls
File transfers
Group chats
GTK4 interface

Good fit for

→Chatting on an XMPP server from the Linux desktop
→Using encrypted messaging on a self-hosted server
→Making calls over XMPP

Built with: Vala
Tags: xmpp; jabber; chat-client; linux; gtk; omemo; vala; encrypted-messaging; desktop-app

Dino: questions and answers

What is Dino used for?: Dino is a modern XMPP (Jabber) chat client for Linux built with GTK and Vala, supporting calls, OMEMO encryption, file transfers and group chats. It is a good fit for chatting on an XMPP server from the Linux desktop, using encrypted messaging on a self-hosted server and making calls over XMPP.
Is Dino open source?: Yes. Dino is open source under the GPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at dino/dino and is written mainly in Vala.
Is Dino free?: Yes. Dino is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
Can I self-host Dino?: Yes. Dino can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
What are some alternatives to Dino?: Similar open-source tools in the Team Chat category include Converse.js, ZapFast and Profanity. SaaS products in the same category include AWS Wickr, 8x8 and Anonymous Bot for Slack.
Is Dino actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to Dino was on 21 August 2026, and the latest release is v0.5.1, published on 15 November 2025. The project has 2.5k stars on GitHub.