What is Openfire used for?

Openfire is a Java real-time collaboration server that implements XMPP, the open instant messaging protocol, under the Apache license. It is a good fit for running a private instant messaging service and internal team chat built on open standards.

Is Openfire open source?

Yes. Openfire is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at igniterealtime/Openfire and is written mainly in Java.

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

Can I self-host Openfire?

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

What is Openfire an alternative to?

Openfire is an open-source alternative to Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat and Zoho Cliq. Other open-source alternatives to Slack include Rocket.Chat, Mattermost and Zulip.

Is Openfire actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to Openfire was on 1 October 2026, and the latest release is v5.1.2, published on 17 August 2026. The project has 3.1k stars on GitHub.

Openfire: open-source alternative to Slack, Microsoft Teams

About Openfire

Openfire is a real-time collaboration server that implements XMPP, also called Jabber, which the project describes as the only widely adopted open protocol for instant messaging. It is written in Java, released under the Apache-2.0 license and maintained as an Ignite Realtime community project.

The project says Openfire is easy to set up and administer while still offering strong security and performance. Organizations use it to run their own messaging infrastructure instead of relying on a proprietary chat vendor, and because XMPP is an open standard, any compatible client can connect to it.

Support is community-based. Documentation lives on the Ignite Realtime site, discussion happens on a Discourse forum, and bugs are tracked in an issue tracker where new users are asked to post through the forum first. Nightly builds are available, translations are managed through Transifex, and the latest release listed is v5.1.2.

Key features

XMPP real-time messaging server
Open-standard Jabber protocol support
Java-based and Apache licensed
Nightly builds and documentation
Community forum and issue tracker

Good fit for

→Running a private instant messaging service
→Internal team chat built on open standards

Built with: Java
Tags: xmpp; jabber; instant-messaging; chat-server; java; collaboration; self-hosted; apache

Openfire: questions and answers

What is Openfire used for?: Openfire is a Java real-time collaboration server that implements XMPP, the open instant messaging protocol, under the Apache license. It is a good fit for running a private instant messaging service and internal team chat built on open standards.
Is Openfire open source?: Yes. Openfire is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at igniterealtime/Openfire and is written mainly in Java.
Is Openfire free?: Yes. Openfire is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
Can I self-host Openfire?: Yes. Openfire can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
What is Openfire an alternative to?: Openfire is an open-source alternative to Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat and Zoho Cliq. Other open-source alternatives to Slack include Rocket.Chat, Mattermost and Zulip.
Is Openfire actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to Openfire was on 1 October 2026, and the latest release is v5.1.2, published on 17 August 2026. The project has 3.1k stars on GitHub.