Spectrum 2
Spectrum 2 is an open source instant messaging transport. It allows users to chat together even when they are using different IM networks.
Description from awesome-selfhosted (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Still maintained? Yes: 45 commits in the last 90 days, latest release 2.2.1 (Jun 2023).
Comparisons in Communication - Custom Communication Systems: Slack alternatives, WhatsApp alternatives, Microsoft Teams alternatives, Discord alternatives.
At a glance
Spectrum 2 quick facts
- Health score
- 56/100 SLOWING
- Stars
- 421
- Last commit
- 6 days ago (Oct 2026)
- Latest release
- 2.2.1, Jun 2023
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
Top alternatives to Spectrum 2
In its own words
The project's README opens: "Spectrum 2 is an open source instant messaging transport."
Why it ranks here
Health score explained
Spectrum 2 scores 56/100, #32 of 44 in Communication - Custom Communication Systems: 45 commits in the last 90 days earn 35.0 of 35 points, the latest release (2.2.1, 3.4 years ago) earns 0.0 of 25, 421 stars add 10.5 of 20, an active, unarchived repository keeps 10 and no advertised Docker image leaves the final 10 unclaimed. That places it in the slowing band (40 to 69). The biggest shortfall is release recency, worth 25.0 more points.
Recomputed nightly from the GitHub API. How the score is calculated.
- Commit activity 35.0 / 35
45 commits in 90 days (30+ scores full marks)
- Release recency biggest shortfall 0.0 / 25
2.2.1 released 3.4 years ago
- Stars 10.5 / 20
421 stars on GitHub (logarithmic)
- Not archived 10.0 / 10
Repository is active
- Docker support 0.0 / 10
No Docker support advertised
Commit activity
- 45
- Last 90 days
- 90
- Last 12 months
- 6 days ago
- Last push
Ranked #32 of 44 tools in Communication - Custom Communication Systems by health , between Conduit (#31) and Chitchatter (#33) .
Details
| Licence | GPL-3.0 |
| Platforms | C++ |
| Latest release | 2.2.1 · 3.4 years ago |
| Stars | 421 |
| Open issues | 19 |
| Docker | Not advertised |
| Repository | SpectrumIM/spectrum2 ↗ |
Spectrum 2 vs its top 5 alternatives
Active tools that share a category with Spectrum 2 (Communication - Custom Communication Systems), scored on the same five terms.
| Tool | Health | Stars | Licence | Last commit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centrifugo | 96 | 11k | MIT | yesterday |
| Tinode | 87 | 14k | GPL-3.0 | 5 days ago |
| RetroShare | 58 | 2k | GPL-2.0 | 22 days ago |
| Spectrum 2 (this tool) | 56 | 421 | GPL-3.0 | 6 days ago |
| Databag | 33 | 1.5k | Apache-2.0 | 5 months ago |
| Notifo | 28 | 883 | MIT | 1 month ago |
Spectrum 2: common questions
Is Spectrum 2 still maintained?
Spectrum 2 had 45 commits in the last 90 days and its last push was 6 days ago; the latest tagged release, 2.2.1, is from 3.4 years ago. Repoly recomputes this nightly.