Ergo
Modern IRCv3 server written in Go, combining the features of an ircd, a services framework, and a bouncer.
Ergo vs Weechat
Two self-hosted Communication - IRC apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| Ergo | Weechat | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Modern IRCv3 server written in Go, combining the features of an ircd, a services framework, and a bouncer. | Fast, light and extensible chat client. |
| GitHub stars | 3,359 | 3,421 |
| Forks | – | – |
| Open issues | – | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 167 | 974 |
| Last activity | 2026-11-09 | 2026-11-09 |
| Latest release | v2.19.1 (2026-08-05) | v4.10.4 (2026-11-09) |
| Maintenance health | Active | Active |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language / platform | Go, Docker | C, Docker, deb |
| Docker Hub image | ergochat/ergo | – |
| Docker pulls | 1423.7k | – |
| Est. server size | ~512 MB, 1 vCPU | ~512 MB, 1 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $3.5/mo | $3.5/mo |
| Categories | Communication - IRC | Communication - IRC |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- Ergo and Weechat have a similar number of GitHub stars (3.4k vs 3.4k).
- Weechat had more commits in the last 12 months (974 vs 167).
- Weechat published a release more recently (v4.10.4 on 2026-11-09; Ergo's latest is v2.19.1 on 2026-08-05).
- Ergo is licensed under MIT, Weechat under GPL-3.0. Ergo's license is permissive; Weechat's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
- Ergo is written in Go; Weechat in C.
- Deployment options listed upstream: Ergo: Docker; Weechat: Docker, deb.
- Only Ergo has a Docker Hub image that we detected (ergochat/ergo).
Summary: Ergo leads on Docker Hub availability; Weechat leads on commit activity. The right choice depends on the features you need — read both project descriptions and docs.
This summary is generated from GitHub, Docker Hub and awesome-selfhosted data as of 2026-11-15. It does not rate features or quality.
Get the Docker images
Ergo
docker pull ergochat/ergoImage on Docker Hub. Ports, volumes and environment variables differ per app; follow the official docs.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ergo or Weechat more popular?
They are close: Ergo has 3,359 GitHub stars and Weechat has 3,421 (as of 2026-11-15).
Which is more actively maintained, Ergo or Weechat?
Weechat had more commits over the last 12 months (974 vs 167). Both had repository activity on 2026-11-09. Our health labels: Ergo is “Active”, Weechat is “Active”.
What licenses do Ergo and Weechat use?
Ergo: MIT. Weechat: GPL-3.0. Ergo's license is permissive; Weechat's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
Can I run Ergo and Weechat with Docker?
Ergo has a Docker Hub image (ergochat/ergo). We did not find one for Weechat, though the upstream listing mentions Docker as a deployment option.
Read more
Weechat
Fast, light and extensible chat client.
Browse all self-hosted Communication - IRC apps.