Databag

A lightweight, federated messenger you host yourself, with end-to-end encrypted topics, audio and video calls and mobile apps.

1.5k stars, 100 forks TypeScript On GitHub since December 2021

View on GitHub How to run it
Development has slowed down. No commits in the last 90 days; the latest on 14 June 2026. Active alternatives: Tinode, Mattermost, Zulip.

Databag at a glance

Open sourceYes, Apache-2.0No paid parts in the repository
Health24 of 100Slowing down
Self-hostingDockerCompose file, 1 service
InterfaceEnglish onlyNo translation files found
Issue repliesWithin ~11 hoursMedian first reply; 69% of recent issues answered

What is Databag?

Databag runs a small messaging node that can host accounts for a whole family, and accounts on different nodes can talk to each other. Identity is based on public and private keys rather than a domain, sealed topics are end-to-end encrypted so the admin cannot read them, and messages are grouped by topic instead of by contact. It supports audio and video calls (a separate relay is needed for NAT traversal), unlimited group members, TOTP two-factor login and mobile alerts through UnifiedPush, FCM or APN. The server is light enough for a Raspberry Pi Zero.

Good fit if

  • You want a private family or friends messenger on very small hardware.
  • You like federation without depending on a big network.

Look elsewhere if

Before you adopt it

Databag is Apache-2.0 with no paid parts. Activity is slowing: no commits in the last three months and no release since June 2024, so consider the active alternatives. Apps are on F-Droid and the Google and Apple stores, and the server runs from a Docker image.

Drafted with AI from the project's README and repository data, then checked against that data on 31 October 2026. Report a correction

How to run Databag yourself

Docker
Dockerfile or compose file in the repository
Compose file
docker-compose.yml: 1 service
Setup effort
1 of 5, judged from the compose file
Kubernetes
No Helm chart in the repository
Desktop and mobile
No app builds in GitHub releases
Interface languages
English only

Install instructions: the README on GitHub.

Databag health: is it still maintained?

24 of 100, slowing down

Release rhythmNone in 12 monthsLatest: v1.1.1021, 20 June 2024
Issue repliesWithin ~11 hoursMedian first reply; 69% of recent issues answered
Bus factorNo recent commitsNobody committed in the last 90 days
  • Activity
    No commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 14 June 2026.
    0 / 30
  • Contributors
    Nobody committed in the last 90 days.
    0 / 20
  • Releases
    0 releases in the last 12 months; the latest, v1.1.1021, on 20 June 2024.
    1 / 20
  • Replies to issues
    Maintainers answered 69% of recent issues, with a median first reply after 11 hours.
    18 / 20
  • Security practices
    No OpenSSF Scorecard for this repository yet, so this part gets a neutral score.
    5 / 10

Read from GitHub on 7 November 2026. How the score works

Databag license: is it open source?

Databag uses Apache-2.0, an open-source license approved by the OSI.

  1. December 2021First published on GitHub.
  2. TodayApache-2.0.

Databag for developers

Written in

  • TypeScript 50%
  • JavaScript 36%
  • Go 12%
  • CSS 1%
  • Swift <1%
  • Other <1%

Getting involved

Contributing guideNot foundNo CONTRIBUTING file in the repository
Open issues58On GitHub
Authors, 90 daysNoneNo commits in the last 90 days

Language shares are GitHub’s count of the code in the repository.

Alternatives to Databag

  • TinodeInstant messaging platform. Backend in Go. Clients: Swift iOS, Java Android, JS webapp, scriptable command… 58 health · GPL-3.0 · 13.6k stars
  • MattermostMattermost is an open source platform for secure collaboration across the entire software development… 74 health · Apache-2.0 · 39.5k stars
  • ZulipZulip server and web application. Open-source team chat that helps teams stay productive and focused. 93 health · Apache-2.0 · 26.2k stars
  • Rocket.ChatThe Secure CommsOS™ for mission-critical operations 81 health · MIT · 46.4k stars
  • ElementA glossy Matrix collaboration client for the web. 89 health · AGPL-3.0 · 13.6k stars

All 21 projects in Team chat

Questions about Databag

Is Databag open source?

Yes. Databag is published under Apache-2.0, an OSI-approved open-source license.

Is Databag still maintained?

Its health score is 24 of 100 (slowing down). It had no commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 14 June 2026, and its latest release came out on 20 June 2024.

How do I run Databag?

You can run it with Docker. The README on GitHub has the exact steps.

What is Databag written in?

Databag is written mainly in TypeScript (50% of the code), with JavaScript (36%) and Go (12%), by GitHub’s count of the repository.

What are the alternatives to Databag?

Close alternatives in the Team chat category include Tinode, Mattermost, Zulip.