Tuwunel

A Matrix homeserver written in Rust as a lighter, faster alternative to Synapse, and the official successor to conduwuit.

2.7k stars, 242 forks Rust On GitHub since February 2025

Visit website View on GitHub How to run it

Tuwunel at a glance

Open sourceYes, Apache-2.0No paid parts in the repository
Health72 of 100Actively developed
Self-hostingDocker, LinuxCompose file, 1 service
AppsLinux, including ARMBuilds in GitHub releases
InterfaceEnglish onlyNo translation files found
Issue repliesWithin ~4 hoursMedian first reply; 20% of recent issues answered

What is Tuwunel?

Tuwunel implements the Matrix specification for all but niche uses, so your users can chat with any Matrix client, bridge or bot and federate with other servers. It is written entirely in Rust to keep resource use low while scaling. The project continues conduwuit after that fork reached stability, and the README says the Swiss government is its main sponsor and runs it for citizens. Packages cover Docker, static binaries, deb and rpm repositories, the AUR, Nix and Alpine.

Good fit if

  • You want your own Matrix server on modest hardware.
  • You find Synapse heavy to operate for a small or mid-sized community.

Look elsewhere if

  • You want the reference implementation maintained by Element: Synapse.
  • You prefer XMPP: ejabberd.

Before you adopt it

Tuwunel is Apache-2.0 with no paid parts. The repository dates from February 2025, and one developer writes almost all of the commits, although the README mentions full-time staff funded by companies. Linux builds and container images are published.

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 Tuwunel yourself

Docker
Dockerfile or compose file in the repository
Compose file
docs/deploying/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
Builds for Linux, including ARM in GitHub releases
Interface languages
English only

Install instructions: tuwunel.chat or the README on GitHub.

Tuwunel health: is it still maintained?

72 of 100, actively developed

Release rhythmEvery ~14 daysLatest: v1.9.4, 10 October 2026
Issue repliesWithin ~4 hoursMedian first reply; 20% of recent issues answered
Bus factorHigh riskThe most active of 2 authors wrote 97% of recent commits
  • Activity
    1,057 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 3 November 2026.
    30 / 30
  • Contributors
    2 people wrote the latest 100 commits; the most active wrote 97% of them.
    4 / 20
  • Releases
    15+ releases in the last 12 months; the latest, v1.9.4, on 10 October 2026.
    19 / 20
  • Replies to issues
    Maintainers answered 20% of recent issues, with a median first reply after 4 hours.
    14 / 20
  • Security practices
    No OpenSSF Scorecard for this repository yet, so this part gets a neutral score.
    5 / 10

Read from GitHub on 5 November 2026. How the score works

Tuwunel license: is it open source?

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

  1. February 2025First published on GitHub.
  2. TodayApache-2.0.

Tuwunel for developers

Written in

  • Rust 97%
  • HCL 1%
  • Shell <1%
  • Nix <1%
  • TypeScript <1%
  • Other <1%

Getting involved

Contributing guideYesCONTRIBUTING.mdOpen issues70On GitHub
Authors, 90 days2Of the latest 100 commits

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

Alternatives to Tuwunel

  • ejabberdRobust, Ubiquitous and Massively Scalable Messaging Platform (XMPP, MQTT, SIP Server) 80 health · GPL-2.0 · 6.7k 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
  • ElementA glossy Matrix collaboration client for the web. 89 health · AGPL-3.0 · 13.6k stars
  • Rocket.ChatThe Secure CommsOS™ for mission-critical operations 82 health · MIT · 46.4k stars
  • MumbleMumble is an open-source, low-latency, high quality voice chat software. 82 health · BSD · 8.4k stars

All 16 projects in Team chat

Questions about Tuwunel

Is Tuwunel open source?

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

Is Tuwunel still maintained?

Its health score is 72 of 100 (actively developed). It had 1,057 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 3 November 2026, and its latest release came out on 10 October 2026.

How do I run Tuwunel?

You can run it with Docker, as an app for Linux, including ARM. The README on GitHub has the exact steps.

What is Tuwunel written in?

Tuwunel is written mainly in Rust (97% of the code), by GitHub’s count of the repository.

What are the alternatives to Tuwunel?

Close alternatives in the Team chat category include ejabberd, Zulip, Element.