Jitsi Meet vs Mediasoup: What are the differences?

Introduction:

Jitsi Meet and Mediasoup are both popular communication technologies that enable real-time communication and collaboration. While they serve similar purposes, there are several key differences between the two.

1. Scalability: Jitsi Meet uses a server-side architecture where the media processing and mixing happen on the server. This approach can limit scalability as the server needs to handle all the media streams. On the other hand, Mediasoup adopts a decentralized architecture where the media processing occurs on the client-side, resulting in better scalability as the load is distributed among the participants.

2. Network Efficiency: Jitsi Meet uses a mesh topology for media routing, where every participant sends and receives media streams directly to and from all other participants. This can lead to inefficient network utilization, especially when the number of participants increases. In contrast, Mediasoup offers a selective forwarding unit (SFU) architecture, where the media streams are sent to a central server, which then forwards them to the desired participants. This approach ensures efficient network usage, as each participant only needs to receive the streams they are interested in.

3. Coding Language: Jitsi Meet is primarily developed using JavaScript and Java, making it easier for developers familiar with these languages to work with. In contrast, Mediasoup is built using Node.js and C++, which may require additional proficiency in these languages for developers to customize and extend the functionality of Mediasoup.

4. Modular Architecture: Jitsi Meet provides a complete conferencing solution out of the box, with integrated features like screen sharing, recording, and chat. While this can be convenient for users who require a full-fledged solution, it might be overwhelming for those who only need specific functionalities or want to integrate the communication technology into existing applications. Mediasoup, on the other hand, offers a more modular architecture, allowing developers to pick and choose the features they need and integrate them into their applications.

5. Customization Flexibility: Jitsi Meet offers some customization options, such as branding customization and the ability to modify the user interface. However, the level of customization is limited compared to Mediasoup. Mediasoup provides more flexibility for developers to customize various aspects of the communication technology, including the signaling logic, media handling, and user interface, allowing for greater control over the user experience.

6. Community and Support: Jitsi Meet has a larger user community and a more established support network due to its longer history and popularity. This can be advantageous for users who seek readily available resources, documentation, and community support. Mediasoup, while also having an active community, may not have the same level of resources and support, making it slightly more challenging for users to find help or guidance in certain situations.

In summary, Jitsi Meet and Mediasoup differ in their architectural approaches, scalability, network efficiency, coding languages used, customization options, and community support. The choice between the two depends on specific requirements, such as the number of participants, network conditions, desired level of customization, and access to support resources.