EMQ vs ejabberd: What are the differences?

Introduction

EMQ and ejabberd are both popular open-source MQTT and XMPP messaging servers that are commonly used for building scalable real-time messaging applications. While they share some similarities in terms of their core functionalities, there are several key differences between EMQ and ejabberd that make them suitable for different use cases.

1. Scalability and Performance: EMQ is specifically designed to handle high volumes of concurrent connections and messages, making it well-suited for large-scale deployments. It utilizes a distributed cluster architecture, allowing it to scale horizontally across multiple nodes. On the other hand, ejabberd also supports clustering but is primarily focused on providing performance and scalability for XMPP-based applications.

2. Protocols Supported: EMQ is primarily focused on supporting MQTT, a lightweight publish-subscribe messaging protocol that is widely used in IoT applications. However, it also provides support for MQTT-SN (MQTT for sensor networks) and CoAP (Constrained Application Protocol). In contrast, ejabberd is an XMPP server that supports the Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol, an XML-based protocol for real-time communication.

3. Ease of Use and Configuration: EMQ offers a user-friendly web-based management dashboard that simplifies the configuration and monitoring of the server. It provides a comprehensive set of configuration options and a graphical interface for managing users, topics, and ACL rules. On the other hand, ejabberd uses a configuration file-based approach, which may require more technical expertise for setup and administration.

4. Community and Ecosystem: EMQ has a relatively smaller but active community of developers and users. It provides a range of plugins and extensions that can be used to extend its functionalities. In contrast, ejabberd has been around for a longer time and has a larger and more mature community. It offers a wide range of third-party integrations, libraries, tools, and extensions developed by its community.

5. Languages and Platform Support: EMQ is implemented in Erlang and can run on various platforms, including Linux, Windows, macOS, and Docker. It also provides SDKs and client libraries in multiple programming languages, including Java, Python, C, and Node.js. On the other hand, ejabberd is also implemented in Erlang and supports various operating systems, including Linux, FreeBSD, macOS, Solaris, and Windows.

6. Commercial Support and Enterprise Adoption: EMQ is backed by a commercial company that provides professional support and services for enterprise customers. It offers a commercial version of the server with additional features and enterprise-grade support. ejabberd, on the other hand, is maintained by a community-based open-source project and has a strong presence in the enterprise market, with several large-scale deployments in industries such as healthcare and finance.

In summary, EMQ is a highly scalable and performant MQTT messaging server with a user-friendly management dashboard, while ejabberd is a mature XMPP server that offers a wide range of integrations and has a strong enterprise presence. The choice between EMQ and ejabberd depends on the specific requirements of the application and the preferred messaging protocols.