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No Stupid Questions @lemmy.world Margot Robbie @lemmy.world

How many people here have actually used XMPP?

With all the current discussion about the threat that Instagram Threads has on the Fediverse and that article about how Google Embrace Extend Extinguished XMPP, I was left very confused, since that was the first time I've heard that Gchat supported XMPP or what XMPP actually is, and I've had my personal Gmail since beta (no, don't ask for it), and before then, everybody was using AOL/MSN Messenger to talk with each other online. I don't think I've ever heard of a single person who started using Gchat as an XMPP client.

Instead of a plot where Google took over XMPP userbase via EEE, it just seem to me more like XMPP was a niche protocol that very few hardcore enthusiasts used, and then Google tried to add support for it in their product, but ultimately decided it wasn't worth the development effort to support a feature that very few of their users actually used and abandoned it in typical Google fashion.

So, to prove my point, how many people have used XMPP here, and how many people here haven't?

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143 comments

  • No clue what XMPP is or any of its history, but I've used it.

    • @chatgpt@lemmings.world Give us a brief description of XMPP, its history, and compare/contrast it with Matrix

      • Sure!

        About XMPP:

        XMPP, or eXtensible Messaging and Presence Protocol, is an open-standard communications protocol for message-oriented middleware based on Extensible Markup Language (XML). It is used for near-real-time, extensible instant messaging (IM), presence information, and contact list maintenance.

        History:

        Developed by the Jabber open-source community in 1999, it was later formalized by the IETF. Since then, it's been consistently updated to adapt to modern internet applications.

        XMPP vs. Matrix:

        Similarities:

        1. Both XMPP and Matrix are open source and decentralized, meaning no one organization or entity has full control. This enhances users' privacy and security.

        2. Both can facilitate real-time communication, including chat, VoIP, video calling, and more.

        Differences:

        1. Data synchronization: Matrix's main selling point is its conversation history synchronization across devices, something XMPP struggles with. XMPP can achieve similar functionality with extensions like Message Carbons and MAM, but these are not universally implemented across all servers and clients.

        2. Federation model: Matrix has a global federation model, which means any server can communicate with another, whereas XMPP adopts a more local federation model that requires servers to be connected explicitly.

        3. Protocol Complexity: XMPP's protocol is simpler and has been around for a longer time, making it a mature and stable option. Matrix, on the other hand, is newer and has a more complex protocol due to its emphasis on synchronizing data across various servers.

        4. Modern Features: Matrix is built with more modern requirements (like end-to-end encryption as standard) in mind, whereas XMPP requires additional extensions (XEPs) to meet many of these same needs.

        In summary, while XMPP is older, more ubiquitous, and has a simpler protocol, Matrix provides better synchronization across devices and supports more modern communication features. Choosing between the two likely comes down to your specific use case needs.

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