Discourse vs Linen

Comparing two open source alternatives to Discord and Slack. Use the comparison below to decide which one fits your needs.

Discourse

GPL-2.0

Open source community forum platform combining long-form discussion, real-time chat, and strong moderation. Self-host it or use managed hosting.

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Linen

AGPL-3.0

Lightweight, Google-searchable open source Slack and Discord alternative designed for online communities.

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Side-by-side comparison

	Discourse	Linen
License	GPL-2.0	AGPL-3.0
Self-hostable	Yes	Yes
GitHub Stars	47,873	2,773
Forks	9,020	109
Open Issues	221	136
Last Commit	Sep 19, 2026	Dec 9, 2024
First Released	Jan 12, 2013	Feb 15, 2022
Categories	Team Chat & Messaging Tools	Team Chat & Messaging Tools
Tags	#forum #chat	—

GitHub stars over time

Discourse

Linen2,773

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