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

A platform for community discussion. Free, open, simple.

Visit Full details

Linen

AGPL-3.0

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

Visit Full details

Side-by-side comparison

	Discourse	Linen
License	GPL-2.0	AGPL-3.0
Self-hostable	Yes	Yes
GitHub Stars	47,300	2,773
Forks	8,942	108
Open Issues	182	136
Last Commit	Jun 22, 2026	Dec 9, 2024
First Released	Jan 12, 2013	Feb 15, 2022
Categories	Team Chat & Messaging Tools	Team Chat & Messaging Tools
Tags	#forum #chat	—

Similar open source alternatives

Mumble

Low-latency, open-source voice chat built for gaming — self-host your own server with no subscription required.

Alternative to:

Discord

Huly

All-in-one open source platform that combines project management, CRM, chat, HR, and wiki as an alternative to Linear, Jira, Slack, and Notion.

Alternative to:

Notion

Bytedesk

Open source AI-powered omnichannel customer service platform that combines live chat, ticketing, and team collaboration as an alternative to Slack, Zendesk, Intercom, and HubSpot.

Alternative to:

Slack

Zulip

Open-source team chat with a unique topic-based threading model that makes it easy to follow multiple conversations.

Alternative to:

Slack

Colanode

Open source, local-first Slack and Notion alternative that puts you in control of your data with offline support and end-to-end encryption.

Alternative to:

Notion

Raven

Simple, open source team messaging platform

Alternative to:

Discord