Telepathy

Telepathy

Telepathy is an open source instant messaging client for Linux that aims to be simple, accessible and integrate well with the Linux desktop. It supports many popular chat protocols including XMPP/Jabber, IRC and SIP.
open-source instant-messaging linux xmpp jabber irc sip

Telepathy: Open Source Instant Messaging Client for Linux

Open source instant messaging client for Linux aiming to be simple, accessible and integrate well with the Linux desktop, supporting XMPP/Jabber, IRC and SIP protocols.

What is Telepathy?

Telepathy is a free and open source instant messaging client developed primarily for the Linux desktop environment. First released in 2005, it aims to provide a unified system for all major chat protocols including XMPP/Jabber, IRC, SIP, and others.

A key goal of Telepathy is integration with the Linux desktop including features like desktop notifications, media sharing, and seamless interaction between applications. It embraces freedesktop.org standards and has extensions for the KDE, GNOME, and Xfce environments.

Some of the main features of Telepathy include:

  • Supports many popular IM protocols and networks including Jabber/XMPP, IRC, Facebook, and more
  • Integrates tightly with Linux desktop environments like KDE, GNOME and XFce
  • Media sharing capabilities for voice/video calls and file transfers
  • Desktop notifications and ability to set status from apps like IM contacts
  • Modular architecture allowing additional protocol support to be added

Telepathy aims to provide a single messaging client that works consistently across different Linux desktop environments. Its focus on open standards and tight desktop integration makes it a popular choice for Linux distributions and developers creating communication apps.

Telepathy Features

Features

  1. Supports multiple popular chat protocols like XMPP/Jabber, IRC, SIP
  2. Integrates well with Linux desktop environments like GNOME and KDE
  3. Open source and free
  4. Simple and easy to use interface
  5. Supports audio/video calls
  6. Encrypted communication support
  7. Plugin architecture to extend functionality
  8. Cross-platform support

Pricing

  • Open Source
  • Free

Pros

Free and open source

Good integration with Linux desktops

Supports multiple protocols

Simple interface

Audio/video call support

Encrypted communication

Cons

Limited features compared to proprietary options

Development seems stagnant recently

Some stability issues

Lacks advanced features like screen sharing

Official Links


The Best Telepathy Alternatives

Top Social & Communications and Instant Messaging and other similar apps like Telepathy

Here are some alternatives to Telepathy:

Suggest an alternative ❐

Briar icon

Briar

Briar is a free, open source peer-to-peer messaging app designed for activists, journalists, whistleblowers, and anyone who needs a secure and private means of communication. It provides encrypted messaging, forums, and blogs without relying on a central server which could be monitored or blocked.Briar forms connections only between trusted friends...
Briar image
Bridgefy icon

Bridgefy

Bridgefy is an offline messaging application designed to enable communication when internet or cellular networks are unavailable. It utilizes Bluetooth and mesh networking to connect nearby smartphones directly via peer-to-peer connections and relay messages over long distances.The app allows users to send and receive messages, share locations, and use group...
Bridgefy image
WorldChat icon

WorldChat

WorldChat is a free, open-source, self-hosted video conferencing solution developed as an alternative to proprietary tools like Zoom, Webex, or GoToMeeting. It enables businesses, schools, organizations and individuals to conduct virtual meetings, webinars, conference calls, live classes with up to 100 participants.Some of the key features of WorldChat include:Intuitive user...
WorldChat image