If you’ve been following the show you know I recommend XMPP as the only true decentralized messaging protocol.
Why?
Anyone can run their own server
XMPP is an open protocol, and most XMPP software is open source
Registering is simple and free
XMPP comes with great features such as end to end encrypted messaging, encrypted voice & video calls, file sharing, and more
Because XMPP is decentralized, different servers can choose to implement different features.
This means picking the right server is important. This used to be difficult, but now a new effort by a team of XMPP community veterans solves this problem.
The XMPP Providers resource is a collaborative effort to collect and categorize XMPP providers based on their features.
https://providers.xmpp.net
The best servers according to XMPP Providers:
include all the important messaging features making them compatible with most servers
allow registration via your XMPP client (program on your computer, app on your phone)
have good security settings
You can typically pick a server from category A or B and have everything running smoothly.
Category A allow for registration in the app. So its as easy as installing your app and creating an account. Category B servers may require you to register on their website, or may cost money.
To pick a server and get started you can visit the main page.
My recommendations:
Use the filter at the top to pick a server location that matches your country
Pick a server from Category A or B
If you’re interested in a professionally run XMPP service, sign up to Above’s XMPP service.
In addition to the XMPP service, you’ll get a VPN, video conferencing, email & calendar, and more.
To learn more about the project, see their about page.
For technical questions, see here.
