SAMA, short for Simple but Advanced Messaging Alternative, is a GPL-3.0 licensed open source chat server from SAMA-Communications for adding messaging to mobile and web apps. Built on uWebSockets.js in Node.js, it positions itself as a simpler alternative to the XMPP protocol and to complicated chat servers, offering real-time messaging with rich media, group chats, user management, multi-device support, push notifications, clustering, and an extensive API documented at docs.samacloud.io.[1][2][3]
Quick verdict
SAMA suits product teams that need a self-hosted messaging backend for their own mobile and web apps: real-time chat with group conversations, push notifications, file sharing, and a WebSocket plus HTTP API with a JavaScript SDK, deployable with one Docker command. The decisive constraints are scope and operations: documented clients are a web app and a Flutter mobile app, there is no documented SSO or enterprise support, and running it means operating Node.js with MongoDB, Redis, and MinIO yourself. Teams wanting a complete team-collaboration suite should weigh the published competitor Rocket.Chat instead.[1][2][3][4]
Key features
Real-time messaging with rich media Instant messaging with rich media support delivered over a WebSocket API, with a parallel HTTP API for server-side sends, reads, updates, and reactions.[1][2]
Private and group conversations Create and manage private and group chats with subscribe, list, search, participant management, and conversation handlers.[1][2]
Reactions, receipts, and typing Messages support reactions, read receipts, typing indicators, editing, deletion, and system messages.[1]
Push notifications Push notification subscriptions and push events keep users updated, backed by a dedicated push daemon in the Docker deployment.[1][2]
File sharing via object storage File upload and download URLs backed by MinIO or S3-compatible storage for sharing attachments in conversations.[1][2]
User management and blocking Comprehensive user handling including authentication, profile editing, search, an address book, last-activity presence, multi-device carbons, and user blocking.[1]
Web, Flutter, and JS SDK clients Documented clients are a web app and a Flutter mobile app, plus a JavaScript SDK published on NPM for embedding chat in custom apps.[1][2]
Docker deployment with clustering One-command full deployment with Docker Compose, local Node 22 setup against MongoDB, Redis, and MinIO, and built-in clustering support for availability and scale.[1][2][3]
Who will love it
Product teams embedding chat into their own mobile or web app: the server plus JS SDK and documented APIs exist exactly for that programmable-chat workflow.[1][2]
Organizations that must self-host messaging on their own infrastructure: GPL-3.0 source, Docker deployment, and object storage you control keep data inside your boundary.[1][2]
Teams finding XMPP servers or full collaboration suites too complicated: SAMA explicitly positions itself as the simpler messaging alternative with only the chat features most apps use.[1]
Who should avoid it
Teams needing single sign-on or enterprise support: no SSO, SLA, or enterprise plan is documented, so regulated buyers should verify before committing.[1][2]
Teams wanting zero-operations messaging: self-hosting means running Node.js with MongoDB, Redis, and MinIO, and updates and backups are yours outside the public cloud option.[1]
Teams needing a large ecosystem: the repository is small at about 160 stars with a handful of open issues, so expect a young community rather than a mature plugin marketplace.[1]
Alternatives and compatibility
Rocket.Chat is the published catalogue competitor: choose Rocket.Chat for a complete team-collaboration suite, or SAMA when you need a programmable chat backend behind your own app's interface.[1][2]
SAMA positions itself against XMPP-based messaging: teams already standardized on XMPP infrastructure should stay, while teams starting fresh get a simpler WebSocket-native protocol.[1]
The public cloud at app.samacloud.io suits evaluation and small pilots, while production teams with data-control requirements should plan for the self-hosted Docker deployment.[1]
Questions worth asking
What license is SAMA released under?
How do I self-host the SAMA chat server?
Use the one-command full Docker Compose deployment for the server, client, and push daemon with dependencies included, or set up Node 22 manually against MongoDB, MinIO, and Redis with WebSocket traffic on port 9001.[1]
Does SAMA have mobile apps?
Yes: the docs point to a web client and a Flutter mobile client on GitHub, plus a JavaScript SDK for building custom clients, and a public cloud for trying it without hosting.[1]
Sources and editorial review
Source research. Reviewed on October 12, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.
We have not run or tested this product.
- SAMA official site
official · Observed October 12, 2026
Official homepage: open source chat server for mobile and web apps, positioned as free, secure, and easy to use.
- SAMA server repository
official · Observed October 12, 2026
Vendor repository: Simple but Advanced Messaging Alternative chat server powered by uWebSockets.js, GPL-3.0 license, chat and websocket topics, Docker deployment files.
- SAMA introduction docs
official · Observed October 12, 2026
Introduction: alternative to XMPP and complicated chat servers; features real-time rich-media messaging, group chats, user management, multi-device, push, clustering, extensive API.
- SAMA quick start docs
official · Observed October 12, 2026
Quick start: Docker server, web client, Flutter mobile client, public cloud at app.samacloud.io, and client SDK.
- SAMA Docker setup docs
official · Observed October 12, 2026
Docker setup: one-command full deployment, local deployment with push daemon, Node 22 with MongoDB, MinIO, Redis, WebSocket on port 9001.
- SAMA API documentation
official · Observed October 12, 2026
API reference index: WebSocket API covering users, conversations, messages, reactions, push, files, and blocking, plus an HTTP API and JS SDK.
- SAMA repository metadata
official · Observed October 12, 2026
Repository metadata: JavaScript, GPL-3.0, created September 2022, updated October 2026, about 160 stars, unarchived, default branch main.
- SAMA package manifest
official · Observed October 12, 2026
Package manifest: name sama, version 0.37.2, GPL-3.0, dependencies on uWebSockets.js, mongodb, redis, minio, jsonwebtoken, bull.
Compared with these products
No explicit proprietary baseline is recorded.