XMPP – The Middle Ground Of Instant Messaging

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XMPP or Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol is an open communication protocol.
It has been actively developed since it was introduced in 1999.
Over time, a large part of its user base migrated to centralized cloud platforms.

IRC is a simple, reliable, text-based protocol.
Matrix is a robust but more complex protocol with higher resource requirements.
XMPP sits between them, closer to IRC in simplicity while offering more modern features.

In this article you will learn to install a private, non-federated XMPP server.

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Build A Modular IRC Server In 2026 (Inspircd + Anope)

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You saw the simplicity of Ergo Chat.
Now you think about how to build a modern, modular IRC server – like in the old days.

  • Inspircd is a modern IRC server.
  • Anope is a services bot.

Together they form the base of a stable and reliable communications service.

In 2026 IRC may not be the primary comms channel, but it’s perfect for secondary/backup.

Continue reading “Build A Modular IRC Server In 2026 (Inspircd + Anope)” →

Run Your Own IRC Server (Ergo Chat)

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Want a private comms channel without relying on Discord or Slack?
IRC is alive, and you can run your own today.

A small, well-configured IRC server gives you privacy, control, and minimal attack surface – all in a few commands.

Some people think that IRC is dead.
Some of them don’t even know what is it.
They’re young, grew up on modern comms.

IRC is the protocol that laid the foundation of modern chats.

Networks used large footprint ircd daemons for the base.
They registered services daemons for channel and nick retention.
TLS settings were rare and uncomfortable.
SASL authentication was hardly set.

Then new developments appeared.
The old technology got a modern revision.

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The Operator’s KVM Bible

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When the enterprise behind one of the widespread hypervisors was acquired:
many sysadmins decided to move on.

  • Most of them chose a Linux-based open-source alternative.
  • Many of them migrated to the Microsoft ecosystem.
  • They chased the same workflow, the same features they had before.

Only a very few operators dared to rework their processes and architecture.

KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machines) is part of the Linux kernel.
It is a stable and fast hypervisor.

  • A carefully configured host OS for KVM can reduce the attack surface compared to feature-heavy hypervisors.
  • The libvirt API enables secure automation and configuration management.
  • KVM can host Linux, Windows and BSD virtual machines as well.
  • It ships an ecosystem of mature tools for the operators in charge.

KVM is not a downgrade. It’s a sideways step.

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Gitea – Ansible Installer Role

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Automation and configuration management are not just about comfort.
They provide security, auditability and operational freedom.

For this reason Tom’s IT Cafe provides an Ansible role that:

  1. Downloads and installs the Gitea Linux binary
  2. Sets up a system service (as a non-root user)
  3. Sets up PostgreSQL (or SQLite for lightweight setups)
  4. Optionally sets up a reverse proxy with Certbot or self-signed keys
  5. Highly configurable through variables

The role focuses on a small, auditable code base with strong security.

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Gitea – Your Self-Hosted Git Platform

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You feel the comfort of the cloud – low maintenance, fast setup.
Your source code, configuration and files are safe.

Or… are they?

You rely on a third party for infrastructure control, security operations and availability.
What would your business continuity plan look like if your SaaS provider became unavailable?

In this article we investigate a self-hosted solution for small businesses.

Continue reading “Gitea – Your Self-Hosted Git Platform” →