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this post was submitted on 09 Feb 2026
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Check out https://stoat.chat/, it's the closest self hostable group communications platform to Discord.
Just a fair warning in reply to this that the self-hosted version of Stoat doesn't currently have voice chat. It's an open issue that's currently paused until they can finish their rework.
If you have the skill for it, it seems like you can patch work the existing voice chat back in, but it's not part of their initial setup and there's no instructions on how to do so properly
Well that seems like a fairly big deal.
Link to their voice chat implementatoon.
Looks like you can enable it on self hosted version. Probably worth someone trying it out personally. Before giving up on stoat.
sadly, it's a little more complex than just enabling it. The supported self host deployment uses docker, and the docker containers that are available don't contain the interfaces for voice or video calling as they are not up to date.
If I understand it right, to enable it would mean you need to either pull the source yourself and run it off of docker, or make a custom docker image using a version of stoat web that contains the ability to do voice calls.
reading the draft of the linked issue, it looks like the author isn't doing voice call for the reason that they don't know the proper way to integrate it into the docker image.
So to answer it: yes it looks like you can use voice servers on the current self hosted model, but you can't use pre-existing docker images, and it will require you to manually add the new web UI in and patch where needed.
Turns out they also don't support federation or e2ee. If those are things you care about.
Is there a docker-free build you can either install and mod to re-enable voice, or use to mod the docker blobs in accordance ?
I've been using it since it was called Revolt and quite like it, albeit I've never used the voice feature. My group doesn't really have the need for it, but I can see it being a deal breaker for the self-hosted version.
Honestly the name choice adds difficulty in getting friends to take it seriously. Why did they pick "stoat"
Nowadays everyone accepted the name "Discord" but I think it's a pretty poor choice of branding too.
A communication app called Discord is pretty weird too.
A stoat is a pretty cool animal.
I think without prior knowledge of any voice chat Discord would probably rate worse in perception than Stoat.
A terrible name for an app meant to facilitate communication. Always baffled me. But the name is so widely recognized that nobody thinks twice about it.
I always thought Noosphere would make a cool name for a Discord replacement, especially if it incorporates a way to permanently catalog the knowledge accrued by the community, say as a built-in wiki. That might actually make it viable as a support platform.
you mean unlike the tools discord has replaced, such as "mumble", "ventrilo", "roger wilco" and "trillian"?
Xfire
Discord never replaced mumble. The two are in different circles.
for some, yeah. depends on your use case.
Mumble is a verb like chat but what the fuck has a stoat got anything to do chatting?
now do the other ones
Do them yourself and you want to copy all those failed apps, lmao.
Mumble is great and I still use it. None of those are failed apps.
Not every app seeks to rake in teenagers' parents' money with shit like premium emojis.
So, where are all the posts saying, 'self-hosted ventrilo?'
Not all software needs to be around forever. Things can become obsolete without "failing".
Good luck beating Discord by copying the worse parts of obsolete apps.
Unironically yes
soundn like a problem with your friends then. who doesn't love a stoat?
I know, it's picky lol. I'm still considering it as the replacement for my discord groups (also checking out Element/Matrix). The average users aren't going to be up for swapping around a lot of platforms, so I am hoping to make one big push on the platform of choice. "Revolt" would have gotten less "wtf is that, how do you even spell it?" than "Stoat"
for what it's worth matrix has worked well for us. it's apparently a bitch to set up though.
No clue! It was revolt before. I think they had trademark issues with that name. What's wrong with stoat?
I was wondering why I want getting any updates, checked thegithub a few months ago and found out they rebranded. Haven't had a chance to try the latest version out yet
Personally, I associate stoats with Dwarf Fortress. And much butchering thereof.
This whole "FOSS names are bad" sounds like a Mccarthyism sysop by this point. Like, really, who is pushing that crap?
seems like they had a decent name 'revolt' but got some cease and desist and didn't resist and decided to switch.
The name doesnt matter
IRC is a stupid name too, unless you know what the letters stand for
Msn messenger was stupid
Icq was stupid
Wtf even is “skype”?
It just has to be unique
And a Stout is kinda cute
What do you meeaaan? Stoats are fucking adorable!
Stoats are awesome.
Is there a significant benefit over matrix?
From what I can tell, the only benefit is that the platform is close to the Discord experience. So people migrating to Stoat would feel right at home.
But there's no federation, no e2ee, apparently it's difficult to get voice setup if you self host...
Matrix has it's issues too. Goup chat e2ee is not good. No one uses it. But at least they've got federation.
https://continuwuity.org/ seems like a decent server to run if you want to run a matrix server.
Where is the documentation for self-hosting it?
Check their GitHub. Although it looks like GitHub is having issues right now.
has anyone tried their iOS client? from their description it seems like it's less mature than the android version, kinda concerning as my friend group has some iphone users.