Stoat (formerly Revolt)

Stoat (formerly Revolt) is an open-source chat and community messaging platform with text channels and direct messages. It can be deployed on your own infrastructure as a full stack including the backend, web client, file server, and supporting services.

Key Features

• Text channels and direct messages for teams and communities
• Roles and fine-grained permissions for access control
• Moderation tooling for managing communities
• Bot support for automation and integrations
• File handling via a dedicated file server with optional S3-compatible storage
• Docker Compose-based deployment with a bundled reverse proxy

Use Cases

• Self-hosted alternative to proprietary team chat for small organizations
• Community chat server with moderation and permission controls
• Private group messaging for clubs, classrooms, or project teams

Limitations and Considerations

• Voice channels are not included in the provided self-hosting guide and are under rework
• Some deployment constraints may apply to available web client builds depending on architecture

Stoat is suited to users who want a modern chat experience with community features while keeping control of deployment and data. Its modular stack and containerized setup make it practical to operate on a VPS or dedicated server.