How does it differ from Mattermost?

Both replace Slack for internal messaging. Rocket.Chat adds a customer-facing side out of the box — a live chat widget for your website plus WhatsApp, Telegram and e-mail in a shared inbox — where Mattermost stays focused on internal team chat and is lighter to run.

Why does it need MongoDB in replica-set mode?

Rocket.Chat follows MongoDB's oplog to push messages in real time, and the oplog only exists in a replica set. On a standalone MongoDB the server refuses to start. The recipe sets up the replica set for you.

Can Rocket.Chat handle support chat on my website?

Yes. The Omnichannel section provides a live chat widget to embed on your site, and connectors for WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger and e-mail, all answered from the same interface as your internal channels.

Client Area

Collaboration & Productivity

Rocket.Chat

Name: Rocket.Chat
Availability: InStock

Real-time team messaging you host yourself — team chat and customer live chat in one server.

Official documentation Source code

root@mon-serveur — ssh

# when the VPS is created
✓ Rocket.Chat installedroot@mon-serveur:~#

About Rocket.Chat

Rocket.Chat is an open-source communication platform that covers two needs a team usually splits across two products: internal messaging (channels, teams, threads, direct messages) and customer-facing live chat, through an omnichannel inbox that also receives WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger and email.

Run on your own VPS, every message, file and attachment stays on your infrastructure. The stack (Node.js server + MongoDB) runs in Docker containers. Official desktop and mobile apps connect to your server, and a full REST plus real-time API lets you plug in bots, alerts and your own tools. Rocket.Chat is heavier than a plain team messenger — MongoDB runs as a replica set and the server keeps a persistent WebSocket per client — so size the VPS accordingly.

What gets installed

Ready when the VPS starts

Compatible OS: Ubuntu 24.04
Application: Rocket.Chat
Tech stack: DockerNode.jsMongoDB
Minimum RAM: 4 GB
Minimum CPU: 2 vCPU
Default port: 3000
Access: root over SSH

Key features

Channels, teams, discussions and threads, plus direct messages
Omnichannel live chat: a widget for your website, plus WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger and email in one inbox
Audio and video calls, screen sharing and conference integrations
Optional end-to-end encryption per room, and LDAP, SAML or OAuth single sign-on
Official desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux) and mobile (iOS, Android) apps
REST and real-time APIs, webhooks, bots and an app marketplace

When to use this solution?

Internal team messaging

Replace Slack or Teams with a server you own: unlimited history, no per-seat billing, no conversation leaving your infrastructure.

Customer support on your website

Drop the live chat widget on your site and answer from the same interface your team already uses, alongside WhatsApp and email.

Regulated or sovereign environments

Keep messages, files and metadata on a machine you control, with per-room end-to-end encryption where it matters.

Guide

Deploy Rocket.Chat on your VPS

Create the VPS
Plan for 4 GB of RAM and 2 vCPU: Rocket.Chat runs a Node.js server plus a MongoDB replica set, and keeps one persistent WebSocket per connected client. 2 GB is enough only for a handful of test users.
Install from the catalogue
The "Rocket.Chat" template installs the server and MongoDB in containers, in replica-set mode — Rocket.Chat reads the oplog and refuses to start on a standalone MongoDB.
Sign in for the first time
The administrator account is created on first boot: username admin, with a RANDOM password generated on your server and shown on your app's page in the client area. Rocket.Chat answers over HTTPS, with no port number, at the address you picked at install time — a subdomain of one of your own domains, or the free subdomain that comes with your VPS (rocket-chat.<your-vps>.servorbit-dns.com); it is shown on your app's page in the client area. Change the password and the administrator e-mail straight away.
Set the site URL
In Administration → Settings → General, set Site URL to your HTTPS address. Rocket.Chat builds its WebSocket and its invitation links from this value: left on the install default, mobile apps and the live chat widget fail to connect.
Open it to your team
Close public registration, invite your colleagues, create your channels, then enable the live chat widget or the WhatsApp and e-mail bridges from the Omnichannel section if you need customer conversations.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about Rocket.Chat

← Back to Collaboration & Productivity All applications

Rocket.Chat is an open-source, self-hosted communication platform combining internal team messaging (channels, threads, calls) and an omnichannel inbox for customer conversations.

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