Stoat

Stoat is an open-source, self-hosted communication platform designed for team messaging and collaborative workspaces. It provides a complete infrastructure for real-time interaction, consisting of a back-end server, a web-based front-end, and dedicated services for file handling and image processing. The platform is built to handle the diverse needs of digital communication, from text-based chat to media sharing and live streaming.

The software is deployed as a server application using Docker and Docker Compose. It requires a Linux environment, with Ubuntu Server being the recommended operating system for production use. Users access the platform via a web browser after configuring a domain and the necessary network ports. The deployment process involves a configuration script that generates the required secrets and environment variables to ensure the instance remains secure and functional.

Key features

• Integrated back-end and web front-end for messaging
• Dedicated file server for asset storage
• Metadata and image proxy for media handling
• Support for email verification and captcha
• Integration with custom S3 servers for storage
• Native iOS and Android push notifications
• Real-time communication via RTC protocol
• Configurable video resolution limits

The architecture relies on MongoDB for data persistence and KeyDB, Redis, or Valkey for caching and session management. It uses Caddy as the default web server and reverse proxy, though it can be configured to sit behind other proxy solutions for more complex network setups. The system is designed for administrators who can manage VPS environments, requiring specific port forwarding for RTC traffic, specifically port 7881 and the 50000 to 50100 UDP range, to enable video and audio capabilities. To maintain stability, the developers recommend a minimum server specification of 2 vCPUs and 2 GB of memory.

Stoat is positioned as a comprehensive tool for organizations seeking full control over their communication infrastructure and data residency.