Openfire
| Company type | Open-source software project |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software |
| Predecessor | Wildfire, Jive Messenger |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Founder | Jive Software |
| Headquarters | Community-led (Ignite Realtime Foundation) |
Key people | Dave Cridland (project lead) |
| Products | Instant messaging and groupchat server software |
| Website | www |
Openfire—previously known as Wildfire and Jive Messenger—functions as a server for instant messaging and groupchat utilizing the Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP). Created using the Java platform, it is distributed under the terms of the Apache License 2.0.
History
The software originated at Jive Software circa 2002 to support their FastPath customer assistance solution, initially released under the name Jive Messenger. It was rebranded as Wildfire in 2005, and later renamed Openfire in 2007 due to trademark conflicts. Complete transfer of project stewardship to the community occurred in 2008, with Jive Software continuing hosting services until 2016.
Current Governance
Post-transition, the Ignite Realtime Foundation was formed to oversee Openfire alongside related initiatives. Development proceeds via a community-led approach, with Dave Cridland acting as the project lead.
Web-based administration panel
Administration of Openfire servers is primarily conducted through a web-based interface accessible on ports 9090 (HTTP) and 9091 (HTTPS), allowing for remote configuration by system administrators.
Features
Openfire incorporates numerous enterprise-oriented capabilities, including:
- A web-based administrative console
- Support for an extensive range of plugins through a modular plugin architecture enabling tailored configurations
- SSL/TLS encryption support for secure communications
- An intuitive web interface paired with a guided setup process
- Database integration via embedded HSQLDB or other DBMS systems using a JDBC 3 driver to manage message and user information
- LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) compatibility
- Cross-platform operation based on pure Java codebase
- Seamless compatibility with the Spark (XMPP client) application
- Scalability to accommodate upwards of 50,000 simultaneous users
Additionally, Openfire supports clustering by linking multiple server instances into a cohesive environment through an open-source clustering plugin built on Hazelcast technology.