Websites using Gitter

Okay, let s break down Gitter, covering its overview, revenue (or lack thereof), alternatives, pricing (mostly free), and customer care details.

Gitter: An Overview

• What it is: Gitter (now part of GitLab) is an open-source, developer-focused chat and collaboration platform. It s designed to facilitate communication around software development projects. Think of it as a blend of Slack and GitHub, specifically tailored for developers.
• Key Features:
  • Integration with GitHub: Direct integration with GitHub repositories. This means you can link Gitter rooms to repos, receive notifications on commits, issues, pull requests, etc., directly in the chat.
  • Rooms/Channels: Organize conversations into dedicated rooms (channels) based on topics, projects, or teams.
  • Markdown Support: Extensive support for Markdown formatting, essential for sharing code snippets and technical documentation within conversations.
  • Public and Private Rooms: Create public rooms that anyone can join or private rooms for sensitive discussions.
  • Desktop and Mobile Apps: Access Gitter through web browsers, desktop applications (Windows, macOS, Linux), and mobile apps (iOS and Android).
  • Mentions & Notifications: Use @username to mention specific users and get their attention. Customize notification settings.
  • Search: Search through chat history to find specific information or conversations.
  • Webhooks: Integrate Gitter with other services and tools using webhooks.
  • Inline Media: Share images, GIFs, and other media directly in the chat.
• Target Audience: Primarily software developers, open-source project maintainers, and development teams.

Revenue and Business Model

• Gitter s Revenue History: Historically, Gitter struggled with monetization. It was acquired by GitLab in 2017. Before that, they attempted several models, including:
  • Paid Organizations: Offering premium features for organizations, like increased storage and priority support.
  • Donations/Sponsorships: Relying on community support to fund development.
• Current Model (Under GitLab): GitLab now integrates Gitter functionality and doesn t directly charge separately for it. Gitter is largely maintained as a community resource. GitLab benefits from Gitter by having users engage more with their platform.
• In short: Gitter itself doesn t have a distinct, revenue-generating business model anymore. It s part of the GitLab ecosystem.

Pricing

• Mostly Free: The core Gitter features are generally available for free, especially for public rooms and open-source projects.
• GitLab Integration: Using Gitter private rooms and deeper integrations might be tied to GitLab s subscription plans, but the fundamental chat functionality remains free for many use cases.
• Key Takeaway: Think of Gitter as a free tool that tightly integrates with GitLab, and some enhanced features might require a GitLab subscription.

Alternatives to Gitter

If you re looking for alternatives to Gitter, consider these options, keeping in mind their strengths and weaknesses:

• Slack: A very popular team communication platform. It s more general-purpose than Gitter but has extensive integrations and a large ecosystem. Pricing: Free plan with limitations, paid plans for more features.
• Discord: Originally designed for gaming communities, Discord is now used by many developers as well. It offers voice and video chat in addition to text. Pricing: Free with optional Nitro subscription for enhanced features.
• Mattermost: An open-source, self-hosted messaging platform, offering greater control over your data and infrastructure. Pricing: Free, open-source version; paid enterprise plans with support and additional features.
• Rocket.Chat: Another open-source alternative, similar to Mattermost. Pricing: Free, open-source version; paid plans for cloud hosting and support.
• Microsoft Teams: Part of the Microsoft 365 suite, Teams is tightly integrated with other Microsoft products. Pricing: Included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
• Telegram: Provides strong encryption and a focus on privacy.
• IRC (Internet Relay Chat): A classic protocol for real-time communication. While older, it s still used by some open-source communities. Pricing: Free, using open source servers

Choosing an Alternative: The best alternative depends on your specific needs:

• Large organization with diverse needs: Slack or Microsoft Teams.
• Open-source focus and desire for self-hosting: Mattermost or Rocket.Chat.
• Gaming community or focus on voice chat: Discord.
• Tight integration with the Microsoft ecosystem: Microsoft Teams.
• Privacy: Telegram

Customer Care and Support

• Community Support: Gitter s support largely relies on its community. Look for help in Gitter s own public rooms, Stack Overflow, and other developer forums.
• GitLab Integration: If you re using Gitter as part of GitLab, your support will be handled through GitLab s support channels. GitLab s support levels depend on your subscription plan.
• Documentation: Gitter has some documentation, but it might not be as comprehensive as that of larger platforms like Slack. The best place to start is on GitLab s documentation about integrating and using Gitter.
• No Dedicated Gitter Support Team: Since Gitter isn t a standalone product, there isn t a specific Gitter customer support team.

In summary: Gitter is a useful, developer-centric chat platform, especially when integrated with GitLab. While it doesn t have a direct revenue model or dedicated customer support, it offers a free and convenient way to collaborate on software projects, particularly within the GitLab ecosystem. Consider the alternatives if you need features beyond what Gitter provides or require a platform with dedicated support.