Twitter Vs. Jabber

by Ken Burnside Google

Jabber and Twitter's similar-sounding names imply their natures as services used for quick, short instant messages, and both are used to communicate over the Internet. Beyond that, the two couldn't be more different. Jabber is an open-source messaging protocol and underlies several instant messaging implementations, while Twitter positions itself as a micro-blogging site, where posts go out to everyone who's subscribed to a person as a follower.

Setup and Registration

Jabber requires a compatible client program, but that client program can consolidate logins from multiple networks. One example of a Jabber client is the program Digsby, which provides one user interface for all of your Internet messaging services. Twitter also requires that you create accounts and log in, but there's only one service to manage. While there are standalone Twitter clients, they aren't required; the service can be used by browser plugins. Google's Gchat service is a browser plugin that's installed with your Gmail or Google Plus account, for example.

User Identification

Jabber handles or names look like email addresses. For example, if someone were named John Doe and used Jabber via Gchat, his Jabber handle would be johndoe@gchat. Twitter's usernames are only one element -- for example, @johndoe, which makes it easier for Twitter users to attract followers. Twitter also supports hashtag nomenclature, identifying a tweet with a "#" and some word, such as #worldseries, which enables someone to search for a hashtag and find all currently relevant tweets using it. While any Jabber-compatible service can, in theory, send messages to and from any other Jabber-compatible service, there's only one service for Twitter.

Communication Differences

Jabber ultimately is an Instant Messaging protocol. It's meant to enable one-to-one interaction, or a small group holding a group chat together along a conversational model. Twitter is a broadcast platform, with very low latency. In a Jabber conversation, you can be reasonably certain that what you say will go only to the intended recipient; with a Tweet, whatever you say will go to anyone who's following you, and he has the option to forward what you're saying to all of his followers, a practice called retweeting.

Mobile Access

Twitter has mobile front end applications on iOS and Android, as well as a desktop client. Text messages can also be sent to Twitter and post in your stream. Mobile phones connecting to Jabber-compatible services like AOL Instant Messenger and GChat also exist, and they can be configured to connect to a private Jabber server. Jabber includes gateway protocols that can transfer messages to and from other instant messaging systems.

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