Faye

B
B tier on Message Broker SoftwareScore 7.1 · #2 of 38
Android app
Not listed
Free plan
Yes
Runs on
Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Web, Windows
faye.jcoglan.com
The Faye homepage

Summary

Faye is a free, open-source publish-subscribe messaging system built on the Bayeux protocol. It provides message servers for Node.js and Ruby, with clients for servers and major web browsers. Browser clients rely on a Faye server to relay messages; after a connection is lost, the browser client retries periodically and can redeliver messages that were dropped. Transport adapters cover WebSocket, HTTP long-polling, Cross Origin Resource Sharing and JSON-P callback-polling. Server and client extensions can intercept or alter messages, including for subscription authentication, and the monitoring API reports handshakes, subscriptions, unsubscriptions, publishes and disconnections. The default in-process engine cannot span multiple front-end web servers, while documented Redis and Couchbase engines support distributed deployments. The documentation advises using one client per target server because browsers impose per-host connection limits. Cross-domain access and publishing and subscribing are unrestricted by default, so application-specific restrictions are important; HTTPS is advised to protect messages and HTTP transport. Faye is self-hosted and runs on Linux, macOS and Windows. Node.js installation is provided through npm, and Ruby installation through RubyGems.

Who it is for

Faye suits developers building publish-subscribe messaging for Node.js, Ruby or browser clients. Distributed deployments require an alternative to its default in-process engine.

What is good

  • Provides Node.js, Ruby, and browser clients.
  • Supports multiple messaging transports.
  • Can retry connections and redeliver dropped messages.
  • Monitoring API reports messaging activity.

What to know first

  • Browser clients require a Faye server.
  • Default engine cannot span multiple front-end servers.
  • Publishing and subscribing are unrestricted by default.

Verdict

Faye offers server and client components with configurable transports and monitoring. Its default access settings and single-process engine call for attention when planning security or distributed deployment.

Faye plans and pricing

All plans
Faye Free Open-source software · Apache 2.0 license faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026

Compared on message broker software

Deployment model
self_hostedfaye.jcoglan.com
Delivery guarantees
configurablefaye.jcoglan.com
Supported protocols
Bayeuxfaye.jcoglan.com

Facts

Purpose
Faye is a publish-subscribe messaging system based on the Bayeux protocol.faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026
Server and clients
It provides message servers for Node.js and Ruby and clients for servers and major web browsers.faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026
Browser requirement
Browser clients require a Faye server to handle message delivery between clients.faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026
Messaging transports
The adapters support WebSocket, HTTP long-polling, Cross Origin Resource Sharing, and JSON-P callback-polling.faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026
Client recovery
The browser client periodically retries after a lost connection and can redeliver dropped messages.faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026
Scaling
The default in-process engine cannot run one Faye service across multiple front-end web servers; separate Redis and Couchbase engines are documented for distributed deployments.faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026
Integrations
The download instructions provide installation through npm for Node.js and RubyGems for Ruby.faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026
Extensions
Server and client extensions can intercept and modify incoming or outgoing messages, including to implement subscription authentication.faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026
Security
Faye allows cross-domain access and unrestricted publishing and subscribing by default, so the documentation advises adding application-appropriate restrictions.faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026
Transport security
The security guide advises using HTTPS to protect messages and the HTTP transport from eavesdroppers.faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026
Monitoring
The monitoring API can report client handshakes, subscriptions, unsubscriptions, publishes, and disconnections.faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026
Notable browser limit
The documentation advises creating one client per target server because browsers impose per-host connection limits.faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026
License and release
The site lists version 1.4.2, released 14 September 2026, under the Apache 2.0 license.faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026
Maker
The site credits James Coglan as Faye’s maker.faye.jcoglan.com · 4 Oct 2026

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Sources