Faye
- Android app
- Not listed
- Free plan
- Yes
- Runs on
- Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Web, Windows

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 plansCompared 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
Best Faye alternatives
See all 20Where it ranks on Everything Xiaomi
Is Faye yours?
Claim it for free: prove the domain, then correct facts, plans and screenshots. An editor reviews every change.
Sources
- faye.jcoglan.com· checked 4 Oct 2026
- faye.jcoglan.com/browser.html· checked 4 Oct 2026
- faye.jcoglan.com/architecture.html· checked 4 Oct 2026
- faye.jcoglan.com/node/engines.html· checked 4 Oct 2026
- faye.jcoglan.com/download.html· checked 4 Oct 2026
- faye.jcoglan.com/node/extensions.html· checked 4 Oct 2026
- faye.jcoglan.com/security.html· checked 4 Oct 2026
- faye.jcoglan.com/node/monitoring.html· checked 4 Oct 2026


