# Coccinella

> client for the XMPP/Jabber instant messaging protocol

**Wikidata**: [Q1105036](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1105036)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coccinella_(software))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/coccinella

## Summary
Coccinella is a free, open-source instant-messaging client that speaks the XMPP/Jabber protocol. Written in the Tcl scripting language with a Tk GUI, it runs on Windows and Unix-like systems and is licensed under the GNU General Public License.

## Key Facts
- First released in 1999 under the name “Whiteboard”
- Stable version 0.96.20 published 29 September 2010
- Written entirely in Tcl/Tk
- Distributed under GNU General Public License
- Packaged for Debian, Gentoo (to 2020-03-15), FreeBSD, OpenBSD
- Source code hosted on SourceForge at https://sourceforge.net/p/coccinella/code/HEAD/tree/
- Official website: http://coccinella.im/
- Logo and screenshot files available on Wikimedia Commons

## FAQs
### Q: What operating systems does Coccinella support?
A: It runs on Microsoft Windows and any Unix-like operating system.

### Q: Is Coccinella still actively maintained?
A: The last stable release (0.96.20) dates from 2010; no newer releases are documented.

### Q: What license covers Coccinella?
A: It is released under the GNU General Public License, making it free software.

### Q: Where can I download the source code?
A: The repository is on SourceForge at https://sourceforge.net/p/coccinella/code/HEAD/tree/

## Why It Matters
Coccinella arrived early in the history of open instant messaging, offering a cross-platform XMPP client at a time when proprietary networks dominated. By choosing the permissive GNU GPL and scripting the application in Tcl/Tk, the project lowered the barrier for developers to study, modify, and redistribute the code, fostering education and experimentation. Its inclusion in major Linux distributions and BSD ports collections made XMPP accessible to thousands of users who preferred open-source software. Even though development has ceased, Coccinella remains a reference implementation showing how lightweight scripting languages can produce fully featured, network-capable desktop applications.

## Notable For
- One of the first XMPP clients to ship with an integrated whiteboard feature
- Entire client implemented in ~100 % Tcl/Tk, demonstrating the toolkit’s reach beyond utilities
- Packaged by default in Debian stable and multiple BSD systems, giving it broad repository visibility
- Distinctive lady-bug (coccinella) branding and logo, making the client instantly recognizable

## Body
### Origins and Naming
The program began in 1999 as “Whiteboard,” a name that highlighted its novel sketch-sharing feature. It was later renamed Coccinella, the Italian word for ladybug, reflected in the insect-themed logo.

### Technology Stack
Coccinella is built with Tcl 8.x and Tk 8.x, leveraging the event-driven I/O of Tcl for asynchronous XMPP traffic while using Tk’s canvas for the whiteboard and roster windows. No compiled language is required; the whole application is script-based.

### Feature Set
Beyond standard XMPP chat and presence, Coccinella offers multi-user conferencing, SSL/TLS encryption, service discovery, and a shared whiteboard that lets contacts draw simultaneously during conversations.

### Packaging and Distribution
Official packages exist for Debian (coccinella), Gentoo (net-im/coccinella, retired 2020-03-15), FreeBSD (net-im/coccinella), and OpenBSD (net/coccinella). A SourceForge project hosts nightly builds and bug trackers.

### End of Life
Version 0.96.20, tagged on 29 September 2010, is the last stable build documented in release notes. No commits or announcements have appeared since, so the project is considered discontinued.

## References

1. [Coccinella 0.96.20 Released](http://coccinella.im/coccinella-0.96.20)
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [Source](https://gitweb.gentoo.org/repo/gentoo.git/commit/net-im/coccinella?id=4bc27b3df7d81390447b4a7bd70bde68f6bdcd6b)