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Apache ActiveMQ

activemq.apache.org

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Spec score 9.0 #3 of 39 in Message Broker Software

What it is

Apache ActiveMQ is an open-source messaging and Integration Patterns server for applications that exchange messages. It is self-hosted and supports OpenWire, STOMP, AMQP 1.0, MQTT 3.1, and REST. Listed client languages include Java, C, C++, C#, Ruby, Perl, Python, and PHP. Messaging features include message groups, virtual and composite destinations, wildcards, and enterprise integration patterns. ActiveMQ fully supports JMS 1.1 and J2EE 1.4+ messaging, including transient, persistent, transactional, and XA modes; support for Jakarta Messaging 3.1 and JMS 2.0 is partial. Transport options include in-VM, TCP, SSL, NIO, UDP, multicast, JGroups, and JXTA, with JDBC persistence and a high-performance journal. Browser access is available through a REST API and Ajax web streaming. Security options include pluggable providers, JAAS authentication, XML-configured authorization, and user, group, and destination permissions. ActiveMQ Classic costs nothing under the Apache License 2.0.

Spec sheet

What it does
Apache ActiveMQ is a Java-based, open-source message broker for asynchronous application communication.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Product
Apache ActiveMQ is an open source messaging and Integration Patterns server.Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Integrations
The site lists Spring support, JCA 1.5 resource adaptors, and testing in TomEE, Geronimo, JBoss, GlassFish, and WebLogic.Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Security
The security documentation describes pluggable providers, JAAS authentication, and XML-configured authorization.Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
License
The product is released under the Apache License 2.0.Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Administration
A bundled web console provides queue, topic, subscriber, connection, scheduling and message-send administration.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Advanced messaging features
The feature catalogue includes message groups, virtual destinations, wildcards, composite destinations, selectors, redelivery policies and scheduled delivery.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
AMQP
ActiveMQ supports the OASIS AMQP 1.0 protocol, including SASL authentication and authorization policies.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Authentication and permissions
The documentation describes authentication with users and groups and destination permissions for read, write, and admin operations.Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Build tooling
Source builds use Apache Maven, with commands for building and generating Eclipse or IntelliJ project files.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Client languages
The site lists clients for Java, C, C++, C#, Ruby, Perl, Python, and PHP.Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Clustering and high availability
Features include broker networks, master-slave configurations, shared storage and replicated message stores.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Cross-language clients
Official pages list client support for Java, C, C++, C#, Ruby, Perl, Python, PHP and JavaScript.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Current Java requirements
The 6.3.2 release lists Java compatibility for 17, 21 and 25, recommending Java 25 for virtual threads.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Current release
ActiveMQ 6.3.2 was released on September 2, 2026 as a maintenance release.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Documentation
The project publishes getting-started, protocol, feature, security, administration, FAQ and API documentation.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Download verification
The project recommends verifying downloads with an ASC signature or SHA-512 checksum.Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Enterprise integration
ActiveMQ implements Enterprise Integration Patterns and can run Apache Camel routes inside the broker.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Installation
Installation consists of downloading an archive, extracting it and starting the broker with the supplied activemq command.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
JCA integration
The distribution includes JCA 1.5 resource adapters for inbound and outbound messaging in J2EE servers.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
JMS support
It partially supports Jakarta Messaging 3.1 and JMS 2.0, and fully supports JMS 1.1 and J2EE 1.4+ with transient, persistent, transactional, and XA messaging.Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Licence
ActiveMQ is open source under the Apache License 2.0.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Limit: documentation and streaming
G2 reviewers report that documentation can be hard to read, that the broker is unsuitable for some high-load or event-streaming workloads, and that clustering or failover may be less seamless than alternatives.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Limit: sparse documentation
Capterra reviewers repeatedly describe the documentation as sparse and say RabbitMQ is better documented or more prominent.Read 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Maker founded
LinkedIn lists the Apache Software Foundation as founded in 1999.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Maker headquarters
LinkedIn lists Wilmington, Delaware as the foundation's headquarters.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Maker legal name
The Apache Software Foundation is the organization identified as ActiveMQ's maker.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Maker size
LinkedIn lists the foundation's company size as 5,001–10,000 employees.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Management API
Documented JSON management endpoints expose broker, queue, topic, subscription, connector and connection metrics.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Messaging features
It supports Message Groups, Virtual Destinations, Wildcards, Composite Destinations, and Enterprise Integration Patterns.Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Messaging model
It supports queues, topics, JMS addressing, persistent and transient messages, transactions, and XA messaging.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Messaging protocols
The site lists OpenWire, STOMP, AMQP 1.0, and MQTT 3.1 support.Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
MQTT
MQTT 3.1 and 3.1.1 are supported and mapped to JMS/NMS messaging semantics for IoT clients.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
OpenWire
OpenWire is the native high-performance protocol, with Java, C, C++ and C# client implementations.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Ownership and funding
Crunchbase describes the Apache Software Foundation as a nonprofit supported by individual donations and corporate sponsors.Read 14 Oct 2026 · crunchbase.com
Persistence
KahaDB and JDBC are supported persistence choices, with a high-performance journal option.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Praise: ease and scale
G2 reviewers repeatedly praise ease of use, JMS integration, scalability, microservice communication, open-source availability and straightforward setup.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Praise: interoperability
Capterra reviewers praise using ActiveMQ to connect heterogeneous systems, queue requests without overloading the main system, and communicate through MQTT, AMQP and JMS.Read 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Pricing listing
Capterra lists pricing as contact vendor and says a free trial is not available.Read 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Public repository
The public GitHub repository exposes separate modules for AMQP, MQTT, OpenWire, JMS, JDBC, KahaDB, Spring, STOMP, web console and tooling.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Rating on Capterra
5.0 out of 5 from 3 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Rating on G2
4.3 out of 5 from 16 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Release support
The download page marks ActiveMQ 6.3.x and 5.19.x as active, and says active releases receive community updates, security patches, and bug fixes.Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
REST API
A REST interface lets HTTP clients publish with POST and consume with GET or DELETE.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Runtime requirements
The download page lists Java compatibility for ActiveMQ 6.3.2 as versions 17, 21, and 25.Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Security controls
Security supports JAAS authentication, XML authorization rules, LDAP-related modules, Shiro, SSL transports and message-level authorization plugins.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Self-hosting
Users can download binary or source archives, run the broker as a standalone process, or embed it in an application.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Spring integration
Spring support allows embedding ActiveMQ in Spring applications and configuring it through Spring XML.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
STOMP and other protocols
The broker supports STOMP, REST, HTTP, WebSockets, RSS/Atom, XMPP and other transport protocols.Read 14 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Transport and persistence
It supports transports including in-VM, TCP, SSL, NIO, UDP, multicast, JGroups, and JXTA, plus JDBC persistence and a high-performance journal.Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org
Web access
The product provides a REST API and Ajax web streaming support for browsers.Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org

Plans and prices

Apache ActiveMQ Classic Free Open source · Apache License 2.0 Read 3 Oct 2026 · activemq.apache.org

Every Apache ActiveMQ plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Supports OpenWire, STOMP, AMQP, MQTT, and REST.
  • Client libraries are listed for eight languages.
  • Offers JDBC persistence and a high-performance journal.
  • Free under Apache License 2.0.

Limits

  • Jakarta Messaging 3.1 and JMS 2.0 support is partial.
  • Requires a self-hosted deployment.

Who it suits

It suits teams building self-hosted messaging between applications, particularly those needing several protocols, client languages, or JMS options. Its transport, persistence, and security choices also suit deployments with specific infrastructure requirements.

Verdict

Apache ActiveMQ provides broad protocol, transport, and messaging support in a self-hosted package. Its JMS support varies by version, so teams needing Jakarta Messaging 3.1 or JMS 2.0 should account for partial coverage.

Where Specifiction places it

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