Jitsi Overview for Beginners: What is Jitsi and Why Use It?

If you’re hunting for a hassle-free, no-cost solution to host video meetings, you’ve probably bumped into Jitsi. This rundown will get you clued up on what it’s all about, how it functions, and why it clicks with so many newbie users. Whether it’s meetings with colleagues, catch-ups with friends, or setting up online classes, getting the hang of it can help you see if Jitsi meets your needs.

What is Jitsi? An Introduction to Jitsi

Jitsi is basically an open-source video conferencing gem. Forget the subscription fees of other tools—Jitsi’s free for everyone. You can jump straight into online meetings through your browser or apps without dealing with downloads or creating accounts.

How Jitsi Works

Jitsi has a bunch of projects, but Jitsi Meet is the headliner. With it, you can kick off a video call in seconds. Just hit up the website, cook up a meeting room, and toss the link to anyone you want in. Your friends or coworkers click the link and voila—they’re in too.

Technically speaking, Jitsi runs on WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) tech, making real-time chats in browsers smooth without needin’ extra plugins. This means it’s good to go on most devices, whether you’re on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, or iOS.

The Birth and Growth of Jitsi

A group of passionate software developers kicked off Jitsi. It gained serious traction when the pandemic had everyone scrambling for video chat alternatives. Nowadays, many put it up there with heavyweights like Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

Why Use Jitsi? Real-World Uses and Benefits

Here’s why folks pick Jitsi over others.

1. No Cost and No Account Needed

Most video tools make you sign up and sometimes ask for cash. Not Jitsi. You can dive into a video chat without any hoops to jump through. Perfect when you want a quick connect without hassle—like spontaneous family chats or last-minute team check-ins.

Real-world example: We whipped up a last-minute online meeting for our local community group using Jitsi. Everyone got online in minutes—no downloads or sign-ups needed. Easy peasy.

2. Strong Security and Privacy

Jitsi keeps calls safe with encryption, including an end-to-end option if your device supports it. Though not all calls are end-to-end encrypted by default, Jitsi puts a big emphasis on security than many freebies. You can even self-host your own server for total control.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) gives Jitsi a thumbs up on privacy over many other options.

3. Open Source Flexibility

Since Jitsi’s open-source, developers and organizations can tweak it to their hearts’ content. For those who want video calls running on their owned servers, Jitsi provides the goods. It’s big for businesses with serious data compliance rules.

Organizations from universities to NGOs around the world dig Jitsi for this reason.

4. Features You’d Expect in Top Platforms

Jitsi offers:

• Screen sharing
• Chat during meetings
• Virtual backgrounds
• Meeting recording (if you’re self-hosting servers or using third-party tools)
• Raise hand feature
• Lobby control to manage guest entry
• Calendar app integrations

How to Get Started with Jitsi: A Beginner’s Step-by-Step Guide

Getting a video call going with Jitsi is a breeze, even if you’re not a techie. Here’s how:

Step 1: Access Jitsi Meet

Head over to meet.jit.si on any modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge). No downloads required.

Step 2: Create a Meeting Room

Enter your meeting name in the box and hit “Go.” Pick something unique to keep crashers off.

For example: community-chat-jan2026

Step 3: Invite Participants

Share the meeting link, like https://meet.jit.si/community-chat-jan2026, with folks you want to join. They just click the link.

Step 4: Adjust Settings

Once in, you can mute/unmute, toggle your camera, share your screen, and chat. Lock the meeting with a password if privacy’s your thing.

Step 5: Ending the Call

Simply close the tab or click “Leave” to hop off. The room stays up for latecomers until everyone leaves.

Jitsi’s simplicity is perfect for chill hangouts or more formal get-togethers.

How Jitsi Stands Out: Comparing It to Other Platforms

While giants like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet rule the market, Jitsi has got some unique perks.

Feature	Jitsi	Zoom	Google Meet
Cost	Free	Free and paid plans	Free with Google account
Account Required	Usually no	Yes	Yes
Open Source	Yes	No	No
Max Free Participants	75+ (server dependent)	100 (free plan)	100
End-to-End Encryption	Optional (beta)	Limited	No
Self-Hosting Available	Yes	No	No
Browser-based Use	Yes	Yes	Yes

Pick Jitsi if privacy, ease, and zero cost matter to you.

Behind the Scenes: Security & Compliance You Can Trust

When picking a video tool, trust is everything. Jitsi’s open-source nature means security pros and developers keep a close eye on the code, chopping down hidden risks found in closed-source software.

Data Handling: Jitsi doesn’t trade away user data or require traceable accounts. Using the public meet.jit.si server, it sticks to GDPR guidelines.

For companies needing HIPAA compliance or similar, hosting Jitsi yourself keeps your data locked tight with no outside interference.

Expert Opinion & Case Study

As a tech-savvy content writer, I’ve tried Jitsi across multiple setups. I’ve seen small teams cut video software costs with Jitsi and keep security and efficiency in check.

A local education charity I collaborated with turned to Jitsi for remote learning during the pandemic. They loved that both parents and kids could join in without hassle. Teachers said the chat function and screen-sharing features were a big hit in class.

Limitations to Consider

Jitsi isn’t perfect. Your call quality may swing depending on your internet and server location. The free public server can lag a bit when many users pile on.

Plus, if you’re after advanced business features like detailed admin controls, you’ll need deeper IT involvement or custom hosting.

Still, for tons of users, the perks easily beat these small hitches.

Conclusion

This jitsi overview laid out why Jitsi is dependable, free, and super user-friendly. Its origins as an open-source project with hefty privacy and usability make it perfect for beginners and tech buffs alike. Starting meetings is a cinch, use it anywhere, and even personalize or host it yourself for extra security.

If you’re up for a switch from big-name video apps that care about your privacy and won’t dent your wallet, give Jitsi a whirl.

Ready to try Jitsi? Jump on meet.jit.si, start your first meeting, and see how easy it is to connect with others.

---