The Matrix Protocol #

Matrix is an open standard for real-time communication — chat, voice, video, file sharing, VR — that nobody owns. It's federated the way email is federated: anyone can run a server, servers talk to each other, and you can pick any compatible client to access your account.

If you just want to sign in and chat, jump to Getting Started. Come back here when you want to understand why things work the way they do.

Philosophy: open, federated, and yours #

Three principles drive everything Matrix does:

  • Open standard. The spec is public at spec.matrix.org, versioned, developed in the open. Anyone can implement a server, a client or a bridge without signing a contract.
  • Decentralized. No single company runs Matrix. You (or Meldry on your behalf) run a homeserver and that's where your account lives. Your conversations are replicated across every participating homeserver so no single server can censor or lose them.
  • Interoperable. Matrix is not trying to be "another chat app" — it's trying to be the glue between them. Bridges and appservices let you reach people who aren't on Matrix at all, without asking them to migrate.

The result is a communication network where you keep control of your identity, your data and your tool of choice, while still being able to talk to anyone.

What's in this section #

This section is split into focused sub-pages. You don't need to read them in order — each one stands on its own — but this is the order we'd recommend if you're new:

  • Architecture — protocol characteristics (event-sourced DAG, eventual consistency, extensibility), the client ↔ homeserver ↔ homeserver layout, and how the Client-Server and Server-Server APIs actually work. Also covers rooms and spaces.
  • Identity — Matrix User IDs (@alice:server), third-party identifiers (email/phone), device IDs, and how the sigils (@, !, #, $) fit together.
  • Encryption — end-to-end encryption in depth: Olm for device pairs, Megolm for rooms, cross-signing, device verification flows, Secure Secret Storage and Sharing (SSSS), and key backup.
  • Clients — the Matrix clients you can pick from (Element, Element X, FluffyChat, Cinny, Nheko, SchildiChat), how to sign in against a Meldry server, and troubleshooting the three most common sign-in failures.
  • Ecosystem — the Matrix.org Foundation, the main homeserver implementations (Synapse, Dendrite, Conduit, Palpo), notable deployments (Tchap, BwMessenger, KDE, Mozilla…), and spec versioning.

Quick reference #

If you only read one paragraph: Matrix is an open, federated, event-sourced protocol for real-time messaging with end-to-end encryption built in. Your account lives on a homeserver (Meldry runs yours); you use a client of your choice to talk to it; the homeserver talks to other homeservers via federation so you can reach anyone on the network; and bridges hook it up to Telegram, Slack, Discord and the rest.

Where to next #