Other bridging functions unrelated to communication So, what can you actually do with Matrix? ![]() Matrix handles all kinds of communication, but communication is a very broad term. Technically a service like Instagram has many servers handling unimaginable amounts of data, but to the end-user, these many servers appear as one. Keep in mind that the term "server" is being used loosely here. On federated networks, you need to designate a username and the server where that username can be formed. On a centralized platform, everyone's on the same servers, so a username alone can suffice. is akin to an email address or your handle on Mastodon. Your Matrix user ID appears in the following format. If you just want to get up and running and start chatting as quickly as you would on any other platform, you can do that too. But this comes with added complexity, and it's hardly required. You can go the self-hosting route if you want maximum control over your data and appreciate this freedom you don't have with the major commercial networks. You will also need to pick a server to host your account. Each offers support for a varying degree of Matrix features. Others are made using a specific programming language or toolkit, such as Fluff圜hat made with Go and Mirage with Qt and Python. Some are tailored to a specific operating system or, on Linux, a specific desktop environment, such as Fractal for GNOME and NeoChat for KDE Plasma. #What is microsoft webmatrix installIt showcases what Matrix can do and is cross-platform, so you can install it on whichever desktop or mobile operating system you wish.Įlement is not alone, and there are many clients to choose from. The Foundation recommends Element as the closest thing to being a flagship product. This is the app whose icon you will see in your app drawer, on your desktop, or your taskbar. To start communicating using the Matrix protocol, you need a Matrix client. Matrix refers to this functionality as bridging. You can set up your Skype account, your Discord account, and your Slack account so that no matter where someone sends you a message, you see them in your Matrix client, and you can respond to any of them from one place. While someone on Twitter can't send a direct message to someone on Facebook, Matrix is interoperable by design. And if those servers go down, no one can communicate. This contrasts with all major commercial platforms, such as Discord, where the company owns the servers that everyone connects to and, as a result, all of the data. These servers can be self-hosted at home or on a virtual private server or hosted by an organization, company, or community. Each server has equal ownership over conversations and self-sovereignty over user data. This is an effort to democratize communication. If your server goes down, the conversation can still go on elsewhere until your server goes back up. When you communicate with someone, the data is shared among all the servers, with users participating in the conversation. There is no single point of failure, such as a centralized server, in Matrix. The Foundation describes Matrix not as a protocol but as a decentralized conversation store. ![]() Yet it's not merely this capability that makes Matrix interesting, but how Matrix works. Matrix is a newer protocol designed to do all of this from the beginning, in the way we've grown accustomed to chatting across our devices. In addition, because XMPP is extensible, it has evolved to handle VoIP calls and video chat as well. XMPP, the Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol, has already done this for instant messaging, where it served as the foundation for the likes of Google Talk, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp (all of which have become increasingly locked down). Matrix is not the first attempt at decentralizing chat. ![]() Together, they are known as the decentralized web (or the fediverse), and with them, you can take control of your digital life, today. Matrix is one of many apps and services available to help you decentralize your online activity in this way. Matrix offers that same freedom to online chat. If you have a ProtonMail email address, you're not limited to only talking to other ProtonMail users. More specifically, it enables you to communicate across different service providers. Matrix is an open standard for real-time communication. There are ways to chat online that offer a greater degree of privacy and freedom. But there's no technical reason for things to be this way. Most of the platforms we use to communicate with each other online are tied to a single provider.
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