matrix
Table of Contents
Matrix
Matrix is an open, decentralized communication protocol that can be used to hold end-to-end encrypted conversations. It's touted as this “modern IRC” or “secure Discord alternative” that can be bridged to both, but it's still relatively obscure at the time of this writing.
Matrix clients
This article is somewhat old.
Below is a basic list that is intended for everyday people on Windows.
For a more full list, see Matrix's Clients page.
Desktop/Web clients
| Client | 🔐 | Technical information | Platform | 👁️ | Comments | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maturity | Language and License | Win | Web | ||||
| Element | Y | Stable | JavaScript Apache-2.0 | Y | Y | Y | Once called “Vector” and “Riot”. It's popular, but very bland. |
| SchildiChat | Y | Stable | JavaScript Apache-2.0 | Y | Y | Y | A slightly better Element clone. Some customization options. |
| Cinny | Y | Stable | JavaScript MIT | N | Y | N | Resembles Discord or Slack. Named after a bird. |
| nheko | Y | Beta | C++/Qt GPL-3.0-or-later | Y | N | ~ | The most unique client thus far. |
| Hydrogen | Y | Beta | JavaScript Apache-2.0 | N | Y | N | Element's other bland client. |
| FluffyChat | Y | Released | Flutter AGPL-3.0-only | N | Y | Y | You can customize the wallpaper. |
Note: 🔐 means end-to-end encryption. 👁️ means read receipts, with “~” being an option to disable.
Mobile clients
| Client | Technical information | Platform | 🔐 | 👁️ | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maturity | Language and License | iOS | Android | ||||
| SchildiChat | Android | Stable | Kotlin Apache-2.0 | Google Play F-Droid | |||
| Element | Android | Beta | Kotlin Apache-2.0 | Google Play F-Droid | |||
| iOS | Released | Objective-C Apache-2.0 | App Store | Y | |||
| Ditto Chat | Alpha | JavaScript GPL-3.0-or-later | TestFlight | Google Play | |||
| Nio | Alpha | Swift MPL-2.0 | TestFlight | ||||
| Syphon | Alpha | Dart/Flutter AGPL-3.0-or-later | App Store | Google Play F-Droid | N | ~ | |
| FluffyChat | Released | Flutter AGPL-3.0-only | App Store | Google Play F-Droid | Y | N | |
Note: You can swipe the chart on mobile.
Notes
- Why the hell are “read receipts” considered a “feature” anyways?
- In 2018, the French government adopted Matrix1) and developed a client named “Tchap”, which is named after Claude Chappe who pioneered the semaphore telegraph.
External links
- Matrix - The front page of Matrix.
- Matrix (protocol) on Wikipedia
1)
"Matrix and Riot confirmed as the basis for France's Secure Instant Messenger app" (April 26, 2018). Matrix.
matrix.txt · Last modified: 2023-11-05 19:32:12 by namelessrumia