<chapter xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude" version="5.0" xml:id="module-services-matrix"> <title>Matrix</title> <para> <link xlink:href="https://matrix.org/">Matrix</link> is an open standard for interoperable, decentralised, real-time communication over IP. It can be used to power Instant Messaging, VoIP/WebRTC signalling, Internet of Things communication - or anywhere you need a standard HTTP API for publishing and subscribing to data whilst tracking the conversation history. </para> <para> This chapter will show you how to set up your own, self-hosted Matrix homeserver using the Synapse reference homeserver, and how to serve your own copy of the Element web client. See the <link xlink:href="https://matrix.org/docs/projects/try-matrix-now.html">Try Matrix Now!</link> overview page for links to Element Apps for Android and iOS, desktop clients, as well as bridges to other networks and other projects around Matrix. </para> <section xml:id="module-services-matrix-synapse"> <title>Synapse Homeserver</title> <para> <link xlink:href="https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse">Synapse</link> is the reference homeserver implementation of Matrix from the core development team at matrix.org. The following configuration example will set up a synapse server for the <literal>example.org</literal> domain, served from the host <literal>myhostname.example.org</literal>. For more information, please refer to the <link xlink:href="https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/setup/installation.html"> installation instructions of Synapse </link>. <programlisting> { pkgs, lib, config, ... }: let fqdn = "${config.networking.hostName}.${config.networking.domain}"; clientConfig = { "m.homeserver".base_url = "https://${fqdn}"; "m.identity_server" = {}; }; serverConfig."m.server" = "${config.services.matrix-synapse.settings.server_name}:443"; mkWellKnown = data: '' add_header Content-Type application/json; add_header Access-Control-Allow-Origin *; return 200 '${builtins.toJSON data}'; ''; in { <xref linkend="opt-networking.hostName" /> = "myhostname"; <xref linkend="opt-networking.domain" /> = "example.org"; <xref linkend="opt-networking.firewall.allowedTCPPorts" /> = [ 80 443 ]; <xref linkend="opt-services.postgresql.enable" /> = true; <xref linkend="opt-services.postgresql.initialScript" /> = pkgs.writeText "synapse-init.sql" '' CREATE ROLE "matrix-synapse" WITH LOGIN PASSWORD 'synapse'; CREATE DATABASE "matrix-synapse" WITH OWNER "matrix-synapse" TEMPLATE template0 LC_COLLATE = "C" LC_CTYPE = "C"; ''; services.nginx = { <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.enable">enable</link> = true; <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.recommendedTlsSettings">recommendedTlsSettings</link> = true; <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.recommendedOptimisation">recommendedOptimisation</link> = true; <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.recommendedGzipSettings">recommendedGzipSettings</link> = true; <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.recommendedProxySettings">recommendedProxySettings</link> = true; <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.virtualHosts">virtualHosts</link> = { "${config.networking.domain}" = { <co xml:id='ex-matrix-synapse-dns' /> <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.virtualHosts._name_.enableACME">enableACME</link> = true; <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.virtualHosts._name_.forceSSL">forceSSL</link> = true; <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.virtualHosts._name_.locations._name_.extraConfig">locations."= /.well-known/matrix/server".extraConfig</link> = mkWellKnown serverConfig; <co xml:id='ex-matrix-synapse-well-known-server' /> <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.virtualHosts._name_.locations._name_.extraConfig">locations."= /.well-known/matrix/client".extraConfig</link> = mkWellKnown clientConfig; <co xml:id='ex-matrix-synapse-well-known-client' /> }; "${fqdn}" = { <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.virtualHosts._name_.enableACME">enableACME</link> = true; <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.virtualHosts._name_.forceSSL">forceSSL</link> = true; <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.virtualHosts._name_.locations._name_.extraConfig">locations."/".extraConfig</link> = '' <co xml:id='ex-matrix-synapse-rev-default' /> return 404; ''; <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.virtualHosts._name_.locations._name_.proxyPass">locations."/_matrix".proxyPass</link> = "http://[::1]:8008"; <co xml:id='ex-matrix-synapse-rev-proxy-pass' /> <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.virtualHosts._name_.locations._name_.proxyPass">locations."/_synapse/client".proxyPass</link> = "http://[::1]:8008"; <co xml:id='ex-matrix-synapse-rev-client' /> }; }; }; services.matrix-synapse = { <link linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.enable">enable</link> = true; <link linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.settings.server_name">settings.server_name</link> = config.networking.domain; <link linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.settings.listeners">settings.listeners</link> = [ { <link linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.settings.listeners._.port">port</link> = 8008; <link linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.settings.listeners._.bind_addresses">bind_addresses</link> = [ "::1" ]; <link linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.settings.listeners._.type">type</link> = "http"; <link linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.settings.listeners._.tls">tls</link> = false; <link linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.settings.listeners._.x_forwarded">x_forwarded</link> = true; <link linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.settings.listeners._.resources">resources</link> = [ { <link linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.settings.listeners._.resources._.names">names</link> = [ "client" "federation" ]; <link linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.settings.listeners._.resources._.compress">compress</link> = true; } ]; } ]; }; } </programlisting> </para> <calloutlist> <callout arearefs='ex-matrix-synapse-dns'> <para> If the <code>A</code> and <code>AAAA</code> DNS records on <literal>example.org</literal> do not point on the same host as the records for <code>myhostname.example.org</code>, you can easily move the <code>/.well-known</code> virtualHost section of the code to the host that is serving <literal>example.org</literal>, while the rest stays on <literal>myhostname.example.org</literal> with no other changes required. This pattern also allows to seamlessly move the homeserver from <literal>myhostname.example.org</literal> to <literal>myotherhost.example.org</literal> by only changing the <code>/.well-known</code> redirection target. </para> </callout> <callout arearefs='ex-matrix-synapse-well-known-server'> <para> This section is not needed if the <link linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.settings.server_name">server_name</link> of <package>matrix-synapse</package> is equal to the domain (i.e. <literal>example.org</literal> from <literal>@foo:example.org</literal>) and the federation port is 8448. Further reference can be found in the <link xlink:href="https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/delegate.html">docs about delegation</link>. </para> </callout> <callout arearefs='ex-matrix-synapse-well-known-client'> <para> This is usually needed for homeserver discovery (from e.g. other Matrix clients). Further reference can be found in the <link xlink:href="https://spec.matrix.org/latest/client-server-api/#getwell-knownmatrixclient">upstream docs</link> </para> </callout> <callout arearefs='ex-matrix-synapse-rev-default'> <para> It's also possible to do a redirect here or something else, this vhost is not needed for Matrix. It's recommended though to <emphasis>not put</emphasis> element here, see also the <link linkend='ex-matrix-synapse-rev-default'>section about Element</link>. </para> </callout> <callout arearefs='ex-matrix-synapse-rev-proxy-pass'> <para> Forward all Matrix API calls to the synapse Matrix homeserver. A trailing slash <emphasis>must not</emphasis> be used here. </para> </callout> <callout arearefs='ex-matrix-synapse-rev-client'> <para> Forward requests for e.g. SSO and password-resets. </para> </callout> </calloutlist> </section> <section xml:id="module-services-matrix-register-users"> <title>Registering Matrix users</title> <para> If you want to run a server with public registration by anybody, you can then enable <literal><link linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.settings.enable_registration">services.matrix-synapse.settings.enable_registration</link> = true;</literal>. Otherwise, or you can generate a registration secret with <command>pwgen -s 64 1</command> and set it with <option><link linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.settings.registration_shared_secret">services.matrix-synapse.settings.registration_shared_secret</link></option>. To create a new user or admin, run the following after you have set the secret and have rebuilt NixOS: <screen> <prompt>$ </prompt>nix-shell -p matrix-synapse <prompt>$ </prompt>register_new_matrix_user -k <replaceable>your-registration-shared-secret</replaceable> http://localhost:8008 <prompt>New user localpart: </prompt><replaceable>your-username</replaceable> <prompt>Password:</prompt> <prompt>Confirm password:</prompt> <prompt>Make admin [no]:</prompt> Success! </screen> In the example, this would create a user with the Matrix Identifier <literal>@your-username:example.org</literal>. <warning> <para> When using <xref linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.settings.registration_shared_secret" />, the secret will end up in the world-readable store. Instead it's recommended to deploy the secret in an additional file like this: <itemizedlist> <listitem> <para> Create a file with the following contents: <programlisting>registration_shared_secret: your-very-secret-secret</programlisting> </para> </listitem> <listitem> <para> Deploy the file with a secret-manager such as <link xlink:href="https://nixops.readthedocs.io/en/latest/overview.html#managing-keys"><option>deployment.keys</option></link> from <citerefentry><refentrytitle>nixops</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry> or <link xlink:href="https://github.com/Mic92/sops-nix/">sops-nix</link> to e.g. <filename>/run/secrets/matrix-shared-secret</filename> and ensure that it's readable by <package>matrix-synapse</package>. </para> </listitem> <listitem> <para> Include the file like this in your configuration: <programlisting> { <xref linkend="opt-services.matrix-synapse.extraConfigFiles" /> = [ "/run/secrets/matrix-shared-secret" ]; } </programlisting> </para> </listitem> </itemizedlist> </para> </warning> </para> <note> <para> It's also possible to user alternative authentication mechanism such as <link xlink:href="https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-synapse-ldap3">LDAP (via <literal>matrix-synapse-ldap3</literal>)</link> or <link xlink:href="https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/openid.html">OpenID</link>. </para> </note> </section> <section xml:id="module-services-matrix-element-web"> <title>Element (formerly known as Riot) Web Client</title> <para> <link xlink:href="https://github.com/vector-im/riot-web/">Element Web</link> is the reference web client for Matrix and developed by the core team at matrix.org. Element was formerly known as Riot.im, see the <link xlink:href="https://element.io/blog/welcome-to-element/">Element introductory blog post</link> for more information. The following snippet can be optionally added to the code before to complete the synapse installation with a web client served at <code>https://element.myhostname.example.org</code> and <code>https://element.example.org</code>. Alternatively, you can use the hosted copy at <link xlink:href="https://app.element.io/">https://app.element.io/</link>, or use other web clients or native client applications. Due to the <literal>/.well-known</literal> urls set up done above, many clients should fill in the required connection details automatically when you enter your Matrix Identifier. See <link xlink:href="https://matrix.org/docs/projects/try-matrix-now.html">Try Matrix Now!</link> for a list of existing clients and their supported featureset. <programlisting> { services.nginx.virtualHosts."element.${fqdn}" = { <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.virtualHosts._name_.enableACME">enableACME</link> = true; <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.virtualHosts._name_.forceSSL">forceSSL</link> = true; <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.virtualHosts._name_.serverAliases">serverAliases</link> = [ "element.${config.networking.domain}" ]; <link linkend="opt-services.nginx.virtualHosts._name_.root">root</link> = pkgs.element-web.override { conf = { default_server_config = clientConfig; # see `clientConfig` from the snippet above. }; }; }; } </programlisting> </para> <note> <para> The Element developers do not recommend running Element and your Matrix homeserver on the same fully-qualified domain name for security reasons. In the example, this means that you should not reuse the <literal>myhostname.example.org</literal> virtualHost to also serve Element, but instead serve it on a different subdomain, like <literal>element.example.org</literal> in the example. See the <link xlink:href="https://github.com/vector-im/element-web/tree/v1.10.0#important-security-notes">Element Important Security Notes</link> for more information on this subject. </para> </note> </section> </chapter>