Matrix

Federated Protocol

Open protocol for decentralized, secure real-time communications providing an open standard for interoperable instant messaging, VoIP, video calls, and IoT applications using federated homeserver architecture. Synchronizes extensible JSON objects ('events') between clients, servers, and services via a partially ordered DAG (event graph) with eventual consistency. Optimizes for Availability and Partition tolerance (CAP theorem) at the expense of Consistency

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Detalhes

Licença Apache 2.0 (spec); AGPL-3.0 (Synapse server and Element clients as of November 2023)
Status de Dev 🟢 Ativo
Detalhe do Status de Dev Released (spec v1.13 released December 2024; v1.14 planned for FOSDEM 2025; Matrix 2.0 features including OIDC and Simplified Sliding Sync approaching inclusion; IETF Internet-Draft submitted as 'Matrix as a Messaging Framework')
Proprietário Matthew Hodgson & Amandine Le Pape (creators) / The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C. (steward, maintains specification and matrix.org homeserver); Element (primary commercial entity)
País UK (London)
Ano de Início 2013
Stack Implementation-dependent (Synapse: Python/Twisted; Dendrite: Go; Conduit: Rust; Element: TypeScript/React)
Financiamento Element: VC (~$50M+ total) + Professional services; Foundation: Donations + Memberships
Última Investigação 15 de jan. de 2026

Domínios de Caso de Uso

Communication Group Formation & Governance Events & Coordination

Capacidades

End-to-end encrypted Protocol federation Consent-based audiences Composable groups Cross-instance federation

Federated Protocol Atributos

Origins Real-time communication / VoIP and IM (evolved from Amdocs Unified Communications; won WebRTC Innovation Award 2014 and 'Best in Show' at WebRTC World 2015)
Database DAG (event graph — directed acyclic graph of events with partial ordering) + implementation-dependent storage (PostgreSQL for Synapse; matrix.org homeserver dataset is 51TB as of September 2025)
Query Language RESTful HTTP JSON APIs (Client-Server API for client communication; Server-Server API for federation; no traditional query language)
Data Formats JSON (event format with custom Matrix event schemas; events are extensible JSON objects)
Collaborative Live Editing Collaborative real-time editing supported (via CRDTs in specific implementations)
Rich Text Editing Yes (HTML content in messages)
Mobile Support Yes (Element iOS/Android, FluffyChat, SchildiChat, etc.)
Web Support Yes (Element Web, Cinny, etc.)
Native Apps Yes (Element Desktop, Fractal, Nheko, etc.)
Terms Self-hosting + Free public homeservers (matrix.org) + Paid hosting (Element Matrix Services / EMS)
Funds $50M+ (Element raised $8.5M 2019, $4.8M 2020, $30M 2021 from New Vector)
Based On HTTP, JSON, WebRTC (builds on web standards; not a derivative of another protocol; uses HTTPS for federation transport with public key signatures at both TLS and HTTP Authorization layers)
Content Addressing No (location-based via homeserver URLs; not content-addressed)
E2EE Yes (Olm/Megolm end-to-end encryption; Double Ratchet Algorithm implementation via Olm library; enabled by default since May 2020; room-by-room basis)
Signature Ed25519 cryptographic signatures on all events (events signed using git-style signature to mitigate tampering; federated traffic signed with each server's private key to prevent spoofing)
Permissions Power levels + ACLs (per-room permission system with power level hierarchy; Account Locking and Account Suspension for server admins; trust and safety features)
Semantic Web Compatibility N/A (JSON-based event format; not RDF or semantic web standards)
Federation Model Server-to-server federation: homeservers sync rooms via event DAG using Server-Server API (HTTPS PUT/GET); room data replicated across all homeservers whose users participate in the room; no single homeserver has control or ownership over a given room; homeservers can go completely offline without affecting other homeservers in the room
Instance / Server Requirements Moderate to high (Synapse: 1-2GB RAM minimum, 10GB+ storage; scales up with users/rooms; matrix.org homeserver dataset is 51TB)
Account Portability Partial (can export data; limited migration between homeservers; user IDs are namespaced to homeserver)
Discovery / Relay Architecture Server-to-server direct federation (no required relays; optional bridge servers for connecting to other protocols; .well-known URIs for server discovery)
Server Authority Model Homeserver authority (server admin controls local users and room participation; can block invites from particular servers or users; 'multilateral' federation where servers implement their own non-standard checks)
Protocol Maturity / Standardization Matrix.org Foundation specification (v1.0 June 2019, currently v1.13 December 2024; IETF Internet-Draft submitted as 'Matrix as a Messaging Framework'; not yet a W3C/IETF standard; Matrix 2.0 features including next-gen auth via OAuth 2.0/OIDC approaching spec inclusion)
Data Sovereignty Server-controlled with user choice (choose homeserver or self-host; no single homeserver controls a room; German Bundeswehr and healthcare system (Ti-Messenger/Gematik) use private Matrix networks for classified/sensitive data)