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+---
+layout: post
+title: FAQ
+date: 2015-08-15 16:58:07
+categories: guides
+---
+<link href="/docs/guides/css/faq.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" />
+
+# FAQ
+{:.no_toc}
+
+Categories
+----------
+{:.no_toc}
+
+[General](#general)
+
+[Quick Start](#quick-start)
+
+[Standard](#standard)
+
+[APIs](#apis)
+
+[Reference Implementations](#reference-implementations)
+
+|
+
+FAQ Content
+-----------
+{:.no_toc}
+
+
+* TOC
+{:toc}
+
+### General
+
+##### What is Matrix?
+
+Matrix is an ambitious new open standard for open, distributed,
+real-time communication over IP. It defines interoperable Instant
+Messaging and VoIP, providing pragmatic HTTP APIs and open source
+reference implementations for creating and running your own real-time
+communication infrastructure.
+
+##### What is Matrix's Mission?
+
+Matrix.org's initial inspiration and goal has been to fix the problem of
+fragmented IP communications. But Matrix's real potential and ultimate
+mission is to be a generic messaging and data synchronisation system for
+the web - allowing people, services and devices to easily communicate
+with each other with full history.
+
+##### What does Matrix provide?
+
+Today Matrix provides a new [open standard](/docs/spec),
+[APIs](/docs/api) to integrate a service to the Matrix ecosystem and
+reference [open source
+implementations](http://github.com/matrix-org/synapse) of the standard.
+
+##### What does this mean for users?
+
+The aim is to provide an analogous ecosystem to email - one where you
+can communicate with pretty much anyone, without caring what app or
+server they are using, using whichever app & server you chose to use,
+and a nice neutral identity system like an e-mail address or phone
+number to discover people to talk to.
+
+##### What kind of company is Matrix.org?
+
+Matrix is an open initiative which acts as a neutral custodian of the
+Matrix standard. It's not actually incorporated anywhere at the moment
+but we are looking at the best legal structure for the future. We are
+committed to keeping the Matrix project open.
+
+##### Who is funding Matrix.org?
+
+We have been given permission by our employers, Amdocs, to work on
+Matrix as an independent non-profit initiative.
+
+##### Who is building Matrix?
+
+We're a team of ~10 people with decades of experience building custom
+VoIP and Messaging apps for mobile network operators. Most of us have
+day jobs at Amdocs or OpenMarket, but we are supported by a mix of
+freelancers and volunteers.
+
+##### Why are you called Matrix?
+
+We are called Matrix because we provide a structure in which all
+communication can be matrixed together.
+
+##### Why have you released this as open source?
+
+We believe that any open standard defining interoperable communication
+needs to be justified, demonstrated and validated with transparent open
+source implementations. For Matrix to achieve its mission of making all
+communications services interoperable we believe it needs to be truly
+open, giving people access to take all the code we produce and to use
+and build on top of it.
+
+##### What do you mean by open?
+
+Matrix is an open standard, meaning that we have freely published the
+details for how to interface with Matrix compliant servers and clients,
+and encourage anyone and everyone to interface with them.  We also
+ensure the standard is not encumbered by any known patent licensing
+requirements.
+
+| 
+
+Matrix is also open source, meaning that we have released the source
+code of the reference servers and clients to the public domain under the
+[Apache Licence v2](http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html), to
+encourage anyone and everyone to run their own servers and clients, and
+enhance them and contribute their enhancements as they see fit.
+
+##### What does federated mean?
+
+Federation allows separate deployments of a communication service to
+communicate with each other - for instance a mail server run by Google
+federates with a mail server run by Microsoft when you send email from
+@gmail.com to @outlook.com.
+
+|
+
+Federation is different to interoperability, as interoperable clients
+may simply be running on the same deployment - whereas in federation the
+deployments themselves are exchanging data in a compatible manner.
+
+|
+
+Matrix provides open federation - meaning that anyone on the internet
+can join into the Matrix ecosystem by deploying their own server.
+
+##### How is this like e-mail?
+
+When email was first set up in the early ‘80s, companies like Compuserve
+and AT&T and Sprint set up isolated email communities which only allowed
+you to exchange mail with users on the same system.  If you got your
+email from one service and your friend from another, then you couldn't
+message each other.  This is basically the situation we're in today with
+VoIP and IM.
+
+##### Why has no-one done this before?
+
+There have been several attempts before including SIP, XMPP and RCS.
+ All of these have had some level of success, but
+technological/usability/economic factors have ended up limiting their
+success in providing true open federation.
+
+##### What is the difference between Matrix and IRC?
+
+We love IRC.  In fact, as of today the core Matrix team still uses it as
+our primary communication tool. Between us we've written IRCds, IRC bots
+and admined dreamforge, UnrealIRCd, epona, ircservices and several
+others.  That said, it has some limitations that Matrix seeks to improve
+on:
+
+-   Text only
+-   No history
+-   No multiple-device support
+-   No presence support
+-   Fragmented identity model
+-   No open federation
+-   No standard APIs, just an archaic TCP line protocol
+-   Non-standardised federation protocol
+-   No built-in end-to-end encryption
+-   Disruptive net-splits
+-   Non-extensible
+
+##### What is the difference between Matrix and XMPP?
+
+The Matrix team used XMPP (Openfire, ejabberd, spectrum, asmack,
+XMPPFramework) for IM before starting to experiment with open HTTP APIs
+as an alternative.   The main issues with XMPP that drove us in this
+direction were:
+
+-   Not particularly web-friendly - you can't easily speak XMPP from a
+    web browser. (N.B. Nowadays you have options like XMPP-FTW and
+    Stanza.io that help loads with letting browsers talk XMPP).
+-   Single logical server per MUC is a single point of control and
+    availability. (MUCs can be distributed over multiple physical
+    servers, but they still sit behind a single logical JID and domain.
+    FMUC improves this with a similar approach to Matrix, but at time of
+    writing there are no open implementations.)
+-   History synchronisation is very much a second class citizen feature
+-   Stanzas aren't framed or reliably delivered without extensions. (See
+    [wiki.xmpp.org](http://wiki.xmpp.org/web/Myths#Myth_Four:_XMPP_is_unreliable_without_a_bunch_of_extensions.)
+    for an XMPP take on this)
+-   Multiple device support is limited. (Apparently Carbons and MAM help
+    with this)
+-   Baseline feature set is so minimal that fragmentation of features
+    between clients and servers is common
+-   No strong identity system (i.e. no standard E2E PKI, unless you
+    count X.509 certs, which [are
+    questionable](http://www.thoughtcrime.org/blog/ssl-and-the-future-of-authenticity/))
+-   Not particularly well designed for mobile use cases: push;
+    bandwidth-efficient transports. (Since the time of writing a [Push
+    XEP has appeared](http://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0357.html), and
+    [wiki.xmpp.org](http://wiki.xmpp.org/web/Myths#Myth_Three:_It.27s_too_bandwidth-inefficient_for_mobile.)
+    claims that XMPP runs fine over a 9600bps + 30s latency link.)
+
+The whole subject of XMPP vs Matrix seems to bring out the worst in
+people. We think of the standards as being quite different; at its core
+Matrix can be thought of as an eventually consistent global JSON db with
+an HTTP API and pubsub semantics - whilst XMPP can be thought of as a
+message passing protocol. You can use them both to build chat systems;
+you can use them both to build pubsub systems; each comes with different
+tradeoffs. Matrix has a 'kitchen sink' baseline of functionality; XMPP
+has a deliberately minimal baseline set of functionality. If XMPP does
+what you need it to do, then we're genuinely happy for you :) Meanwhile,
+rather than competing, an XMPP Bridge like [Skaverat's xmpptrix
+beta](https://github.com/SkaveRat/xmpptrix) has potential to let both
+environments coexist and make the most of each other's benefits.
+
+##### What is the difference between Matrix and PSYC?
+
+PSYC is a open federated messaging protocol loosely inspired by IRC.  In
+version 1 it was a standalone protocol, and in version 2 it is being
+reutilised as the messaging layer on top of GNUnet.  We honestly don't
+know that much about it, beyond trying to use psycd as an XMPP\<-\>IRC
+bridge in 2010. Matrix differentiates primarily by providing simple HTTP
+APIs rather than the more exotic compact line protocol in PSYC v1 or the
+complicated GNUnet stack in v2.  Meanwhile, Matrix doesn't provide of
+the metadata protection guarantees that GNUnet/PSYC aims for.
+
+| 
+
+See [http://about.psyc.eu/Matrix](http://about.psyc.eu/Matrix) for
+PSYC's views on Matrix.
+
+##### What is the difference between Matrix and Tox?
+
+Tox.im looks to be a very cool clone of Skype - a fully decentralised
+peer-to-peer network.  Matrix is deliberately not peer-to-peer; instead
+each user has a well-defined homeserver which stores his data and that
+he can depend upon.  Matrix provides HTTP APIs; Tox.im provides C APIs.
+ We haven't actually played with Tox at all yet.
+
+##### How does Matrix compare with something like Trillian or Pidgin?
+
+Trillian and Pidgin and similar aggregating IM clients merge all your IM
+activity into a single user experience.  However, your history and
+identity is still fragmented across the networks.  People can't find you
+easily, and your history is fragmented (other than on the device
+where the client runs).   And rather than being able to chose the right
+app for the job when communicating with people, you are pushed towards
+relying on a specific aggregation app.
+
+##### What Matrix compliant apps are there?
+
+None yet, other than our examples.  It's early days :)
+
+##### Why do you think existing apps will ever join this?
+
+We firmly believe it is what is right for the consumer. As people begin
+to use interoperable communications tools service providers will see the
+benefit and compete on quality of service, security and features rather
+than relying on locking people into their walled garden. We believe as
+soon as users see the availability and benefits of interoperable
+services they will demand it.
+
+##### Why aren't you doing this through the IETF? or W3C? or 3GPP?
+
+We do recognise the advantages of working with existing standards
+bodies. We have been focused on writing code and getting it out. As
+Matrix matures it may well be appropriate to work with an official
+standard body.
+
+|
+
+### Quick Start
+
+##### How do I get an account and get started?
+
+The quickest way is to just jump to the demo webclient at
+[http://matrix.org/beta](http://matrix.org/beta) and sign up.  Please note that you can point the
+webclient to access any homeserver - you don't have to use matrix.org,
+although as of day 1, matrix.org is the only communal homeserver
+available.
+
+##### What can I actually do with this?
+
+The demo webclient provides a simple chatroom interface to Matrix -
+letting the user interact with users and rooms anywhere within the
+Matrix federation.  Text and image messages are supported, and basic
+voice-only VoIP calling via WebRTC is supported in one-to-one rooms.
+
+##### How do I connect my homeserver to the public Matrix network?
+
+See
+[http://github.com/matrix-org/synapse](http://github.com/matrix-org/synapse)
+for details
+
+##### How do I Matrix-enable my existing app?
+
+See the [Client-Server API
+HOWTO](http://matrix.org/docs/howtos/client-server.html) for an example
+of how to use Matrix's client-server API to let your app communicate
+with users via Matrix.  We're currently working out the best way to
+integrate your application's existing identity system with Matrix.
+
+##### How can I write a client on Matrix?
+
+See the [Client-Server API
+HOWTO](http://matrix.org/docs/howtos/client-server.html) and the [API
+docs](/docs/api) and [the Spec](/docs/spec) for all the details you need
+to write a client.
+
+##### *How can I help out with this?*
+
+Install synapse and tell us how you get on. Critique the spec.  Write
+clients.  Just come say hi on [\#matrix:matrix.org](/alpha) or the
+[mailing lists](/mailman/listinfo/matrix-users)!
+
+##### Where can I get support?
+
+[\#matrix:matrix.org](/alpha), \#matrix on irc.freenode.net or
+the [mailing lists](/mailman/listinfo/matrix-users) are your best bets.
+
+##### How do I register custom matrix event types?
+
+We're not yet managing a registry of custom matrix event types.  If you
+have any particularly good ones you want to tell the world about, please
+use the [mailing list](/mailman/listinfo/matrix-users) for now.
+
+##### How mature is this?
+
+We started working on Matrix in July 2014, and have opened it to the
+public in September 2014.  It's early days, and under no circumstances
+should you use Matrix or Synapse for anything other than experimentation
+and learning at this point.  Obviously the spec and apps are maturing
+rapidly, but as of the time of writing APIs are not frozen and the apps
+are very much a work in progress.
+
+|
+
+*Sorry, the FAQ is still work in progress, the rest of it will up
+soon!* *In the mean time, don't hesitate to get in touch on
+[\#matrix:matrix.org](/alpha) or the [mailing
+lists](/mailman/listinfo/matrix-users)!*
+
+|
+
+### Standard
+
+##### What is a home server?
+
+##### What is an identity sever?
+
+##### Where do my conversations get stored?
+
+##### What is a 3PID?
+
+##### How do you do VoIP calls on Matrix?
+
+##### Can I log into other homeservers with my username and password?
+
+##### Why Apache Licence?
+
+##### Can I write a Matrix homeserver?
+
+##### How secure is this?
+
+##### Why aren't you using an ORM layer like SqlAlchemy?  
+
+|
+
+### APIs
+
+##### How do I join the global Matrix federation?
+
+##### What ports do I have to open up to join the global Matrix federation?
+
+|
+
+### Reference Implementations
+
+##### What is Matrix built on - and why?
+
+##### How do I run my own home server?
+
+##### Can I run my own identity server?
+
+Yes - the reference implementation is
+[sydent](https://github.com/matrix-org/sydent) and you can run your own
+ID server cluster that tracks 3rd party to Matrix ID mappings. If you
+want your server to participate in the global replicated Matrix ID
+service then please get in touch with us. Meanwhile, we are looking at
+ways of decentralising the 'official' Matrix identity service so that
+identity servers are 100% decentralised and can openly federate with
+each other. **N.B. that you can use Matrix without ever using the
+identity service - it exists only to map 3rd party IDs (e.g. email
+addresses) to matrix IDs to aid user discovery**.
+
+##### What is Synapse?
+
+##### Why is Synapse in Python/Twisted?
+
+##### What are Synapse's platform requirements?
+
+##### What are the Synapse webclient's requirements?
+
+##### Where is the mobile app?
+
+##### What decides the room member order on the webclient?
+
+|
+
+Any other question? Please contact us on
+[\#matrix:matrix.org](/alpha) or the [mailing
+lists](/mailman/listinfo/matrix-users)!