Matrix Help Guide

Welcome to my guide on all things regarding my Matrix messaging service that is running on matrix.avaisa.pro. This guide covers getting set up Matrix (specifically with app.element.io), how to use Element, and what to do with various messages/errors. This guide primiarly covers the desktop view of Element, however the principle and names should still apply to the mobile platforms, not to worry though as I am going to release a mobile guide soon!

You can either read all of this yapping I've written below or not, I don't mind either way, but if you don't read it and get stuck/errors or whatever, don't blame me lol. Read the guide before asking me! (It's probably already been explained here).

I recommend that generally speaking however you should have a play with all of the buttons/features that I haven't explained in this guide, that's a much better way to learn their uses than to have me explain them to you (plus there's a lot, so I can't explain them all!). If you do get stuck however, or end up breaking it somehow, please contact me!

Guides:

General Stuff You Wanna Know

Matrix is a messaging service that can be accessed through different things known as "clients". I personally use Element as my client, and it's the one I'd suggest to you, as it's very much similar to platforms such as Discord. The main advantage to using this over Discord however is that is has much better performance, better security, privacy, and generally does a lot more things more efficiently, as well as being entirely hosted on my own server.

That being said, Matrix isn't Discord, neither is Element. They use different terms, different layouts, but ultimately achieves the same goal of communication except a lot more secure and efficient. I can't help you with "translations" of certain features (e.g. comparing Matrix spaces to Discord servers) if you are too Discordpilled to use anything other than Discord, but I hope you'll at least try to adjust to Matrix/Element's way of getting stuff done.

To create an account on my server, you first need to ask me for one through one of my contact methods, and I will create an account for you with your desired username and a temporary password for you to change. You need a Matrix account on my server in order to talk in the group chats that are on there.

Matrix uses a system known as "Homeservers", these are essentially the servers that the chats and accounts are hosted on. You will want to use matrix.avaisa.pro as your homeserver if you want to access the account I made you and talk in chats that are hosted there.

Matrix primarily has two ways of communicating with others, either 1-to-1 or in what's called a "room". Rooms are like what you would traditionally call a group chat, and you'll have the ability to create new either public or private rooms, send invites to other users, and to join public rooms on the matrix.avaisa.pro server. Spaces are essentially the same as Discord's servers, hosting various rooms and users. Typically, you'll have encryption in 1-to-1 chats, meaning that these messages are stored securely. Rooms however typically aren't encrypted as usually more than one person can view said room, making having encryption redundant, however it can still be enabled optionally for private rooms.

Authentication for your account has two different factors. Firstly, you have an account password, this is what you enter in the login screen to log into your account.

Secondly, you have a security phrase/key, the getting started guide shows you how to make one, this is what allows you to automatically decrypt your messages once you sign back in, you will need to keep the key file itself secure on your own device as you will be keeping it as a backup for if you forget your security phrase.