Matrix (An open network for secure, decentralized communication) server setup using Ansible and Docker

Purpose

This Ansible playbook is meant to easily let you run your own Matrix homeserver.

That is, it lets you join the Matrix network with your own @<username>:<your-domain> identifier, all hosted on your own server.

Using this playbook, you can get the following services configured on your server:

• (optional, default) a Synapse homeserver - storing your data and managing your presence in the Matrix network

• (optional) Amazon S3 storage for Synapse's content repository (media_store) files using Goofys

• (optional, default) PostgreSQL database for Synapse. Using an external PostgreSQL server is also possible.

• (optional, default) a coturn STUN/TURN server for WebRTC audio/video calls

• (optional, default) free Let's Encrypt SSL certificate, which secures the connection to the Synapse server and the Riot web UI

• (optional, default) a Riot web UI, which is configured to connect to your own Synapse server by default

• (optional, default) an mxisd Matrix Identity server

• (optional, default) an Exim mail server, through which all Matrix services send outgoing email (can be configured to relay through another SMTP server)

• (optional, default) an nginx web server, listening on ports 80 and 443 - standing in front of all the other services. Using your own webserver is possible

• (optional, advanced) the matrix-synapse-rest-auth REST authentication password provider module

• (optional, advanced) the matrix-synapse-shared-secret-auth password provider module

• (optional, advanced) the matrix-synapse-ldap3 LDAP Auth password provider module

• (optional, advanced) the Matrix Corporal reconciliator and gateway for a managed Matrix server

• (optional) the mautrix-telegram bridge for bridging your Matrix server to Telegram

• (optional) the mautrix-whatsapp bridge for bridging your Matrix server to Whatsapp

• (optional) the mautrix-facebook bridge for bridging your Matrix server to facebook

• (optional) the matrix-appservice-irc bridge for bridging your Matrix server to IRC

• (optional) the matrix-appservice-discord bridge for bridging your Matrix server to Discord

• (optional) Dimension, an open source integrations manager for matrix clients

Basically, this playbook aims to get you up-and-running with all the basic necessities around Matrix, without you having to do anything else.

Note: the list above is exhaustive. It includes optional or even some advanced components that you will most likely not need. Sticking with the defaults (which install a subset of the above components) is the best choice, especially for a new installation. You can always re-run the playbook later to add or remove components.

What's different about this Ansible playbook?

This is similar to the EMnify/matrix-synapse-auto-deploy Ansible deployment, but:

• this one is a complete Ansible playbook (instead of just a role), so it's easier to run - especially for folks not familiar with Ansible

• this one installs and hooks together a lot more Matrix-related services for you (see above)

• this one can be re-ran many times without causing trouble

• works on both CentOS (7.0+) and Debian-based distributions (Debian 9/Stretch+, Ubuntu 16.04+)

• this one installs everything in a single directory (/matrix by default) and doesn't "contaminate" your server with files all over the place

• this one doesn't necessarily take over ports 80 and 443. By default, it sets up nginx for you there, but you can also use your own webserver

• this one runs everything in Docker containers, so it's likely more predictable and less fragile (see Docker images used by this playbook)

• this one retrieves and automatically renews free Let's Encrypt SSL certificates for you

• this one optionally can store the media_store content repository files on Amazon S3 (but defaults to storing files on the server's filesystem)

• this one optionally allows you to use an external PostgreSQL server for Synapse's database (but defaults to running one in a container)

Installation

To configure and install Matrix on your own server, follow the README in the docs/ directory.

Changes

This playbook evolves over time, sometimes with backward-incompatible changes.

When updating the playbook, refer to the changelog to catch up with what's new.

Docker images used by this playbook

This playbook sets up your server using the following Docker images:

• matrixdotorg/synapse - the official Synapse Matrix homeserver (optional)

• instrumentisto/coturn - the Coturn STUN/TURN server (optional)

• bubuntux/riot-web - the Riot.im web client (optional)

• kamax/mxisd - the mxisd Matrix Identity server (optional)

• postgres - the Postgres database server (optional)

• ewoutp/goofys - the Goofys Amazon S3 file-system-mounting program (optional)

• devture/exim-relay - the Exim email server (optional)

• devture/matrix-corporal - Matrix Corporal: reconciliator and gateway for a managed Matrix server (optional)

• nginx - the nginx web server (optional)

• certbot/certbot - the certbot tool for obtaining SSL certificates from Let's Encrypt (optional)

• tulir/mautrix-telegram - the mautrix-telegram bridge to Telegram (optional)

• tulir/mautrix-whatsapp - the mautrix-whatsapp bridge to Whatsapp (optional)

• tulir/mautrix-facebook - the mautrix-facebook bridge to Facebook (optional)

• tedomum/matrix-appservice-irc - the matrix-appservice-irc bridge to IRC (optional)

• halfshot/matrix-appservice-discord - the matrix-appservice-discord bridge to Discord (optional)

• turt2live/matrix-dimension - the Dimension integrations manager (optional)

Deficiencies

This Ansible playbook can be improved in the following ways:

• setting up automatic backups to one or more storage providers

Support

• Matrix room: #matrix-docker-ansible-deploy:devture.com

• IRC channel: #matrix-docker-ansible-deploy on the Freenode IRC network (irc.freenode.net)

• Github issues: spantaleev/matrix-docker-ansible-deploy/issues