Matrix is a open network for secure, decentralized communication. Think of it as an alternative to chat apps like Discord, Facebook-messenger, or Slack, but one that gives you complete control and privacy.
This guide will help you choose a client (the app you use to chat) and get started.
Choose Your Client
Your “client” is the app you’ll use to connect to the Matrix network. You can use your account with any of them, so you can choose to change to another client if you don’t like the one you started with.
The account creation is more or less the same no matter which you choose, if you don’t know which server to choose the matrix.org is fine, otherwise ask your friends or a comunity which already uses Matrix.
You can see a list of all clients here but here is a short list:
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For a full-featured, polished experience (like Discord):
- Element - The most popular and a powerful Matrix client.
- Here its easiest to just start with the web client which runs in your browser.
- If you like it then go and download it to your devices: https://element.io/download
- Element - The most popular and a powerful Matrix client.
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For a simple, cute, and more user-friendly experience:
- FluffyChat - A great choice for beginners or those who want a clean interface.
- Here its easiest to just start with the web client which runs in your browser.
- If you like it then go and download it to your devices: https://fluffychat.im/
Now that you have chosen your client then it’s time to migrate from your old services.
Migrate from different services
Moving your chats away from platforms like Discord and Messenger can seem daunting, not because it’s technically hard, but because that’s where your friends and communities are and they might not wanna move (you can always show them the Simple Guide to try and convince them 😊). However this guide focuses on a two-pronged approach: notifying your personal contacts and bridging your larger communities, for some of the different services you wanna migrate from: