We have lift-off Element X, Call and Server Suite are ready

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Element has announced that its new Matrix-based client Element X, along with Element Call and the Element Server Suite, are now ready, prompting renewed scrutiny of Matrix as an open, federated alternative to tools like Slack, Signal and XMPP. Commenters welcome faster performance, integrated end‑to‑end encryption improvements, and Synapse’s new built‑in “sliding sync,” but report ongoing issues such as missing features (threads, room directory, search on mobile), buggy registration and key‑recovery flows, and confusing UX. There is also debate over the enterprise-focused, paid nature of ESS versus fully self-hosted setups, and whether Matrix’s rough edges and past reliability problems will prevent it from gaining mainstream or professional adoption despite its architectural advantages.

What Element X / Matrix / ESS Are

  • Matrix is described as the open protocol; Synapse as the main homeserver implementation.
  • Element and Element X are Matrix clients; Element X is a Rust-based rewrite with native UIs (SwiftUI / Jetpack Compose).
  • Element Call handles voice/video; Element Server Suite (ESS) bundles these in a managed/enterprise offering.
  • ESS uses a Matrix-aware OIDC service and can delegate to external identity providers.

Installation, Hosting, and Pricing

  • Confusion over how to run ESS self‑hosted; site perceived as vague and sales‑driven.
  • Pricing cited as ~€10/user/month with minimums, leading some small groups to feel excluded.
  • Several point out you can self‑host the free components (Synapse, Element, Call, auth) without ESS, but it’s non‑trivial.
  • A Kubernetes “starter edition” operator exists but is seen as under‑documented.
  • One comment advises against running web apps on a file server (e.g., TrueNAS).

Performance, Sync, and Federation

  • Past issues with very slow room joins and federation behavior are widely reported.
  • Dev responses say “faster joins” and “simplified sliding sync” are now in Synapse and should significantly improve speed; further optimizations are planned but under‑funded.
  • Some mobile users still find sync slow or push notifications occasionally missing, others report no such issues.

Encryption, Key Management, and Security UX

  • Multiple reports of historical E2EE problems: undecryptable messages, lost keys, confusing recovery flows.
  • Developers claim major E2EE bugs are fixed in newer Rust‑based stacks and ask for logs if any failures remain.
  • New direction: automatic recovery keys instead of user‑chosen phrases, QR‑based device login, and stricter device verification to remove noisy crypto warnings.
  • Concern remains that non‑technical users frequently lose devices and recovery data.
  • Debate on whether enterprises should use E2EE, balancing audit requirements vs. server compromise risks.

Features and Parity vs Old Element

  • Element X is faster but lacks key features for some: starting threads, spaces, room directory browsing, search on mobile, some localizations, and certain desktop platforms (Intel macOS, Windows).
  • Threads can currently be read but not initiated in Element X; full parity is a stated goal.

Mobile and Desktop UX / UI Issues

  • Several UX complaints: registration flow on Android broken or unreadable on some screens; landscape mode disabled; cryptic error placement.
  • Some users find chat bubble spacing and layout in Element X iOS hard to scan, though others say it resembles mainstream messengers.
  • Older iOS devices are excluded due to modern OS/UI requirements.

Reliability Experiences and Trust

  • Some teams and groups abandoned Matrix/Element after months of dropped, out‑of‑order, or undecryptable messages, notification bugs, and problematic threads.
  • Others report Matrix has improved over the years and remains their preferred open alternative, though with “rough edges.”
  • There is acknowledgment from devs that 2023 was particularly disruptive and that trust needs to be rebuilt.

Comparisons to Alternatives

  • Multiple commenters note better stability with XMPP (Conversations/Dino + OMEMO) or proprietary apps like Slack/Signal.
  • Some see Matrix’s flexibility and federation as its main advantage; others perceive design and protocol complexity as fundamentally problematic.