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

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

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.