Running Matrix Synapse Home Server in Docker on Ubuntu Server

#Matrix #Synapse #SecureCommunication #Docker

*** Updated 04/18/2023

Full steps can be found at https://i12bretro.github.io/tutorials/0662.html

What is Matrix?

Matrix is an open source project that publishes the Matrix open standard for secure, decentralised, real-time communication, and its Apache licensed reference implementations. -[https://matrix.org](https://matrix.org)

## Installing Docker

1. Log into the Linux host
2. Run the following commands in a terminal window

# install prerequisites
sudo apt install apt‐transport‐https ca‐certificates curl software‐properties‐common gnupg‐agent ‐y
# add docker gpg key
curl ‐fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/$(awk ‐F'=' '/^ID=/{ print $NF }' /etc/os‐release)/gpg | sudo apt‐key add ‐
# add docker software repository
sudo add‐apt‐repository "deb [arch=$(dpkg ‐‐print‐architecture)] https://download.docker.com/linux/$(awk ‐F'=' '/^ID=/{ print $NF }' /etc/os‐release) $(lsb_release ‐cs) stable"
# install docker
sudo apt install docker‐ce docker‐compose containerd.io ‐y
# enable and start docker service
sudo systemctl enable docker && sudo systemctl start docker
# add the current user to the docker group
sudo usermod ‐aG docker $USER
# reauthenticate for the new group membership to take effect
su ‐ $USER

Running Matrix Synapse

1. Continue with the following commands in terminal to setup and run Matrix Synapse

# create working directories
sudo mkdir ~/docker/matrix‐synapse ‐p && sudo mkdir ~/docker/postgresql ‐p
# set owner of docker directory
sudo chown "$USER":"$USER" ~/docker ‐R
# run the postgesql docker container
docker run ‐d ‐‐name postgres ‐e POSTGRES_USER=matrix_synapse_rw ‐e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=m@trix! ‐e POSTGRES_DB=matrix_synapse ‐e LC_COLLATE='C' ‐e LC_CTYPE='C' ‐e POSTGRES_INITDB_ARGS="‐‐encoding=UTF‐8" ‐v ~/docker/postgresql:/var/lib/postgresql/data ‐‐restart=unless‐stopped postgres:latest
# generate synapse homeserver.yaml
docker run ‐it ‐‐rm ‐v ~/docker/matrix‐synapse:/data ‐e SYNAPSE_SERVER_NAME=my.matrix.host ‐e SYNAPSE_REPORT_STATS=no matrixdotorg/synapse:latest generate
# edit the homeserver.yaml file
sudo nano ~/docker/matrix‐synapse/homeserver.yaml

2. Press CTRL+W and search for name: server_name

server_name: "YOUR.MATRIX.DNS"

3. Press CTRL+W and search for name: sqlite3
4. Comment out the sqlite database parameters by adding a # to the beginning of each of the lines
5. Add the following database connection below the commented out lines to connect to the Postgres container:

database:
  name: psycopg2
  txn_limit: 10000
  args:
    user: matrix_synapse_rw
    password: m@trix!
    database: matrix_synapse
    host: postgres
    port: 5432
    cp_min: 5
    cp_max: 10

6. Add the following line at the bottom of the file

suppress_key_server_warning: true

7. Press CTRL+O, Enter, CTRL+X to write the changes
8. Continue with the following commands in terminal

# generate a random string
RANDOMSTRING=$(openssl rand ‐base64 30)
# write the random string as registration_shared_secret
echo "registration_shared_secret: $RANDOMSTRING" | sudo tee ‐a ~/docker/matrix‐synapse/homeserver.yaml > /dev/null
# run the matrix synapse container
docker run ‐d ‐‐name matrix‐synapse ‐‐link postgres ‐v ~/docker/matrix‐synapse:/data ‐p 8008:8008 ‐‐restart=unless‐stopped matrixdotorg/synapse:latest
# create a new synapse user
docker exec ‐it matrix‐synapse register_new_matrix_user http://DNSorIP:8008 ‐c /data/homeserver.yaml

9. Enter a username, enter and confirm the password and choose if the user is an admin
10. At this point the Matrix Synapse server is running over http
11. Open a web browser and navigate to the http://DNSorIP:8008
12. A message stating It works! Synapse is running should be displayed
13. Navigate to https://element.io/get-started#download
14. Download and install Element
15. Run the Element application
16. Click Sign In
17. Click the Edit link next to matrix.org
18. Select Other homeserver > type http://DNSorIP:8008 > Click Continue
19. Login using the Synapse username and password created earlier

    Documentation: [https://registry.hub.docker.com/r/matrixdotorg/synapse/](https://registry.hub.docker.com/r/matrixdotorg/synapse/)

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