Self-Hosted Private Matrix Server with Dendrite

Private, encrypted Matrix server: self-hosted.

The video details setting up a self-hosted Matrix chat server using Dendrite, an alternative to Synapse, touted as being lighter weight and easier to run on less powerful servers (ideal for home or small business use).

Setting up the server requires: - A server capable of running Docker (LXC container, VM, or physical machine suggested). - A reverse proxy (Nginx Proxy Manager recommended). - A domain name with DNS A-record pointing to your server's public IP (or dynamic DNS for changing IPs). - Port forwarding for port 8448 (for Federation).

The tutorial walks through installing Dendrite via Docker, including: - Creating a non-root user.
- Generating keys.
- Configuring dendrite.yaml (hostname, keys location, database connection, Federation settings, registration, and rate limiting).
- Using docker-compose to start the server.

Reverse Proxy Setup:
Using Nginx Proxy Manager (or another reverse proxy) is shown, including obtaining an SSL certificate via Let's Encrypt.

User Account Creation:
The video explains how to manually create admin and regular user accounts within the Dendrite server, emphasizing the importance of saving generated access tokens.

Federation Testing:
Using federationtester.matrix.org is demonstrated to verify successful Federation setup and connectivity.

Matrix Clients:
A brief overview of available Matrix clients for various platforms (iOS, desktop) is given, highlighting some compatibility issues and suggesting alternatives to Element.

A follow-up video is promised to cover setting up a TURN server for audio/video calling.