An Open Standard for Real-Time Communication
Matrix is a communication protocol for real-time communication that aims to seamlessly connect different service providers, much like how Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) does for email. Matrix allows users with accounts from one service provider to communicate with users from another provider through online chat, voice over IP, and videotelephony.
Matrix is a federated real-time communication protocol that uses HTTP APIs and open-source implementations for securely distributing and preserving messages in JSON format over an open federation of servers. It also integrates with standard web services through WebRTC, allowing browser-to-browser applications.
The Matrix project was created inside Amdocs in 2014 while building a chat tool called “Amdocs Unified Communications.” The project received recognition in the WebRTC 2014 Conference & Expo, where it won the Innovation award, and at the WebRTC World in 2015, where it won the “Best in Show” award.
In July 2017, funding from Amdocs was cut and the core Matrix team created their own company, “New Vector Limited,” with the goal of offering consultancy services and paid hosting for Matrix servers to generate income. The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C. was established in October 2018 as a neutral legal entity for the further development of the standard.
In February 2019, the KDE community announced its plans to adopt Matrix for its internal communications needs as a decentralized alternative to other instant messaging servers like Telegram, Slack, and Discord. In June 2019, Matrix was officially launched with version 1.0 across all APIs and the Matrix foundation was launched.
In October 2019, New Vector raised $8.5 million to further develop Matrix. In December 2019, the German Ministry of Defense announced a pilot project for a secure instant messaging tool based on the Matrix protocol, and in the same month, Mozilla announced its plans to begin using Matrix as a communication platform for its contributors.
The Matrix protocol has faced challenges in the past, such as difficulties in becoming widely adopted like other communication protocols like XMPP and IRCv3, and some skepticism about the demand for services that interoperate between providers. Despite these challenges, Matrix continues to receive recognition and investment, and has been integrated into various projects, such as the Librem 5 phone and Tchap, a French instant messaging tool.
