Element (software)

Element (formerly Riot and Vector[9]) is a free and open-source software instant messaging client implementing the Matrix protocol.[10]

For other uses, see Element (disambiguation).

Element
Screenshot of Element 1.7.18
Other names
  • Riot (2016–2020)
  • Vector[1][2] (2016)
Original author(s)Vector Creations Limited[1]
Developer(s)New Vector Limited[3] trading as Element
Initial releaseJuly 2016 (Beta)
Stable release
1.7.18 / 21 December 2020 (2020-12-21)[4]
Preview release
1.7.19-rc.1 / 16 December 2020 (2020-12-16)[5]
Repository
Written inJavaScript, ObjectiveC, Swift, Java, Kotlin
PlatformWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web platform
Available in25 languages[6]
List of languages
Basque, Bulgarian, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Czech, Dutch, English (UK), English (US), Esperanto, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Korean, Latvian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish
TypeVoIP communications, instant messaging, Videoconferences,[7] social media, and other App Integrations
LicenseApache License 2.0[8]
WebsiteOfficial website

Element supports end-to-end encryption, groups and sharing of files between users. It is available as a web application, as desktop apps for all major operating systems and as a mobile app for Android and iOS.[7][11][12]

History

Element was originally known as Vector when it was released from beta[1][2] in 2016.[13] The app was renamed to Riot in September of the same year.[14]

Logo of Riot from 2019 to 2020.

In 2016 the first implementation of the Matrix end-to-end encryption was implemented and rolled out as a beta to users.[15] In May 2020, the developers announced enabling end-to-end encryption by default in Riot for new non-public conversations.[16]

In April 2019, a new application was released on the Google Play Store in response to cryptographic keys used to sign the Riot Android app being compromised.[17]

In July 2020, Riot was renamed to Element.[18]

In January 2021, Element was briefly suspended from Google Play Store in response to a report of user-submitted abusive content on Element's default server, matrix.org.[19][20] Element staff rectified the issue and the app was brought back to the Play Store.[21]

Technology

Element is built with the Matrix React SDK,[22] which is a React-based software development kit to ease the development of Matrix clients. Element is relies on web technologies and uses Electron for bundling the app for Windows, MacOS and Linux. The Android and iOS clients are developed and distributed with their respective platform tools.

On Android the app is available both in the Google Play Store[23] and the free-software only F-Droid[24] Archives, with minor modifications. For instance, the F-Droid version does not contain the proprietary Google Cloud Messaging plug-in.[25]

Features

Element is able to bridge other communications into the app via Matrix,[10][26] including IRC, Slack, Telegram, Jitsi Meet and others.[27][28] Also, it integrates voice and video peer-to-peer and group chats via WebRTC.

Element supports end-to-end encryption (E2EE) of both one-to-one and group chats.[7][26][28]

Reception

Media compared Riot to Slack,[1][2] WhatsApp[2] and other instant messaging clients.[29]

In 2017, German computer magazine Golem.de called Riot (and Matrix server) "mature" and "feature-rich", but criticized its key authentication at the time to be not user-friendly for communicatees owning multiple devices. A co-founder of the project, Matthew Hodgson, assured the key verification process was a "placeholder" solution to work on.[29] In 2020, Element added key cross-signing to make the verification process simpler, and enabled end-to-end encryption by default.[16]

See also

References
  1. "Riot wants to be like Slack, but with the flexibility of an underlying open source platform". TechCrunch. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  2. "Open Source und verschlüsselt: Das steckt hinter dem Slack-Rivalen Riot". t3n News (in German). Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  3. https://element.io/copyright
  4. v1.7.18, New Vector, 26 January 2021, retrieved 30 January 2021 – via GitHub
  5. v1.7.19-rc.1, New Vector, 29 January 2021, retrieved 30 January 2021 – via GitHub
  6. "matrix-org/matrix-react-sdk". GitHub. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  7. "Features | Riot". about.riot.im. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  8. "Riot.im License". Github. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  9. Paul, John. "Decentralized Messaging App Riot Rebrands to Element - It's FOSS". https://itsfoss.com/. Retrieved 26 January 2021. External link in |website= (help)
  10. "Riot: A Distributed Way of Having IRC and VOIP Client and Home Server". itsfoss.com. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  11. F-Droid. "Element (Riot.im)". f-droid.org. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  12. PrivacyTools. "Real-Time Communication". PrivacyTools. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  13. Riot.im (9 June 2016). "Say Hello To Vector!". Riot.im. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  14. Riot.im (19 September 2016). "Let's Riot!". Riot.im. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  15. Riot.im (21 November 2016). "Riot releases end-to-end encryption: get ready to chat securely!". Medium. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  16. Hodgson, Matthew (6 May 2020). "Riot Web 1.6, RiotX Android 0.19 & Riot iOS 0.11 — E2E Encryption by Default & Cross-signing is here!!". The Riot.im Blog. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  17. "Riot.im Android security update". Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  18. Le Pape, Amandine (15 July 2020). "Welcome to Element!". Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  19. Amadeo, Ron (30 January 2021). "Google Play bans open-source Matrix client Element, citing "abusive content"". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  20. Corbin Davenport (31 January 2021). "Google reinstates federated chat app Element on Play Store after wrongful removal". Android Police. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  21. Corbin Davenport (31 January 2021). "Google reinstates federated chat app Element on Play Store after wrongful removal". Android Police. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  22. "vector-im/riot-web". GitHub. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  23. "Riot.im - open team collaboration - Apps on Google Play". play.google.com. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  24. "F-Droid Site". Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  25. "FAQ-entry". Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  26. Kuketz, Mike. "Element: Messaging über die Matrix – Messenger Teil7". Kuketz IT-Security Blog (in German). Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  27. "Bridges". Matrix.org. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  28. "Element, hands on: Secure messaging for tech-savvy organisations Review". ZDNet. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  29. Weisensee, Jan (7 March 2017). "Echtzeitkommunikation ausprobiert: Willkommen in der Matrix". Golem.de (in German). Retrieved 4 November 2018.
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