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Element (software)

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For other uses, see Riot (disambiguation).

Riot.im
Developer(s)New Vector Limited
Initial releaseJuly 2016 (Beta)
Stable release
1.5.7 / January 13, 2020; 4 years ago (2020-01-13)[1]
Preview release
1.5.7-rc.2 / January 9, 2020; 4 years ago (2020-01-09)[2]
Repository
Written inJavaScript, ObjectiveC, Swift, Java, Kotlin
PlatformWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web platform
Available in25 languages[3]
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,[4] social media, and other App Integrations
LicenseApache License 2.0[5]
Websiteriot.im

Riot.im is a free software instant messaging client based on the Matrix protocol and is distributed under the Apache License 2.0. Because it uses the federated Matrix protocol, Riot.im lets the user choose a server to connect to.[6]

Additionally, Riot.im supports end to end encryption, groups, channels and sharing of files between users.[7] It is available as a web application, as desktop apps for all major operating systems and as a mobile app for Android and iOS.[8] The development of the app is primarily done by the company New Vector Limited,[9] which is also involved in the development of the Matrix protocol itself.[10]

Technology

Riot.im is built with the Matrix React SDK,[11] which is a React-based software development kit to ease the development of Matrix clients. Riot.im is mostly built around web technologies and also uses Electron, a software framework to create desktop applications from web applications, to distribute their desktop clients 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[12] and the free-software only F-Droid[13] Archives, with minor modifications. For instance the F-Droid version doesn't come with the proprietary Google Cloud Messaging plug-in.

History

Riot.im was originally called Vector[7] when it was released out of beta in 2016.[14] The app was renamed and rebranded as Riot in September of the same year.[15] The re-brand was done by Canadian brand consultancy LP/AD.[16][non-primary source needed] In 2016 the first implementation of the Matrix end-to-end encryption was implemented and rolled out as a beta to users.[17]

In April 2019, a new application was released on the Google Play Store in response to server production keys being compromised.[18] The developers recommended that anyone using the Google Play Store application update to the latest version.[19]

Features

Riot.im is able to bridge other communications into the app via Matrix, such as IRC, Slack, Telegram and others.[20] Also it integrates voice and video peer-to-peer and group chats via WebRTC. Because it is possible to self-host the app and the chat server behind it, Riot is often recommended by privacy advocates.[21]

Rooms are where users can converse. These rooms are not encrypted by default circa 2020.[22] Calls can also be encrypted.[23]

Reception

As Riot is the most mature Matrix client, the Matrix project recommends Riot as a starting point for new Matrix users.[24] In the media it is sometimes perceived as an alternative to Slack[10][25][26] or other instant messaging clients.[27][28] Generally Riot seems most popular in open source and free software communities, where it is sometimes recommended because of its federated nature.[29] This technical focus is reflected in the biggest rooms on the Matrix platform, which feature Linux distributions and Cryptocurrency rooms.[30] The app has been downloaded over 50 000 times in the Google Play Store,[31] with additional users via F-Droid or on other platforms.

See also

References

  1. ^ GitHub - vector-im/riot-web: A glossy Matrix collaboration client for the web., New Vector, 13 January 2020, retrieved 21 January 2020
  2. ^ GitHub - vector-im/riot-web: A glossy Matrix collaboration client for the web., New Vector, retrieved 21 January 2020
  3. ^ "matrix-org/matrix-react-sdk". GitHub. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  4. ^ https://about.riot.im/features
  5. ^ "Riot.im License". Github. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  6. ^ "Riot: A Distributed Way of Having IRC and VOIP Client and Home Server". itsfoss.com. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Riot-im". directory.fsf.org. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  8. ^ "Riot – Riot – open team collaboration". about.riot.im. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  9. ^ http://vector.im/#products-services
  10. ^ a b "Riot wants to be like Slack, but with the flexibility of an underlying open source platform". TechCrunch. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  11. ^ "vector-im/riot-web". GitHub. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  12. ^ "Riot.im - open team collaboration - Apps on Google Play". play.google.com. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  13. ^ "F-Droid Site". Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  14. ^ Riot.im (9 June 2016). "Say Hello To Vector!". Riot.im. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  15. ^ Riot.im (19 September 2016). "Let's Riot!". Riot.im. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  16. ^ LPAD.ca (19 September 2016). "Our Work". LPAD.ca. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  17. ^ Riot.im (21 November 2016). "Riot releases end-to-end encryption: get ready to chat securely!". Medium. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  18. ^ "Riot.im - Communicate, your way". Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  19. ^ "Riot.im Android security update". Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  20. ^ "Riot: A Distributed Way of Having IRC and VOIP Client and Home Server | It's FOSS". It's FOSS. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  21. ^ "Riot — Projects — PRISM Break". web.archive.org. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ "Declaring End-to-end Encryption stable and turning it on by default for private rooms. · Issue #6779 · vector-im/riot-web". GitHub. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  23. ^ "Features | Riot". about.riot.im. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  24. ^ "Try Matrix Now! | Matrix.org". matrix.org. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  25. ^ Tilley, Sean (26 April 2017). "Riot, a Decentralized Slack‐like Messenger (Powered by Matrix)". Medium. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  26. ^ "Open Source und verschlüsselt: Das steckt hinter dem Slack-Rivalen Riot". t3n News (in German). Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  27. ^ "Yet another messaging platform: Why Riot? | Security, Insights, and Results for your Drupal or WordPress Website". www.freelock.com. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  28. ^ "Echtzeitkommunikation ausprobiert: Willkommen in der Matrix - Golem.de" (in German). Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  29. ^ "Messaging und Open Source – Ein kurzer Blick auf Riot.IM (Gastbeitrag) – DeathMetalMods". www.deathmetalmods.de (in German). Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  30. ^ "Matrix Rooms: Top by members (Public)". matrixstats.org. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  31. ^ "Riot.im - open team collaboration - Apps on Google Play". play.google.com. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
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