Add a post about Element X

content/posts/element_x_new_matrix_app/note.md

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+X-Date: 2024-06-24T21:09:56Z
+X-Note-Id: 96aab9b9-886c-4ae6-b9bc-a8b8f6823991
+Subject: Element X is a new Matrix app for mobile
+X-Slug: element_x_new_matrix_app
+
+If you're not aware, [Matrix](https://matrix.org/) is a decentralized end-to-end encrypted chat service,
+pretty much like WhatsApp or [Signal](https://signal.org/). The reason I like Matrix is that it can be truly yours:
+it's not dependent on a centralized trusted setup owned by one company. Instead, anyone can operate a server
+(pretty much like e-mail).
+
+For a while now, in order to use Matrix on mobile phones, your best bet was to use [Element](https://element.io/).
+It is a fully-featured app, that allows you to chat, make calls, use bots, etc. The only downside is that it's
+based on a webview (as far as I can tell). So it can be a bit slow.
+
+The new effort by the Element team is [Element X](https://element.io/labs/element-x), which seems to be a complete
+rewrite that has lots of things implemented natively, and which shares those native parts between different platforms.
+The common part now lives in the [Rust SDK](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-rust-sdk), that would be a reference
+implementation of the client from now on.
+
+I've configured the new sliding-sync [on my server](https://git.sr.ht/~knazarov/nixos/tree/master/item/nodes/knazarovcom/configuration.nix)
+and Element X connected to it without any major issues (except maybe slow initial history sync). The app feels a lot
+snappier overall.
+
+I'm really glad the authors are investing into better clients, because for many "normal" people this is the product.
+And many open source communities will be better off eventually if they're able to replace Discord with something that
+works well and is visually smooth.