xmatic

Rating: 
4.6
Your rating: None Average: 4.6 (10 votes)

Native Matrix client built on matrix-rust-sdk with a Silica UI.

FEATURES

- Sliding sync, end-to-end encryption, cross-signing, device verification, key backup and recovery
- Rooms, spaces (nested), direct chats, threads, room directory search
- Create rooms, invite, leave; member list and profiles with moderation
- Send, edit, delete, reply and paginate in encrypted rooms
- Search a conversation; the index stays on the device, the query never leaves it
- Formatted messages, written as well as read: bold, italic, struck through, underlined, monospace
- Polls: vote with a tap, take it back with another; create your own with several answers allowed or the
  results kept closed until the end. Only the creator can end a poll, and the app checks that itself
- Link previews, off by default: your homeserver fetches the page and the message shows its host, title
  and description. The setting says what the server learns and can limit previews to unencrypted rooms
- Pinned messages, favourites, low priority, mute, ignore list
- A line marks where reading stopped, and who has read what
- Four coloured lines for backup, recovery, cross-signing and local storage
- Reactions from a picker whose first tab you fill yourself, as characters or as your own emoji pictures
- Pictures, files, sharing, share target from Gallery and file manager
- One picker for attachments, with the gallery and the file system side by side and several files at once
- Pictures are made smaller before they go out and lose their metadata with them, the place a photograph
  was taken included; the original resolution stays one tap away
- A camera in the attachment picker: flash, grid, tap to focus, zoom; a photo is deleted once sent
  unless you keep it in the gallery
- Locations, once or live for up to a day; maps from OpenStreetMap only where you allow it, zoomable
  in full screen
- Voice messages; voice and video calls (classic 1:1 VoIP)
- Speech2Text (needs Speech Note to be installed)
- Notifications, offline send queue, encrypted local storage
- Optional push notifications, off by default
- Bubble and text colours of your own or the ambience's, the return key as send key, the keyboard's
  behaviour after sending
- One page for what others learn: read receipts, message text in notifications, who may call, when pictures
  load, when downloaded media is deleted again
- An error log to read and copy when something goes wrong
- OAuth (MAS), device-code and password sign-in
- 32 interface languages, switchable in the app

LANGUAGES

The 24 official languages of the European Union plus Russian, Norwegian,
Icelandic, Simplified Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Persian and Arabic. German is the project language and
Norwegian came from a Norwegian speaker; the rest are machine translations,
usable but unchecked. The language is set in the app and applies at the next
start.

Corrections are welcome at the repository below: translations/harbour-xmatic-
<language>.ts, and translations/STATUS.md says which have been read.

LOCAL STORAGE

Session tokens and the message database are encrypted with a key from Sailfish
Secrets. Without that key service nothing is written at all: the app says what
is missing and how to install it. A database that predates the key can be
re-created encrypted from the encryption page, which costs one sign-out and
your recovery key.

WHY IS THE PACKAGE SO BIG?

The complete Matrix stack ships statically: matrix-rust-sdk, E2EE, sliding
sync, rustls, an HTTP runtime and SQLite. None of it exists as a system library
here, and Qt 5.6 is too old for the C++ alternatives. Installed ~60 MB,
RPM ~20 MB.

NO BACKGROUND DAEMON

Messages arrive while the app is running; the cover is enough. A closed app
does not receive, unless push notifications are switched on.

ARCHITECTURES

aarch64 (Sailfish OS 5.0+), armv7hl (Sailfish OS 4.6+), tested on J2, X10III, Gemini PDA.

REQUIREMENTS

Your homeserver must support simplified sliding sync (MSC4186), the same
mechanism Element X uses. To check, open

https://YOUR-SERVER/_matrix/client/versions

and look for "org.matrix.simplified_msc3575": true

Sign-in: OAuth 2.0 / Matrix Authentication Service, device code, or username
and password on servers without OAuth. The SSO redirect (SAML, CAS) is not
supported.

Written with Claude Code (Anthropic), icons included; the protocol core is
upstream matrix-rust-sdk.

Source, issues, releases:
https://github.com/JimKnopfIoT/harbour-xmatic

 

Screenshots: 
Application versions: 
AttachmentSizeDate
File harbour-xmatic-0.42.1-1.aarch64.rpm19.78 MB03/10/2026 - 18:52
File harbour-xmatic-0.42.1-1.armv7hl.rpm20.23 MB03/10/2026 - 18:52
Changelog: 

- The help for "Encryption not possible" names two causes it missed: no
device lock code set, and a master lock code of its own under
Settings › Keys, which the device lock does not open.
- The package pulls in the complete set of secure storage plugins.

Comments

Branja's picture

Is there any way to use the app if the device isn't encrypted?

JimKnopfIoT's picture

Yes. You can use xmatic without Sailfish's home encryption.
It encrypts its own storage and keeps the key in the system's secrets service. That needs two things:
1. A device lock code: Settings › Device lock. The secrets service unlocks with it at start-up, and without one it stays locked.
2. The secrets service installed (sailfishsecretsdaemon and its plugins). The package pulls these in.
 

Branja's picture

https://imgur.com/a/2Q2FAyB

I got to this page at one point (not sure how), but it didn't allow me to press the checkmark icon.

Branja's picture

harbour-xmatic
[I] unknown:0 - xmatic: secrets daemon reachable: 1
[I] unknown:0 - xmatic: no store key yet (10: Collection xmatic in plugin org.sailfishos.secrets.plugin.encryptedstorage.sqlcipher is owned by a different application), creating one
[W] unknown:0 - xmatic: secrets storage unavailable (10: Collection xmatic in plugin org.sailfishos.secrets.plugin.encryptedstorage.sqlcipher is owned by a different application); daemon installed: 1
[W] unknown:0 - xmatic: no store key (state 3, daemon installed: 1): Collection xmatic in plugin org.sailfishos.secrets.plugin.encryptedstorage.sqlcipher is owned by a different application
[I] unknown:0 - xmatic: audio codecs offered: audio/vorbis,audio/speex,audio/PCM,audio/FLAC,audio/opus
[I] unknown:0 - xmatic: recorder levels available
[I] unknown:0 - xmatic: xmatic-core 0.42.1
[D] unknown:0 - Using Wayland-EGL
[W] NemoConfigurationValuePlugin::registerTypes:52 - org.nemomobile.configuration import is deprecated. Suggest migrating to Nemo.Configuration
[I] unknown:0 - xmatic: local storage: store=plain session=none key=missing
[I] unknown:0 - xmatic: no store key yet (10: Collection xmatic in plugin org.sailfishos.secrets.plugin.encryptedstorage.sqlcipher is owned by a different application), creating one
[W] unknown:0 - xmatic: secrets storage unavailable (10: Collection xmatic in plugin org.sailfishos.secrets.plugin.encryptedstorage.sqlcipher is owned by a different application); daemon installed: 1
[I] unknown:0 - xmatic: local storage: store=plain session=none key=missing
 

JimKnopfIoT's picture

Branja Looks like there are two separate things.
1. The "Authorize" page is the system's secrets service, not xmatic.   It asks for your device lock code. If no lock code is set, there's nothing to enter and the checkmark stays disabled. Please set one in Settings › Device lock and restart the device.
 2. "Collection xmatic … is owned by a different application" means the key store was first created by xmatic running under a different identity, most likely started outside the sandbox (e.g. from a terminal). The sandboxed app isn't allowed to touch it. Did you ever start harbour-xmatic from a terminal or with sandboxing disabled?

Branja's picture

https://imgur.com/a/RGjDvwa The device lock was set a long time ago.

I did try to start the app from the terminal so I could show you what's happening. Is there something I need to delete in order to try again (I deleted the app's config, cache, and local/share folders already)?

JimKnopfIoT's picture

1. Did you start xmatic from the terminal as defaultuser or as root (devel-su)?
2. If Settings › Keys shows a master lock with its own code, unlock it there and remove that code.
Then reboot either way.
3. After the reboot, start xmatic from the icon, not from a terminal and not as root. If you get to the login page, you're done.
4. If not, open a terminal and run as root journalctl -f | grep xmatic, then tap the xmatic icon. If the output says "owned by a different application", remove the collection as root in a terminal:
devel-su
pkcon install sailfishsecrets-tool
secrets-tool --delete-collection org.sailfishos.secrets.plugin.encryptedstorage.sqlcipher xmatic

Then start xmatic from the app grid again. If it says something else, please send me those lines plus your device and Sailfish OS version.

Branja's picture

1) I started the app as a defaultuser, not as root

2) I don't have that option in the settings menu, even after installing everything you suggested

3) Nothing happened since I didn't do anything in step 2

4) Here's the journalctl output: [root@Miami defaultuser]# journalctl -f | grep xmatic
Oct 04 18:10:35 Miami invoker[8599]: warning: enforcing sandboxing for '/usr/bin/harbour-xmatic'
Oct 04 18:10:36 Miami harbour-xmatic[8755]: [I] unknown:0 - xmatic: secrets daemon reachable: 1
Oct 04 18:10:37 Miami harbour-xmatic[8755]: [I] unknown:0 - xmatic: no store key yet (11: Password Agent was unable to verify the authenticity of the user), creating one
Oct 04 18:10:37 Miami harbour-xmatic[8755]: [W] unknown:0 - xmatic: secrets storage unavailable (11: Password Agent was unable to verify the authenticity of the user); daemon installed: 1
Oct 04 18:10:37 Miami harbour-xmatic[8755]: [W] unknown:0 - xmatic: no store key (state 3, daemon installed: 1): Password Agent was unable to verify the authenticity of the user
Oct 04 18:10:37 Miami harbour-xmatic[8755]: [I] unknown:0 - xmatic: audio codecs offered: audio/vorbis,audio/speex,audio/PCM,audio/FLAC,audio/opus
Oct 04 18:10:37 Miami harbour-xmatic[8755]: [I] unknown:0 - xmatic: recorder levels available
Oct 04 18:10:37 Miami harbour-xmatic[8755]: [I] unknown:0 - xmatic: xmatic-core 0.42.1
Oct 04 18:10:37 Miami harbour-xmatic[8755]: [D] unknown:0 - Using Wayland-EGL
Oct 04 18:10:37 Miami harbour-xmatic[8755]: [W] NemoConfigurationValuePlugin::registerTypes:52 - org.nemomobile.configuration import is deprecated. Suggest migrating to Nemo.Configuration
Oct 04 18:10:38 Miami harbour-xmatic[8755]: [I] unknown:0 - xmatic: local storage: store=plain session=none key=missing
Oct 04 18:10:42 Miami harbour-xmatic[8755]: [I] unknown:0 - xmatic: no store key yet (11: Password Agent was unable to verify the authenticity of the user), creating one
Oct 04 18:10:42 Miami harbour-xmatic[8755]: [W] unknown:0 - xmatic: secrets storage unavailable (11: Password Agent was unable to verify the authenticity of the user); daemon installed: 1
Oct 04 18:10:42 Miami harbour-xmatic[8755]: [I] unknown:0 - xmatic: local storage: store=plain session=none key=missing

4.1) Here's what it says after I tried removing it as root: [root@Miami defaultuser]# secrets-tool --delete-collection org.sailfishos.secrets.plugin.encryptedstorage.sqlcipher xmatic
QStandardPaths: XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not set, defaulting to '/tmp/runtime-root'
QStandardPaths: XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not set, defaulting to '/tmp/runtime-root'
Error: Sailfish::Secrets::Result::ErrorCode(PermissionsError) "Collection xmatic is owned by a different application"

The device is a Motorola Edge 30 Neo (Miami), and it's running the latest publicly available SFOS (5.1.0.11).

Branja's picture

I do have a lock code set and have installed sailfish-components-secrets-ui-0.1.9-1.3.6.jolla.aarch64 package, but it's not working for me. Well, it's not a problem. Thank you for the swift response.

MrHappy's picture

On the account-page (in the app) I get `no relay available: deserialization failed: missing field 'username' at line 1 column 2` at the bottom.

What causes this message (and how can I resolve this)?

JimKnopfIoT's picture

Harmless — your homeserver has no TURN (relay) server configured and answers the relay query with an empty object; xmatic reads that as an error and shows it on the account page. Chats are unaffected. Calls work on the same network, but between two devices behind NAT they may connect without audio. Server side: set up coturn and turn_uris/turn_shared_secret in Synapse. Client side: the next release treats "no relay configured" as a normal answer and no longer shows it. 

In the next release, xmatic treats a homeserver without a TURN relay as "no relay configured" rather than as an error, so this message no longer appears; calls behave exactly as before, only without the relay.

 

MrHappy's picture

Thanks for the detailed answer :).

I will have a look at it, see if it is of any use to me.

MrHappy's picture

This looks great and works fine.
I do however have a question; which emojipack would youy recommend (link perhaps)?
Now I have a pack imported, but the emoji's with fingers/hands (thumbs up i.e.) are mostly black instead of yellow).

JimKnopfIoT's picture

I personally use the twemoji set. Just unzip to your Downloads folder and select this folder in xmatic Account/Appearance. You also have to enable "Reactions as pictures (emoji). It's right above the "Read in an emoji pack" button.  

MrHappy's picture

Thanks.
I had a noto emoji-pack, that worked except for the colors on (i.e.) the thumbs-up. Twemoji looks better in that regard (didn't check the others yet)

kaulian's picture

Hello, Same revsiew for me about the new message action page for me

Sharks's picture

Thanks for continuing to develop this app.
Unfortunately, the latest update, which moves message actions to a new page rather than a context menu, has broken reactions. Selecting the react option just takes you back to the conversation without being asked for an emoji to react with.
On a personal note, I prefer the previous UI despite the drawbacks documented in the changlog. It's harder to choose what you want to do with the message (reply, react, forward, delete, etc.) when you can't see it onscreen

JimKnopfIoT's picture

@Sharks Yeah, you're right. I (and others) don't like the extra page either. It's a workaround for the Gemini in landscape mode. But it doesn't have that Sailfish feel. One critical comment called it “Windows 95-like.” It was a test/hotfix for an issue with the menu and the top message displayed, but it will be gone again starting with version 0.28.1.

stoefelz's picture

very nice

stiltskin's picture

impressive progress!

are there plans to implement 'new' audiocalls method later?

JimKnopfIoT's picture

@stiltskin This is a limitation by Jollas Qt 5.6. If, at some point in the future, call.element.io works in a native Sailfish browser, i can dig into it. Until then, it's a lost cause.

dumol's picture

Impressive work... Unfortunately, can't see bridged rooms on Beeper, even though I find "org.matrix.simplified_msc3575":true at https://matrix.beeper.com/_matrix/client/versions. Any ideas? Thanks!

Sharks's picture

A new bug I have noticed, attempting to play a video sent to me (via mautrix-meta, but probably from other sources too) crashes the app. Pictures come through fine, but videos are impossible to view.

JimKnopfIoT's picture

@Sharks  I can't reproduce it yet: mp4 videos play fine on all three of my devices, so it's likely something specific to the file or the device. A few things would let me pin it down:

1. Device model, cat /etc/sailfish-release (the VERSION_ID line) and rpm -q harbour-xmatic.
2. When exactly does it die — while the spinner is still turning, or after the first frame appears? Roughly how many seconds after you tap?
3. The journal while it happens. In a terminal: devel-su journalctl -f, then reproduce and send the last ~30 lines.
A kernel line with segfault or code=dumped is what I'm after.
4. Open the video page, wait for the spinner to finish, then use the pulley menu → Save. Does saving work? If yes, play that file from Downloads with the stock Gallery/video app. If the stock player fails too, it's the platform's codec support, not xmatic.
5. About the file: how large is it in MB, and is the room encrypted? If you can run ffprobe -hide_banner -i video.mp4 on a PC, that output answers everything at once. On the phone, head -c 4096 video.mp4 | strings |head -20 also helps — I'm looking for avc1 (H.264) versus hvc1/hev1 (HEVC) or av01 (AV1).
6. Does it happen with every video, or only ones from that bridge? A video sent from another Matrix client would be a useful comparison.

 

kempertom's picture

Such great work. I have an issue: I am using matrix chat with bridges to avoid using android. Voicenotes work with xmatic with mautrix (WhatsApp bridge) and the Telegram bridge, but not for the most important Signal bridge. It says that audio format is not supported for bridging. Maybe ist is possible from xmatic side?

JimKnopfIoT's picture

Fixed.

JimKnopfIoT's picture

Please try 0.24 and report if it's fixed for you.

Sharks's picture

Latest 0.22 update is great, very glad to see reaction support added. This now fully replaces Hydrogen for me on SFOS. Thankyou for your work!

The only feature I would still want for is an option to show the message content in notifications like an SMS notification would. Requiring to unlock the phone and open the app to see a message you may not be interested in responding to is a minor annoyance.

JimKnopfIoT's picture

Fixed.

stiltskin's picture

seems like there is no read status for messages (sent/read)

Pages