Slack Is Just The Worst And Ive Used A Bbs And 144K Modem

# Slack Is Just The Worst (And I’ve Used a BBS and 144K Modem)

Welcome to the world of self-hosted infrastructure! In this article, we will explore an alternative solution to popular team communication tools like Slack, focusing on setting up your very own Matrix Homeserver. This guide targets experienced DevOps engineers and sysadmins who enjoy the freedom that comes with managing their own services.

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu Server 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa) or any other Debian-based Linux distribution, with root access
• Docker CE version 5.0.8 or higher
• A stable internet connection

Installation Steps

Step 1: Update your system and install Docker

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade -y
sudo apt-get install docker-ce=5.0.8 docker-ce-cli containerd.io

Step 2: Start the Docker service and add it to autostart

sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

Step 3: Install and configure Matrix Homeserver (synapse)

curl -L https://github.com/matrix-org/docker-matrix-synapse/releases/download/v1.86.0/docker-compose-release.sh | sh

Replace v1.86.0 with the latest tag available from the Matrix Synapse Docker Hub page.

Now, let’s create a configuration file for our Homeserver:

nano config.yaml

Add the following content to the config.yaml file:

admin_users:
  'your_matrix_username@example.com':
    password: your_password
homeserver:
  servername: Your Homeserver Name
  port: 8448
  webserver: http
  tls: false
logging:
  level: info

Note: Change your_matrix_username@example.com, your_password, and Your Homeserver Name to your preferred settings. If you wish to enable TLS, set tls: true.

Step 4: Run the Synapse service using Docker Compose

docker-compose -f docker-compose.yml up -d

Troubleshooting

• If you encounter issues with the service not starting, check the logs by running: docker-compose logs synapse.
• Ensure that port 8448 is open on your server.

Conclusion

By setting up a self-hosted Matrix Homeserver, you’re joining a growing community of users who value privacy, security, and the freedom to control their infrastructure. This guide provides a practical implementation of a DevOps project using open-source tools, perfect for homelabs and infrastructure automation enthusiasts.

Remember that self-hosting comes with its own set of challenges, including potential security risks, performance optimization, and common pitfalls. Keep yourself updated with the latest best practices in DevOps to ensure a smooth experience.

Happy Matrix-ing! 🚀