From bfbb712fc216374a0051be5f45531108160b4a4b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Jorik Schellekens Date: Wed, 27 May 2020 15:52:09 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] Matrix.two is born --- README.md | 46 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 46 insertions(+) create mode 100644 README.md diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9806334 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,46 @@ +# Matrix.to + +Matrix.to is a simple url redirection service for the Matrix.org ecosystem +which lets users share links to matrix entities without being tied to a +specific app. +Stylistically it serves as a landing page for rooms and communities. + +Matrix.to preserves user privacy by not sharing any information about the links +being followed with the Matrix.to server - the redirection is calculated +entirely clientside using JavaScript, and the link details is hidden behind a +fragment to avoid web clients leaking it to the server. However, acting as a +landing page it may leak your ip to any number of homeservers involved with the +entity linked to while fetching previews. There is an opt out under which no +previews will be loaded. + +Anyone is welcome to host their own version of the Matrix.to app - Matrix.to is +**not** a single point of failure on the Matrix ecosystem; if the matrix.to +deployment ever failed, users could trivially copy the room/user/message +details out of the URLs and follow them manually, or change the hostname to +point at an alternative deployment of the service. The Matrix.to service could +also be hosted in an immutable/signed environment such as IPFS to further +increase its availability and avoid tampering. + +The matrix.to URL scheme is + +| Entity type: | Example URL | +|--------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------| +| Rooms: | https://matrix.to/#/#matrix:matrix.org | +| Rooms by ID: | https://matrix.to/#/!cURbafjkfsMDVwdRDQ:matrix.org | +| Users: | https://matrix.to/#/@matthew:matrix.org | +| Messages: | https://matrix.to/#/#matrix:matrix.org/$1448831580433WbpiJ:jki.re | + +The #/ component is mandatory and exists to avoid leaking the target URL to the +server hosting matrix.to. + +Note that linking to rooms by ID should only be used for rooms to which the +target user has been invited: these links cannot be assumed to work for all +visitors. + +(Technically the # and @ in the URL fragment should probably be escaped, but in +practice for legibility we bend the rules and include it verbatim) + +You can discuss matrix.to in +[`#matrix.to:matrix.org`](https://matrix.to/#/#matrix.to:matrix.org) + +