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Deployment Overview

This guide covers different approaches to deploying Matrix infrastructure.

Deployment Options​

Use Public Homeserver​

Easiest - Just sign up:

OptionProsCons
matrix.orgLargest, well-maintainedMetadata exposure, shared resources
Other publicVarious providersVaries

Managed Hosting​

Hands-off - Someone else runs it:

ProviderFeaturesBest For
Element Matrix ServicesEnterprise, supportOrganizations
etke.ccFull stack, bridgesCommunities
ungleichSwiss hostingPrivacy-focused

Self-Hosted​

Full control - Run everything yourself:

ApproachComplexityFlexibility
ManualHighMaximum
Docker ComposeMediumHigh
Ansible playbookLowMedium
KubernetesMedium-HighHigh

Quick Comparison​

FactorPublicManagedSelf-Hosted
Setup timeMinutesHoursDays
CostFree$10-100+/moHosting costs
MaintenanceNoneNoneYou
CustomizationNoneLimitedFull
PrivacyLowMediumHigh
ComplianceNoPossiblePossible

Self-Hosting Methods​

Docker Compose​

Quick deployment with containers:

docker-compose.yml
version: '3'
services:
  synapse:
    image: matrixdotorg/synapse:latest
    volumes:
      - ./data:/data
    ports:
      - "8008:8008"

matrix-docker-ansible-deploy​

Recommended for most users:

git clone https://github.com/spantaleev/matrix-docker-ansible-deploy.git

Features:

  • Complete stack deployment
  • All major bridges
  • Automatic SSL
  • Easy updates

Kubernetes​

For larger deployments:

  • Helm charts available
  • Horizontal scaling
  • Cloud-native

Components to Deploy​

Minimum​

ComponentPurpose
HomeserverCore Matrix server
PostgreSQLDatabase
Reverse proxyTLS termination
ComponentPurpose
Element WebWeb client
CoturnVoIP/video
RedisCaching (for workers)

Optional​

ComponentPurpose
BridgesConnect other platforms
BotsAutomation
Integration managerWidgets/bots UI

Infrastructure Requirements​

Small Instance (Personal)​

ResourceMinimumRecommended
RAM1 GB2 GB
CPU1 core2 cores
Storage10 GB50 GB
Bandwidth100 Mbps1 Gbps

Medium Instance (Community)​

ResourceMinimumRecommended
RAM4 GB8 GB
CPU2 cores4 cores
Storage50 GB200 GB
Bandwidth1 Gbps1 Gbps

Large Instance (Organization)​

ResourceMinimum
RAM16+ GB
CPU8+ cores
Storage500+ GB SSD
Bandwidth1+ Gbps

Domain Setup​

DNS Records​

example.com              A    → Your server IP
matrix.example.com       A    → Your server IP
element.example.com      A    → Your server IP (optional)

Well-Known Delegation​

For @user:example.com with server at matrix.example.com:

https://example.com/.well-known/matrix/server
{
  "m.server": "matrix.example.com:443"
}
https://example.com/.well-known/matrix/client
{
  "m.homeserver": {
    "base_url": "https://matrix.example.com"
  }
}

SSL/TLS​

Let's Encrypt​

Free certificates:

certbot certonly --webroot -w /var/www/html \
  -d matrix.example.com \
  -d example.com

Certificate Requirements​

  • Valid for your domain
  • Federation requires port 8448 OR .well-known
  • Modern TLS (1.2+)

Next Steps​

Choose your path:

See also: Server Comparison