allquixotic/chatse-vs-matrix-feature-comparison.md

## chatse-vs-matrix-feature-comparison.md

      
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              chatse-vs-matrix-feature-comparison.md
            
          
Factor
Matrix
Chat-SE


Client Platforms
Web (multiple, open source)
Android (native)
iOS (native)
Desktop (Win/Mac/Lin; multiple; open source)
Web/mobile web (proprietary)
Various hacks (lacking all features, and subject to random breakage when chat code changes)


Bot Support
First-class - officially supported
Tenuous; allowed but at the whims of SE, and hackish


Basic text formatting
Standard Markdown
Ghetto Chat Markdown (mostly the same for the very basics)


Strikethrough
<del>strike</del>
---strike---


Avatars
Upload one via client
Gravatar or upload


Gateway Support
Overall: Many exist & well supportedIRC
Gitter.im
Slack
No official; a few hackish ones that semi-work


Hosting model
Decentralized
Centralized


E2E encryption
Supported (optional)
Unsupported (except via OTR over the top, but nobody's attempted that AFAIK)


Private messaging
Supported
Unsupported


Stars
No
Yes


Direct msg reply
Kind-of
Yes


Image embedding
Ought to work but having issues
Basic oneboxing where possible + enhanced oneboxing for trusted sites


Image uploading
Supported
Supported


Voice chats
Yes
No


Invite-only rooms
Yes
No/Hackish (not really what it's designed for)


Depends on one company/individual to keep going
No
Yes


Stability
Beta, rough setup
Stable/highly available


Speed
Adequate for our needs
Excellent


Anti-spam/troll Mod tools
Good (banning, etc.)
Excellent


Terms of Use / Code of Conduct
Liberal - very open
Increasingly restrictive


Comparison to Discord/Slack/Gitter (Overall)
Mostly similar but lacking in some features / ease of setup; decentralization makes it less likely to be censored later
Pretty dissimilar in most ways. Lacks a lot of features but also has unique features they don't, like stars


Risks
OSS might become unmaintained and lead to bitrot
Mods might gallery / delete our room


Deletion
Anyone can delete their own messages any time
Mods/admins can delete anyone's messages any time
Users can delete their own messages within 2 minutes
Mods can delete anyone's messages any time


Msg Editing
None
Users can edit their own messages within 2 minutes
Mods can edit anyone's messages any time
Factor	Matrix	Chat-SE
Client Platforms	Web (multiple, open source) Android (native) iOS (native) Desktop (Win/Mac/Lin; multiple; open source)	Web/mobile web (proprietary) Various hacks (lacking all features, and subject to random breakage when chat code changes)
Bot Support	First-class - officially supported	Tenuous; allowed but at the whims of SE, and hackish
Basic text formatting	Standard Markdown	Ghetto Chat Markdown (mostly the same for the very basics)
Strikethrough	`<del>strike</del>`	`---strike---`
Avatars	Upload one via client	Gravatar or upload
Gateway Support	Overall: Many exist & well supported IRC Gitter.im Slack	No official; a few hackish ones that semi-work
Hosting model	Decentralized	Centralized
E2E encryption	Supported (optional)	Unsupported (except via OTR over the top, but nobody's attempted that AFAIK)
Private messaging	Supported	Unsupported
Stars	No	Yes
Direct msg reply	Kind-of	Yes
Image embedding	Ought to work but having issues	Basic oneboxing where possible + enhanced oneboxing for trusted sites
Image uploading	Supported	Supported
Voice chats	Yes	No
Invite-only rooms	Yes	No/Hackish (not really what it's designed for)
Depends on one company/individual to keep going	No	Yes
Stability	Beta, rough setup	Stable/highly available
Speed	Adequate for our needs	Excellent
Anti-spam/troll Mod tools	Good (banning, etc.)	Excellent
Terms of Use / Code of Conduct	Liberal - very open	Increasingly restrictive
Comparison to Discord/Slack/Gitter (Overall)	Mostly similar but lacking in some features / ease of setup; decentralization makes it less likely to be censored later	Pretty dissimilar in most ways. Lacks a lot of features but also has unique features they don't, like stars
Risks	OSS might become unmaintained and lead to bitrot	Mods might gallery / delete our room
Deletion	Anyone can delete their own messages any time Mods/admins can delete anyone's messages any time	Users can delete their own messages within 2 minutes Mods can delete anyone's messages any time
Msg Editing	None	Users can edit their own messages within 2 minutes Mods can edit anyone's messages any time