4 ms·

Ironically i just spent all weekend writing a new "quick start" guide for Matrix 2.0 deployments using docker-compose (so you literally just set some env variab

Ironically i just spent all weekend writing a new "quick start" guide for Matrix 2.0 deployments using docker-compose (so you literally just set some env variables, `docker compose up` and that's it; no ansible involved). I just shifted to the debugging phase, but once it's ready, it might be even easier than matrix-docker-ansible-deploy as a super-fast way to get started :)

alwayslikethis 2y ago
I'd say the primary benefit of ansible is it makes you document everything. It's easy to simply set and forget with tools like docker compose, but then when you need to change something again, you have to recall what you did originally and fix that.
- Arathorn 2y ago
  yup, although i'm hoping that a self-contained docker-compose repo that you don't need to edit will help with that (rather than it being a homespun docker-compose setup, which i agree can rapidly become unmanageable). ansible just feels a bit slow & cumbersome for simpler setups, so i'm using envsubst for basic templating to see how it feels. It's perhaps telling that something like Rocket.Chat just has `docker-compose up` too: https://docs.rocket.chat/v1/docs/deploy-with-docker-docker-compose https://docs.rocket.chat/v1/docs/deploy-with-docker-docker-c... and it's annoying that Matrix doesn't have something that simple (especially given Matrix 2.0 has more moving parts serverside: auth + voip server).
  - dkasak 2y ago
    Not directly related, but I feel that any references to Ansible being slow should be accompanied by a mention of the amazing Mitogen. https://mitogen.networkgenomics.com/ansible_detailed.html https://mitogen.networkgenomics.com/ansible_detailed.html
neets 2y ago
Please share the code here
- Arathorn 2y ago
  well, yes - just let me finish writing it first ;P
EasyMark 2y ago
can you give it a codename that's not impossible to remember if you do add such a docker? something that is likely I'll be able to remember it in a couple of months?
- Arathorn 2y ago
  repo's currently called element-quick-start (given i'm doing it with my Element hat on to showcase EW+EX+EC as much as the Matrix 2.0 backend)
  - ptman 2y ago
    But it's not yet publicly available anywhere?
    - Arathorn 2y ago
      https://github.com/element-hq/element-docker-demo https://github.com/element-hq/element-docker-demo in the end
wkat4242 2y ago
For me the benefit of the ansible playbook is that it installs not only synapse and element web but also a ton of bridges and other services like the chatgpt bot. It handles the configuration of those etc.
- Arathorn 2y ago
  yup, totally - and the quick-start thing i'm playing with (just got it working!) is not a replacement for that at all. it's just literally providing a solution for people who want to type `docker compose up` and have something immediately working, but without all the bells and whistles.
spantaleev 2y ago
Having more deployment options and quick-start guides is always great! That said, the Ansible playbook provides various benefits that you cannot currently get with any other Matrix deployment method. For one, it seems to be the only deployment method that supports hundreds of Matrix and related services which all tie together nicely. Getting started quickly and easily is an important part, but is not the end. Most people will sooner or later need "that extra service" (bridge, bot, etc.) and it's always a hassle to get it added to a "quick & dirty" deployment. Using the Ansible playbook, enabling an extra service is usually one extra line of configuration and you're up & running with a deployment that has been battle-tested and improved by hundreds/ thousands of others. You're not alone debugging a hand-made "Synapse worker configuration" or "Matrix Authentication Service" integration - there are many others iterating on the same exact setup. Another compelling reason to go with the playbook is maintaining your deployment over time - handling major Postgres version upgrades, backups, uninstalling old/deprecated services (to replace them with newer alternatives), etc. Yes, Ansible can be slow and clunky (and the YAML format is definitely annoying), but it seems like a reasonable tradeoff that provides plenty of benefits. Disclaimer: I'm the author of the matrix-docker-ansible-deploy (https://github.com/spantaleev/matrix-docker-ansible-deploy https://github.com/spantaleev/matrix-docker-ansible-deploy) playbook
noworriesnate 2y ago
Thank you for your work! Once that's done I'd love for Elest.io to add support for that. They already support running a custom Element instance.
stevenicr 2y ago
Is this being tested on Debian 10, 11 and 12 ? nginx or caddy or something?

alwayslikethis 2y ago

I'd say the primary benefit of ansible is it makes you document everything. It's easy to simply set and forget with tools like docker compose, but then when you need to change something again, you have to recall what you did originally and fix that.

Arathorn 2y ago
yup, although i'm hoping that a self-contained docker-compose repo that you don't need to edit will help with that (rather than it being a homespun docker-compose setup, which i agree can rapidly become unmanageable). ansible just feels a bit slow & cumbersome for simpler setups, so i'm using envsubst for basic templating to see how it feels. It's perhaps telling that something like Rocket.Chat just has `docker-compose up` too: https://docs.rocket.chat/v1/docs/deploy-with-docker-docker-compose https://docs.rocket.chat/v1/docs/deploy-with-docker-docker-c... and it's annoying that Matrix doesn't have something that simple (especially given Matrix 2.0 has more moving parts serverside: auth + voip server).
- dkasak 2y ago
  Not directly related, but I feel that any references to Ansible being slow should be accompanied by a mention of the amazing Mitogen. https://mitogen.networkgenomics.com/ansible_detailed.html https://mitogen.networkgenomics.com/ansible_detailed.html

neets 2y ago

Please share the code here

Arathorn 2y ago
well, yes - just let me finish writing it first ;P

EasyMark 2y ago

can you give it a codename that's not impossible to remember if you do add such a docker? something that is likely I'll be able to remember it in a couple of months?

Arathorn 2y ago
repo's currently called element-quick-start (given i'm doing it with my Element hat on to showcase EW+EX+EC as much as the Matrix 2.0 backend)
- ptman 2y ago
  But it's not yet publicly available anywhere?
  - Arathorn 2y ago
    https://github.com/element-hq/element-docker-demo https://github.com/element-hq/element-docker-demo in the end

wkat4242 2y ago

For me the benefit of the ansible playbook is that it installs not only synapse and element web but also a ton of bridges and other services like the chatgpt bot. It handles the configuration of those etc.

Arathorn 2y ago
yup, totally - and the quick-start thing i'm playing with (just got it working!) is not a replacement for that at all. it's just literally providing a solution for people who want to type `docker compose up` and have something immediately working, but without all the bells and whistles.

spantaleev 2y ago

Having more deployment options and quick-start guides is always great! That said, the Ansible playbook provides various benefits that you cannot currently get with any other Matrix deployment method. For one, it seems to be the only deployment method that supports hundreds of Matrix and related services which all tie together nicely. Getting started quickly and easily is an important part, but is not the end. Most people will sooner or later need "that extra service" (bridge, bot, etc.) and it's always a hassle to get it added to a "quick & dirty" deployment. Using the Ansible playbook, enabling an extra service is usually one extra line of configuration and you're up & running with a deployment that has been battle-tested and improved by hundreds/ thousands of others. You're not alone debugging a hand-made "Synapse worker configuration" or "Matrix Authentication Service" integration - there are many others iterating on the same exact setup. Another compelling reason to go with the playbook is maintaining your deployment over time - handling major Postgres version upgrades, backups, uninstalling old/deprecated services (to replace them with newer alternatives), etc. Yes, Ansible can be slow and clunky (and the YAML format is definitely annoying), but it seems like a reasonable tradeoff that provides plenty of benefits. Disclaimer: I'm the author of the matrix-docker-ansible-deploy (https://github.com/spantaleev/matrix-docker-ansible-deploy https://github.com/spantaleev/matrix-docker-ansible-deploy) playbook

noworriesnate 2y ago

Thank you for your work! Once that's done I'd love for Elest.io to add support for that. They already support running a custom Element instance.

stevenicr 2y ago

Is this being tested on Debian 10, 11 and 12 ? nginx or caddy or something?