matrix-docker-ansible-deploy/docs/configuring-playbook-client-schildichat.md

Configuring SchildiChat (optional)

This playbook can install the SchildiChat Matrix web client for you. SchildiChat is a feature-rich messenger for Matrix based on Element with some extras and tweaks. SchildiChat can be installed alongside or instead of Element.

WARNING: SchildiChat Web is based on Element-web, but its releases are lagging behind. As an example (from 2024-02-26), SchildiChat Web is 22 releases behind (it being based on element-web v1.11.36, while element-web is now on v1.11.58). Element-web frequently suffers from security issues, so running something based on an ancient Element-web release is dangerous. Use SchildiChat Web at your own risk!

DNS

You need to add a schildichat.DOMAIN DNS record so that SchildiChat can be accessed. By default SchildiChat will use https://schildichat.DOMAIN so you will need to create an CNAME record for schildichat. See Configuring DNS.

If you would like to use a different domain, add the following configuration to your inventory/host_vars/matrix.DOMAIN/vars.yml file (changing it to use your preferred domain):

matrix_server_fqn_schildichat: "sc.{{ matrix_domain }}"

Adjusting the playbook configuration

To enable SchildiChat, add the following configuration to your inventory/host_vars/matrix.DOMAIN/vars.yml file:

matrix_client_schildichat_enabled: true

The playbook provides some customization variables you could use to change SchildiChat's settings.

Their defaults are defined in roles/custom/matrix-client-schildichat/defaults/main.yml and they ultimately end up in the generated /matrix/schildichat/config.json file (on the server). This file is generated from the roles/custom/matrix-client-schildichat/templates/config.json.j2 template.

If there's an existing variable which controls a setting you wish to change, you can simply define that variable in your configuration file (inventory/host_vars/matrix.<your-domain>/vars.yml) and re-run the playbook to apply the changes.

Alternatively, if there is no pre-defined variable for a SchildiChat setting you wish to change:

• you can either request a variable to be created (or you can submit such a contribution yourself). Keep in mind that it's probably not a good idea to create variables for each one of SchildiChat's various settings that rarely get used.

• or, you can extend and override the default configuration (config.json.j2) by making use of the matrix_client_schildichat_configuration_extension_json_ variable. You can find information about this in roles/custom/matrix-client-schildichat/defaults/main.yml.

• or, if extending the configuration is still not powerful enough for your needs, you can override the configuration completely using matrix_client_schildichat_configuration_default (or matrix_client_schildichat_configuration). You can find information about this in roles/custom/matrix-client-schildichat/defaults/main.yml.

Themes

To change the look of SchildiChat, you can define your own themes manually by using the matrix_client_schildichat_setting_defaults_custom_themes setting.

Or better yet, you can automatically pull it all themes provided by the aaronraimist/element-themes project by simply flipping a flag (matrix_client_schildichat_themes_enabled: true).

If you make your own theme, we encourage you to submit it to the aaronraimist/element-themes project, so that the whole community could easily enjoy it.

Note that for a custom theme to work well, all SchildiChat instances that you use must have the same theme installed.

Installing

After configuring the playbook, run the installation command: just install-all or just setup-all