150 lines
6.2 KiB
Markdown
150 lines
6.2 KiB
Markdown
[](https://matrix.to/#/#fractal:gnome.org)
|
|
[](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/fractal/)
|
|
[](https://gnome.pages.gitlab.gnome.org/fractal/fractal/)
|
|
|
|
# Fractal
|
|
|
|
Fractal is a Matrix messaging app for GNOME written in Rust. Its interface is optimized for
|
|
collaboration in large groups, such as free software projects.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
## Work in Progress
|
|
|
|
We already talked several times in the past about rewriting the application, but for different
|
|
reasons we didn't do it. Now that the [matrix-rust-sdk](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-rust-sdk)
|
|
exists, which does a lot of the heavy lifting for us, we have a good starting point to build Fractal
|
|
without the need to implement every single feature from the Matrix API. Finally with the release of
|
|
GTK4 we would need to rework most of Fractal's code anyways. Therefore, it just makes sense to start
|
|
over and build Fractal with all the features (e.g end-to-end encryption) we have in mind.
|
|
|
|
A year ago we started working on rewriting [Fractal](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/fractal/) from
|
|
scratch using [GTK4](https://www.gtk.org/) and the [matrix-rust-sdk](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-rust-sdk).
|
|
This effort was called Fractal-next.
|
|
|
|
Fractal-next now replaced our previous codebase, and has become the new nightly version. It isn't
|
|
yet ready for a release and you can follow along our progress towards it by looking at the
|
|
[feature parity](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/fractal/-/milestones/18) and
|
|
[Fractal v5 (fractal-next)](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/fractal/-/milestones/21) milestones.
|
|
|
|
## Installation instructions
|
|
|
|
### Stable version
|
|
|
|
Flatpak is the recommended installation method. Until Fractal-next is ready, you can get the official
|
|
Fractal Flatpak on Flathub.
|
|
|
|
<a href="https://flathub.org/apps/details/org.gnome.Fractal">
|
|
<img src="https://flathub.org/assets/badges/flathub-badge-i-en.png" width="190px" />
|
|
</a>
|
|
|
|
Fractal can also be installed as a snap on any distro with snap support enabled
|
|
|
|
<a href="https://snapcraft.io/fractal">
|
|
<img src="https://github.com/snapcore/snap-store-badges/raw/master/EN/[EN]-snap-store-white.png" width="182px" />
|
|
</a>
|
|
|
|
### Development version
|
|
|
|
If you want to try Fractal-next without building it yourself, it is available as a nightly Flatpak
|
|
in the gnome-nightly repo.
|
|
|
|
```sh
|
|
# Add the gnome-nightly repo
|
|
flatpak remote-add --user --if-not-exists gnome-nightly https://nightly.gnome.org/gnome-nightly.flatpakrepo
|
|
|
|
# Install the nightly build
|
|
flatpak install --user gnome-nightly org.gnome.Fractal.Devel
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
## Build Instructions
|
|
|
|
### Flatpak
|
|
|
|
Flatpak is the recommended way of building and installing Fractal.
|
|
|
|
First you need to make sure you have the GNOME SDK and Rust toolchain installed.
|
|
|
|
```sh
|
|
# Add Flathub and the gnome-nightly repo
|
|
flatpak remote-add --user --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo
|
|
flatpak remote-add --user --if-not-exists gnome-nightly https://nightly.gnome.org/gnome-nightly.flatpakrepo
|
|
|
|
# Install the gnome-nightly Sdk and Platform runtime
|
|
flatpak install --user gnome-nightly org.gnome.Sdk org.gnome.Platform
|
|
|
|
# Install the required rust-stable extension from Flathub
|
|
flatpak install --user flathub org.freedesktop.Sdk.Extension.rust-stable//21.08
|
|
|
|
# Install the required llvm extension from Flathub
|
|
flatpak install --user flathub org.freedesktop.Sdk.Extension.llvm12//21.08
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
Move inside the `build-aux` folder and then build and install the app:
|
|
|
|
```sh
|
|
cd build-aux
|
|
flatpak-builder --user --install app org.gnome.Fractal.Devel.json
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
Fractal Next can then be entirely removed from your system with:
|
|
|
|
```sh
|
|
flatpak remove org.gnome.Fractal.Devel.json
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### GNU/Linux
|
|
|
|
If you decide to ignore our recommendation and build on your host system, outside of Flatpak or
|
|
snap, you will need Meson and Ninja (as well as Rust and Cargo).
|
|
|
|
```sh
|
|
meson . _build --prefix=/usr/local
|
|
ninja -C _build
|
|
sudo ninja -C _build install
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### Translations
|
|
|
|
Fractal is translated by the GNOME translation team on [Damned lies](https://l10n.gnome.org/).
|
|
|
|
If you want to add *a new language* you should update the file `fractal-gtk/po/LINGUAS` and add the
|
|
code for that language to the list.
|
|
|
|
Get the pot file from [the Fractal module page on Damned lies](https://l10n.gnome.org/module/fractal/).
|
|
|
|
### Password Storage
|
|
|
|
Fractal uses [Secret Service](https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Specifications/secret-storage-spec/)
|
|
to store the password so you should have something providing that service on your system. If you're
|
|
using GNOME or KDE this should work for you out of the box with gnome-keyring or ksecretservice.
|
|
|
|
## Frequently Asked Questions
|
|
|
|
* Does Fractal have encryption support? Will it ever?
|
|
|
|
Yes, Fractal-next has encryption support using Cross-Signing. See
|
|
<https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/fractal/-/issues/717> for more info on the state of encryption.
|
|
|
|
* Can I run Fractal with the window closed?
|
|
|
|
Currently Fractal does not support this. Fractal is a GNOME application, and accordingly adheres GNOME
|
|
guidelines and paradigms. This will be revisited if or when GNOME gets a "Do Not Disturb" feature.
|
|
|
|
## The origin of Fractal
|
|
|
|
Fractal-next is a complete rewrite of Fractal built on top of the
|
|
[matrix-rust-sdk](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-rust-sdk) using [GTK4](https://gtk.org/).
|
|
|
|
The previous version of Fractal was using GTK3 and its own backend to talk to a matrix homeserver,
|
|
the code can be found in the [legacy](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/fractal/-/tree/legacy) branch.
|
|
|
|
Initial versions were based on Fest <https://github.com/fest-im/fest>, formerly called ruma-gtk.
|
|
In the origins of the project it was called guillotine, based on French revolution, in relation with
|
|
the Riot client name, but it's a negative name so we decide to change for a math one.
|
|
|
|
The name Fractal was proposed by Regina Bíró.
|
|
|
|
## Code of Conduct
|
|
|
|
Fractal follows the official GNOME Foundation code of conduct. You can read it [here](/code-of-conduct.md).
|