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configuring-playbook-client-schildichat.md

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Setting up 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. It 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!

Adjusting the playbook configuration

To enable SchildiChat, add the following configuration to your inventory/host_vars/matrix.example.com/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.example.com/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.

Adjusting the SchildiChat URL

By default, this playbook installs SchildiChat on the schildichat. subdomain (schildichat.example.com) and requires you to adjust your DNS records.

By tweaking the matrix_client_schildichat_hostname and matrix_client_schildichat_path_prefix variables, you can easily make the service available at a different hostname and/or path than the default one.

Example additional configuration for your inventory/host_vars/matrix.example.com/vars.yml file:

# Switch to the domain used for Matrix services (`matrix.example.com`),
# so we won't need to add additional DNS records for SchildiChat.
matrix_client_schildichat_hostname: "{{ matrix_server_fqn_matrix }}"

# Expose under the /schildichat subpath
matrix_client_schildichat_path_prefix: /schildichat

Adjusting DNS records

Once you've decided on the domain and path, you may need to adjust your DNS records to point the SchildiChat domain to the Matrix server.

By default, you will need to create a CNAME record for schildichat. See Configuring DNS for details about DNS changes.

If you've decided to reuse the matrix. domain, you won't need to do any extra DNS configuration.

Installing

After configuring the playbook and potentially adjusting your DNS records, run the installation command: just install-all or just setup-all