How to Install Synapse on Linux Mint

Synapse is a popular Matrix homeserver that allows you to create your own Matrix network. In this tutorial, we will outline the steps to install Synapse on Linux Mint.

Prerequisites:

• A Linux Mint operating system
• Root access to the server
• A domain name to use with Synapse.

Follow these steps to install Synapse on your Linux Mint machine:

Step 1: Install system dependencies

The first step is to install the necessary dependencies that Synapse relies on. You can do this by running the following command in the terminal:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install python3 python3-pip python3-setuptools python3-nacl python3-lxml python3-openssl python3-pillow python3-yaml build-essential python3-dev libffi-dev python3-virtualenv python3-pycurl redis-server -y

Step 2: Create a virtual environment

Now, let's create a virtual environment for Synapse. This will ensure that any libraries or packages that we install will not interfere with the system's other packages.

To create a virtual environment, use the following command:

sudo mkdir /opt/synapse && cd /opt/synapse
sudo virtualenv -p python3 venv

Step 3: Install Synapse

Once the virtual environment has been created, we can proceed to install Synapse. To do so, activate the virtual environment using the command below:

source /opt/synapse/venv/bin/activate

Now, let's install the latest version of Synapse using pip:

pip3 install matrix-synapse[all]

Step 4: Configure Synapse

Now that we have Synapse installed, let's set up the configuration files. First, create a new configuration file by copying the template provided:

cd /opt/synapse/venv/bin
cp synapse.example.config.yaml synapse.config.yaml

Open the synapse.config.yaml file with your preferred editor and make any necessary changes such as setting your domain name.

Step 5: Start Synapse

You're now ready to start Synapse! To do so, run the following command:

synctl start

Synapse will start running on your machine, and you will be able to access it using your Matrix client.

That's it! You have successfully installed Synapse on your Linux Mint machine. You can now create your own Matrix network and start communicating with other users.

If you want to self-host in an easy, hands free way, need an external IP address, or simply want your data in your own hands, give IPv6.rs a try!

Alternatively, for the best virtual desktop, try Shells!