Alex Kirk 4:19 pm on June 2, 2023
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Matrix chat Summary – June 1, 2023

The meeting was conducted on #meta channel of the Make WordPress Slack and partially on Matrix in the room #meta:community.wordpress.org.

We first recapped a few items around the setup that we’re exploring:

  1. We have a Matrix server for the WordPress project at community.wordpress.orgWordPress.org The community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/.
  2. Instead of having to create a new account at that Matrix server, we’ll want to use SSO (“single-sign on”) and allow you to use your WordPress.org account. This is possible through OpenID Connect (OIDC) and a WordPress pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party that we created, called OpenID Connect Server.
  3. To make joining WordPress meetings easier, we’ve developed another plugin that sports a GutenbergGutenberg The Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses ‘blocks’ to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc. https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/ blockBlock Block is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience. that hosts an in-page Matrix client, called Chatrix. The idea being, that we can have pages on the Make P2s that are dedicated to a specific room on the Matrix server where the meeting will take place.

So for example, for metaMeta Meta is a term that refers to the inside workings of a group. For us, this is the team that works on internal WordPress sites like WordCamp Central and Make WordPress. meetings, there is a Chatrix block installed on https://make.wordpress.org/meta/chat/ which points to the Matrix room where these meetings occur. Unfortunately, at the time of testing, the Chatrix block was broken for people who first started using it. We are working on a bugfix on Github.

Still it is possible to experience the above setup by joining the room via another client (and this is one thing that sets Matrix apart from SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/.: you have multiple clients to choose from), for example Element at https://app.element.io/

When you click “Sign In” there, you’ll arrive at a screen where you can change the server to community.wordpress.org. Then you can continue using the Single-Sign On flow: you are redirected to WordPress.org and asked to allow the Matrix server to confirm your WordPress.org username to log in. After this you arrive logged in to the Matrix server where we have already set your display name and profile picture.

Over at the Matrix server, we looked at the second agenda item, a test-migrated Slack channel on the Matrix server:

Mentions and threads show the same way in Matrix as in Slack. For example, here is a screenshot of a Slack conversation migrated to Matrix:

A migrated Slack thread as seen in the Element client

In the next meeting we’ll take a look how a Slack bridge would help make the move from Slack to Matrix easier.

As already mentioned in the agenda post, @psrpinto and I (@akirk) will be at WCEU (including Contributor dayContributor Day Contributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://2017.us.wordcamp.org/contributor-day/ https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/.) where we’d love to discuss Matrix, so if you’re there and see us, please talk us up!

#matrix