Synapse
Server for Matrix, an open standard for decentralized persistent communication.
- Team Chat
- Python
- AGPL-3.0
- Actively maintained
GitHub stats
- GitHub stars
- 4,681
- Forks
- 628
- Open issues
- 1,885
- Commits, last 12 months
- 817
- Last commit
- Oct 5, 2026
- Latest release
- v1.162.0Sep 29, 2026
- Created
- Dec 13, 2023
Data from the GitHub API, refreshed daily.
About Synapse
Server for Matrix, an open standard for decentralized persistent communication. Synapse is open source under the AGPL-3.0 license and written mainly in Python, so you can read the code, run it on your own hardware and keep full control of your data.
The project has 4,681 stars and 628 forks on GitHub, with 817 commits over the last year. It installs natively rather than through an official Docker image, so plan for a short manual setup.
Open-source alternative to
Synapse can replace these commercial products. Compare every option on each page.
Repository preview
Similar apps
More apps like Synapse
Other projects in Team Chat, ranked by GitHub stars.
Rocket.Chat
RocketChat/Rocket.Chat
Communications platform that puts data protection first (alternative to Gitter.im and Slack).
Team ChatTypeScriptDockerNovu
novuhq/novu
Notification infrastructure for developers.
Team ChatTypeScriptDockerMattermost
mattermost/mattermost
Platform for secure collaboration across the entire software development lifecycle, can be integrated with Gitlab (alternative to Slack).
Team ChatTypeScriptDockerChatwoot
chatwoot/chatwoot
Customer communication platform (alternative to Intercom and Zendesk).
Team ChatRubyDockerntfy
binwiederhier/ntfy
Push notifications to phone or desktop using HTTP PUT/POST, with Android app, CLI and web app, similar to Pushover and Gotify.
Team ChatGoDockerZulip
zulip/zulip
Zulip is a powerful, open source group chat application.
Team ChatPython
What is Synapse?
Synapse is a free, open-source app you can host on your own server, listed in our Team Chat category. Server for Matrix, an open standard for decentralized persistent communication. The source code lives at github.com/element-hq/synapse, where it has 4,681 stars.
Is Synapse free and open source?
Yes. Synapse is open-source software released under the AGPL-3.0 license, so you can self-host it at no cost. You only pay for the server it runs on, and some projects also offer an optional paid cloud plan.
Can I run Synapse with Docker?
Synapse does not list an official Docker image. It installs natively (Python and deb), so follow the install steps in its README or look for a community-maintained container.
What are the best alternatives to Synapse?
Popular open-source alternatives to Synapse include Rocket.Chat, Novu and Mattermost. Synapse itself is a self-hosted alternative to Slack.
Is Synapse actively maintained?
The most recent commit to Synapse was on Oct 5, 2026 with 817 commits in the past twelve months. The latest release is v1.162.0, published Sep 29, 2026. Check the open issues on GitHub to gauge how quickly maintainers respond.