# Synapse

> AGPL-3.0 reference Matrix homeserver from Element, in Python and Rust

**Category:** Comms  
**Pricing:** open-source  
**URL:** https://element-hq.github.io/synapse  
**GitHub:** https://github.com/element-hq/synapse  
**Added:** 2026-10-21

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## The Hook

Synapse is the reference homeserver for Matrix, the open, federated chat protocol: run it and your users can talk to rooms on any other Matrix server through clients like Element.

## What's Good

AGPL-3.0 (element-hq/synapse), release v1.163.0 (2026-10-14), commit on 2026-10-20. The most complete Matrix server, so new spec features land here first. Useful when you want self-hosted, federated chat or a bridge hub to other networks. ★~4.7k on the new repo; the archived matrix-org/synapse repo holds the older ~12k.

## The Catch

Element moved development to element-hq and changed the license from Apache-2.0 to AGPL-3.0 in late 2023, with a commercial license on offer. It is resource-hungry once you join large federated rooms, and you should run it on Postgres, not SQLite. Tuwunel is a lighter Rust homeserver if you don't need every feature.

## Verdict

The full-featured Matrix server; plan for its memory and database needs.