YunoHost comes installed by default with an instant messaging server Metronome which implements the XMPP protocol (previously known as Jabber).
This protocol is already used by millions of people around the world - it is an open protocol. All applications based on XMPP are compatible with each other: when using an XMPP client, you can interact with anybody who has an XMPP account.
XMPP is an extensible protocol - this means users can configure "extensions" to chatrooms, to share messages and files, and to make voice and video calls using XMPP.
To use an XMPP account you need a username, which takes the format: user@domain.tld, and a password.
With YunoHost, an XMPP account is created for all YunoHost users automatically. The XMPP account credentials corresponds to the user's main email address and password.
You can connect to your YunoHost XMPP account in different ways.
- Gajim (Linux,Windows)
- Dino (Linux)
- Thunderbird (multiplatform)
- Beagle IM (Mac OS)
- Profanity (Linux)
- Conversations (Android)
- Xabber (Android)
- Movim under Android
- Monal (iOS)
- Siskin IM (iOS)
- Kaidan (Ubuntu Touch / Plasma Mobile)
Here is an exhaustive list of XMPP clients : https://xmpp.org/software/clients.html
XMPP chats can be made secure and private using [OMEMO] encryption (https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0384.html), for instance using Gajim:
- Install
gajimand the plugingajim-omemo - Enable the plugin in
Tools > Plugins - Enable it
- Enable the encryption in the chat with somebody who also has OMEMO
To create a chatroom (multi-user chat) on your YunoHost server, use the identifier chatroomname@muc.yourdomain.tld.
For this to work you need to add the corresponding muc. DNS record in the DNS configuration.
A practical tool to call an XMPP client, either with voice or voice+video, is to use the client Jitsi.