Matterbridge — Bridge Chat Messages Across 30+ Platforms

Introduction

Matterbridge solves the fragmentation problem when a team or community uses multiple chat platforms. It relays messages, files, and reactions between channels so everyone stays in sync regardless of which app they prefer.

What Matterbridge Does

• Bridges messages bidirectionally between 30+ chat platforms
• Relays file attachments, images, and reactions where supported
• Preserves sender usernames across platforms for readable conversations
• Supports multiple gateway configurations to bridge different channel groups
• Runs as a single Go binary or Docker container with a TOML config file

Architecture Overview

Matterbridge is written in Go and uses a gateway-based architecture. Each supported platform has a bridge module that connects to the platform's API (REST, WebSocket, or IRC). A gateway definition in the config file groups multiple bridge endpoints into a conversation set. When a message arrives on one bridge, the gateway fans it out to all other bridges in the group. The application is stateless and maintains only in-memory connection state.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Download a single binary or use the Docker image — no dependencies needed
• Configure via a single matterbridge.toml file defining accounts and gateways
• Each platform requires its own API token or bot credentials
• Supports TLS, proxy settings, and custom API endpoints per bridge
• Run as a systemd service or Docker container for production reliability

Key Features

• 30+ supported platforms including Slack, Discord, Telegram, Matrix, IRC, XMPP, Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, Microsoft Teams, and more
• Bidirectional message relay with username preservation
• File and image forwarding across compatible platforms
• Multiple gateways for different channel groupings in one instance
• Lightweight single binary with low memory footprint

Comparison with Similar Tools

• Matrix bridges (mautrix) — Matrix-centric bridges that require a Matrix server; Matterbridge bridges any-to-any
• Beeper — commercial unified inbox; Matterbridge is open source and bridges channels, not DMs
• Zapier / n8n — general automation tools that can relay messages but lack native chat formatting
• SocialBridge — newer project with fewer supported platforms
• IRC bouncers (ZNC) — connect IRC only; Matterbridge spans dozens of protocols

FAQ

Q: Does Matterbridge store messages? A: No. It relays messages in real time and keeps no persistent history.

Q: Can I bridge more than two platforms in one gateway? A: Yes, a single gateway can include any number of platform channels. All messages are relayed to every member of the gateway.

Q: How do I add a new platform? A: Create a new account block in matterbridge.toml with the platform's API credentials, then add it to a gateway.

Q: Does it support threads and reactions? A: Thread replies and reactions are forwarded on platforms that support them. On others, they appear as regular messages.

Sources

• https://github.com/42wim/matterbridge
• https://github.com/42wim/matterbridge/wiki