mirror of
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61 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
61 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
# Native Node Modules
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For some features, the desktop version of Element can make use of native Node
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modules. These allow Element to integrate with the desktop in ways that a browser
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cannot.
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While native modules enable powerful new features, they must be complied for
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each operating system. For official Element releases, we will always build these
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modules from source to ensure we can trust the compiled output. In the future,
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we may offer a pre-compiled path for those who want to use these features in a
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custom build of Element without installing the various build tools required.
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Do note that compiling a module for a particular operating system
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(Linux/macOS/Windows) will need to be done on that operating system.
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Cross-compiling from a host OS for a different target OS may be possible, but
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we don't support this flow with Element dependencies at this time.
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The process is automated by [vector-im/element-builder](https://github.com/vector-im/element-builder)
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when releasing.
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The following sections explain the manual steps you can use with a custom build of Element to enable
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these features if you'd like to try them out.
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It is possible to [build those native modules locally automatically](https://github.com/vector-im/element-desktop#building).
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```
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yarn run build:native
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```
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## Adding Seshat for search in E2E encrypted rooms
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Seshat is a native Node module that adds support for local event indexing and
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full text search in E2E encrypted rooms.
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Since Seshat is written in Rust, the Rust compiler and related tools need to be
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installed before installing Seshat itself. To install Rust please consult the
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official Rust [documentation](https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install).
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Seshat also depends on the SQLCipher library to store its data in encrypted form
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on disk. You'll need to install it via your OS package manager.
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After installing the Rust compiler and SQLCipher, Seshat support can be added
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using yarn at the root of this project:
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yarn add matrix-seshat
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You will have to rebuild the native libraries against electron's version of
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of node rather than your system node, using the `electron-build-env` tool.
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This is also needed to when pulling in changes to Seshat using `yarn link`.
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yarn add electron-build-env
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Recompiling Seshat itself can be done like so:
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yarn run electron-build-env -- --electron 6.1.1 -- neon build matrix-seshat --release
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Please make sure to include all the `--` as well as the `--release` command line
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switch at the end. Modify your electron version accordingly depending on the
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version that is installed on your system.
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After this is done the Electron version of Element can be run from the main folder
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as usual using:
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yarn start
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