Getting Started with Prosody Software for Xmpp

Getting started with Prosody software for XMPP is relatively straightforward.

Prosody is a popular, open-source XMPP server that's easy to set up and customize.

First, you'll need to download the Prosody software from the official website.

Once you have the software, you can follow the installation instructions to get it up and running on your server.

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Configuring Prosody requires replacing the /etc/prosody/prosody.cfg.lua file with a new configuration.

Replace /etc/prosody/prosody.cfg.lua with the provided configuration, don't forget to replace the SUPER-SECRET-PASSWORD with the same one used for your STUN/TURN server and add your JID to the admins section.

The modules_enabled section has the s2s_bidi module commented out, which reuses connections between servers and reduces server load, but may cause issues with ejabberd servers running 24.10.

To create a new VirtualHost, create a new /etc/prosody/conf.avail/example.org.cfg.lua file containing the provided configuration.

The file should be symlinked to the prosody configuration directory, and prosody should be configured to import certificates from Let's Encrypt.

A script should be added to the /etc/letsencrypt/renewal-hooks/deploy directory to reimport certificates after Let's Encrypt renews them.

To check the configuration, run prosodyctl check config, prosodyctl check certs, and prosodyctl check dns.

Create new users using prosodyctl adduser, as demonstrated with the example user [email protected].

Installing Prosody is a straightforward process.

To get the latest version, we need to enable the debian-backports repository. This is because Debian Bookworm has an older version of Prosody.

Create a new file called /etc/apt/sources.list.d/bookworm-backports.list containing the following information:

This file is used to add a new repository to our system. We'll use it to get the latest version of Prosody.

Now we're ready to install Prosody. Just follow the instructions to add the repository and then run the installation command.

Configuring your Prosody server is a crucial step in setting it up. You'll need to replace the default password with the one you used for your STUN/TURN server.

Don't forget to add your JID to the admins section, as mentioned in the article. This will ensure you have administrative control over your server.

You may also need to comment out the s2s_bidi module in the modules_enabled section, depending on your server setup. This module reuses connections between servers and can help reduce server load, but it may cause issues with ejabberd servers running 24.10.

To create a new VirtualHost, create a file named /etc/prosody/conf.avail/example.org.cfg.lua containing the necessary configuration. Then, symlink the file to the correct location.

Prosody will import your certificates automatically, but you'll need to run the command /usr/bin/prosodyctl --root cert import /etc/letsencrypt/live to get them set up.

To make sure Prosody reimports certificates after Let's Encrypt renews them, add a script to your /etc/letsencrypt/renewal-hooks/deploy/02-prosody.sh file. This script should contain the necessary commands to reimport the certificates.

To check if your configuration is correct, use the commands prosodyctl check config, prosodyctl check certs, and prosodyctl check dns. These commands will help you identify any issues with your setup.

Once you've verified your configuration, you can create new users using the command prosodyctl adduser [email protected]. Don't forget to add the necessary locations to your backups, including the /etc/prosody directory.

Prosody is the heart of any voice assistant, and setting it up correctly is crucial for a seamless user experience.

Prosody allows you to control the tone and pitch of your voice assistant's voice, giving you a range of options to suit your preferences.

You can adjust the pitch to make the voice higher or lower, and the range is surprisingly wide.

A higher pitch can make the voice sound more energetic and youthful, while a lower pitch can make it sound more mature and authoritative.

For example, in the "Customizing Voice" section, we learned that adjusting the pitch can make a big difference in how the voice assistant sounds.

The prosody setup also allows you to control the rate of speech, which can be set to be faster or slower depending on your needs.

A faster rate can be helpful for users who need to get through a lot of information quickly, while a slower rate can be better for users who prefer a more relaxed pace.

To secure your Prosody server, you'll need to get SSL certificates. This involves setting up DNS and Nginx.

With DNS and Nginx in place, you can modify the Nginx configuration to use the certificates. This involves adding extra SSL-enabled servers to the existing non-SSL one in the /etc/nginx/sites-available/xmpp-service file.

Restarting Nginx with systemctl restart nginx enables the SSL sites.

To set up a secure XMPP server, you'll need to create DNS records that allow clients and other servers to find and connect to your server.

First, you'll need to create A records pointing to your server's IP address for the domain name and its subdomains. This typically involves creating three A records for the domain name, and three more for the IPv6 address if your server has it.

You'll also need to create SRV records to define how clients and other servers connect to your server. These records allow you to specify the priority, weight, and even the ports to connect to.

For example, to tell clients to connect to your server using DirectTLS, you'll need to create an SRV record with a priority of 0 and a port of 5223. If the client doesn't support DirectTLS, it will use the older StartTLS method on port 5222.

You can create multiple SRV records to define different connection methods, such as using TCP on port 5223 or StartTLS on port 5222. This allows you to specify the order in which clients should attempt to connect to your server.

To get SSL certificates, you'll need to set up your DNS and Nginx first.

With your DNS and Nginx in place, you're now ready to obtain your certificates.

You'll need to modify the Nginx configuration file to make use of your new certificates.

Add some extra SSL-enabled servers below your existing non-SSL one in the /etc/nginx/sites-available/xmpp-service file.

Restart Nginx to enable the SSL sites using the command systemctl restart nginx.

With Prosody IM, you can get managed hosting on a platform built specifically for the software. This means you can rely on a team to handle the technical aspects, freeing up time for you to focus on your project.

Accessing your Prosody installation is straightforward, thanks to SSH access. This allows you to securely connect to your server and make any necessary changes.

Prosody IM can be installed directly over SSH, making it easy to get started.

Prosody is a highly extensible open-source XMPP server, which means it can be customized to meet specific needs.

It has a modular design, allowing users to add or remove features as needed.

This flexibility makes it a popular choice for developers and system administrators.

Prosody can be easily integrated with other software and services, making it a great option for those who need to connect with other systems.

Meeting Prosody was a game-changer for a local Free Software group in Brazil, where it was used to set up a server.

The group's initial choice was Jabber, but they had to switch after discovering a bug in Jabberd2's SQLite backend. They considered ejabberd, but dropped the idea due to its Erlang language, which the author wasn't familiar with.

Prosody, written in Lua, a language designed by Brazilians, was the obvious choice. The author felt a sense of pride in using a local product.

The configuration file for Prosody is written in Lua, making it easier to read than XML. It's also well-documented and organized, with small configuration files split by categories.

Prosody's modular structure impressed the author, allowing for easy loading and unloading of modules by commenting lines in the configuration file.

To set yourself up for success with meetings and essentials, you need to configure your environment for easier management.

Prosody is a great tool for this, allowing you to manage your environment with ease.

Managing user accounts with Prosody IM is a game-changer, giving you more control over your team's communication.

Having a well-organized environment also means you can focus on what matters most – your work and your team.

If you're having trouble with Prosody, don't worry, there are several resources available to help you troubleshoot.

You can find the latest help articles on the Prosody website, covering topics like configuring the shell environment and setting up Converse.js with Prosody.

The Prosody website also offers a command line control for managing user accounts with Prosody IM, which can be a lifesaver if you're having trouble with user management.

If you're stuck, you can try checking the Prosody help articles, which cover a range of topics, including installing Prosody IM as a dedicated XMPP server.

Prosody has been deployed by notable organizations and individuals to power their instant messaging and chat services. The XMPP Standards Foundation runs Prosody on xmpp.org.

Identi.ca, a micro-blogging service, uses Prosody to deliver IM notifications. This feature helps users stay connected and up-to-date.

Collabora runs Prosody on proxies.telepathy.im to provide file transfer proxy lookup for Telepathy. This integration enables seamless file sharing and collaboration.

Peter Saint-Andre, the executive director of the XMPP Standards Foundation, has run Prosody on his personal website, http://stpeter.im.

Related reading: Foundation (framework)