What is cinny?

Cinny is a web-based client for the Matrix messaging protocol. Matrix is an open standard for real-time communication that works across different servers: messages can flow between users on completely separate servers, similar to how email works across different providers. Unlike proprietary platforms where a single company controls all the data, Matrix lets communities and individuals choose or run their own server while still talking to people anywhere in the network. Cinny provides a clean, modern browser interface for accessing Matrix rooms and direct messages. It is built with React and TypeScript and takes visual inspiration from contemporary messaging apps, aiming for a more polished look than some older Matrix clients. The interface covers the standard things you would expect from a messaging app: joining rooms, sending and reading messages, browsing message history, and managing notifications. As a client, Cinny does not run a server. Users connect it to an existing Matrix homeserver, which can be their own self-hosted server, a service provider, or a public option like matrix.org. The application is just the front-end that talks to whichever homeserver the user chooses. The project is open source and can be self-hosted. Running your own instance means you are not dependent on any particular hosted version of Cinny, fitting the philosophy of control and independence that the Matrix ecosystem encourages. The TypeScript codebase makes it accessible to web developers who want to contribute or adapt it for specific communities. Cinny is aimed at people looking for a visually refined, browser-based Matrix client, including individuals who want an alternative to centralized messaging apps and community operators looking for a client to recommend to members.