signal VS Signal-Server

On-device bridging works like this https://blog.beeper.com/p/how-beeper-mini-works. We'll put together a full technical deep dive for the real launch, this is just an open beta. Our signal bridge code is open source: https://github.com/mautrix/signal

You don't have to use our hosted bridges, we've made it ridiculously easy to self host: https://github.com/beeper/bridge-manager

Exactly yeah, I used this bridge with this playbook

I personally recommend going with a Matrix client and building a bridge to your Signal account.

OWS has historically been hostile to third party implementations outside of their clients. There are multiple unofficial options but the only one I've been looking at is the bridge with matrix, though setting up a matrix server just for this is likely overkill.

However, looking at the Matrix docs for the mautrix-signal bridge, it seems to be open-source and end-to-end encrypted. You'll have to look through the source code to figure out how they did that, I guess, because I couldn't find any details.

Once you have the home server set up and configured (not covered here because it's a process), clone the bridge repo (for instance mautrix-signal and follow the instructions.

the signal matrix bridge currently listed on matrix.org (https://github.com/tulir/mautrix-signal) uses signald

> They could at least BSL the server code and allow others to verify the server code and host but not compete.

This is exactly what they do (except they use AGPL): https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Server

https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Server/blob/main/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/push/APNSender.java for APNs push notification payloads

git clone https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Server.git

yes it is available here https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Server/blob/main/service/pom.xml

You could also start your own signal server, but with blackjack, and hookers

The fact that it locks you into using their servers, does not distribute on F-Droid (only Google Play OR an APK with an insecure update mechanism), and has a completely closed-source "abusive message filter" module server side, that could functionally be used for censorship, storing messages for future decryption, or any other number of nefarious purposes - we have no idea since it's not open source (https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Server/blob/main/.gitmod...).

Additionally, you cannot distribute branded forks or Signal, and if you do fork it, your fork is not allowed to connect to Signal's "official" OWS (open whisper systems) servers - hostility to federation should be viewed with prejudice and suspicion at the very least, it suggests a vested interest in a single point of failure (or control), which goes against user interests.

Further reading: https://drewdevault.com/2018/08/08/Signal.html

It’s actually the signal server that isn’t reproducible because of the abusive message filter that’s in a private repository. It’s clear as day here: https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Server