MSC3765: Rich text in room topics by Johennes · Pull Request #3765 · matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals

Johennes · 2022-04-03T12:26:44Z

Implementations:

In line with matrix-org/matrix-spec#1700, the following disclosure applies:

I am a Systems Architect at gematik, Software Engineer at Unomed, Matrix community member and former Element employee. This proposal was written and published with my community member hat on.

FCP tickyboxes

Signed-off-by: Johannes Marbach <johannesm@element.io>

Co-authored-by: Travis Ralston <travisr@matrix.org>

turt2live · 2022-04-17T19:35:37Z

@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+# MSC3765: Rich text in room topics


@alphapapa says:

On one hand, I can see some elegance in repurposing room topics for general-purpose, long-term room reference information. OTOH, it seems like overloading the purpose of topics with what, in other systems, would go in "pinned" topics or messages, or a wiki, etc.

So IMHO I would consider implementing support for pinned messages/events before overloading topics like this. It would seem relatively straightforward for a room's state to have a list of pinned events, which could be sent in initial sync by the server or be retrieved manually by clients. Clients could then display these pinned events in a room's timeline view, optionally hiding them, compressing them, etc. And the pinned events could be edited by room moderators using existing event-editing tools. (Forgive me if there's already a proposal for something like that.)

@Johennes replies:

Interesting idea. Pinned events seem to already exist. However, in their current form, these are not fit to be used for what you describe because, depending on room settings, users joining the room after the events were sent could be unable to see them.

turt2live · 2022-04-17T19:37:34Z

@alphapapa and others: please use threads on the diff to have your comments considered. This can be done by adding a line comment.

If there's no obvious line for where to put a comment, please use the line containing the title.

richvdh · 2025-02-26T09:12:27Z

+On the server side, any logic that currently operates on the `topic` field is
+updated to use the `m.topic` content block instead:
+
+- In [`/_matrix/client/v3/createRoom`], the `topic` parameter should cause `m.room.topic`
+  to be written with a `text/plain` mimetype in `m.topic`. If at the same time an
+  `m.room.topic` event is supplied in `initial_state`, it is overwritten entirely.
+  A future MSC may generalize the `topic` parameter to allow specifying other mime
+  types without `initial_state`.
+- In [`GET /_matrix/client/v3/publicRooms`], [`GET /_matrix/federation/v1/publicRooms`]
+  and their `POST` siblings, the `topic` response field should be read from the
+  `text/plain` mimetype of `m.topic` if it exists or omitted otherwise.
+  A plain text topic is sufficient here because this data is commonly
+  only displayed to users that are *not* a member of the room yet. These
+  users don't commonly have the same need for rich room topics as users
+  who already reside in the room. A future MSC may update these endpoints
+  to support rich text topics.
+- The same logic is applied to [`/_matrix/client/v1/rooms/{roomId}/hierarchy`]
+  and [`/_matrix/federation/v1/hierarchy/{roomId}`].
+- In [server side search], the `room_events` category is expanded to search
+  over the `m.text` content block of `m.room.topic` events.


@Johennes this bit doesn't seem to have been implemented in mainline synapse (unless I'm missing it): do we have a sample server-side implementation?

Hm, no. I actually never made a server implementation. Initially this proposal didn't have any server parts and then I guess I forgot the implementation when adding these later. 🤦

Better late than never: element-hq/synapse#18195

The advantage of having shunted the implementation is that it now can use stable identifiers directly. 😇

richvdh · 2025-02-26T10:43:11Z

+  `m.room.topic` event is supplied in `initial_state`, it is overwritten entirely.
+  A future MSC may generalize the `topic` parameter to allow specifying other mime
+  types without `initial_state`.
+- In [`GET /_matrix/client/v3/publicRooms`], [`GET /_matrix/federation/v1/publicRooms`]


For reference: MSC3266 adds /room_summary, defined to behave the same as /publicRooms, so that will also need updating if the code isn't shared.

Johennes · 2025-03-14T09:03:54Z

Spec PR: matrix-org/matrix-spec#2095

turt2live · 2025-06-10T19:25:00Z

Merged a while ago: matrix-org/matrix-spec#2095 (comment)

This implements matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals#3765 which is already merged and, therefore, can use stable identifiers. For `/publicRooms` and `/hierarchy`, the topic is read from the eponymous field of the `current_state_events` table. Rather than introduce further columns in this table, I changed the insertion / update logic to write the plain-text topic from the rich topic into the existing field. This will not take effect for existing rooms unless their topic is changed. However, existing rooms shouldn't have rich topics to begin with. Similarly, for server-side search, I changed the insertion logic of the `event_search` table to prefer the value from the rich topic. Again, existing events shouldn't have rich topics and, therefore, don't need to be migrated in the table. Spec doc: https://spec.matrix.org/v1.15/client-server-api/#mroomtopic Part of supporting Matrix v1.15: https://spec.matrix.org/v1.15/client-server-api/#mroomtopic Signed-off-by: Johannes Marbach <n0-0ne+github@mailbox.org> Co-authored-by: Eric Eastwood <erice@element.io>

@clokep

Tested on NetBSD 9 amd64 (federation, multiple clients) # Synapse 1.135.0 (2025-08-01) ## Features - Add `recaptcha_private_key_path` and `recaptcha_public_key_path` config option. ([\#17984](element-hq/synapse#17984), [\#18684](element-hq/synapse#18684)) - Add plain-text handling for rich-text topics as per [MSC3765](matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals#3765). ([\#18195](element-hq/synapse#18195)) - If enabled by the user, server admins will see [soft failed](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.13/server-server-api/#soft-failure) events over the Client-Server API. ([\#18238](element-hq/synapse#18238)) - Add experimental support for [MSC4277: Harmonizing the reporting endpoints](matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals#4277). ([\#18263](element-hq/synapse#18263)) - Add ability to limit amount of media uploaded by a user in a given time period. ([\#18527](element-hq/synapse#18527)) - Enable workers to write directly to the device lists stream and handle device list updates, reducing load on the main process. ([\#18581](element-hq/synapse#18581)) - Support arbitrary profile fields. Contributed by @clokep. ([\#18635](element-hq/synapse#18635)) - Advertise support for Matrix v1.12. ([\#18647](element-hq/synapse#18647)) - Add an option to issue redactions as an admin user via the [admin redaction endpoint](https://element-hq.github.io/synapse/latest/admin_api/user_admin_api.html#redact-all-the-events-of-a-user). ([\#18671](element-hq/synapse#18671)) - Add experimental and incomplete support for [MSC4306: Thread Subscriptions](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/blob/rei/msc_thread_subscriptions/proposals/4306-thread-subscriptions.md). ([\#18674](element-hq/synapse#18674)) - Include `event_id` when getting state with `?format=event`. Contributed by @tulir @ Beeper. ([\#18675](element-hq/synapse#18675))

@clokep

Tested on NetBSD 9 amd64 (federation, multiple clients) # Synapse 1.135.0 (2025-08-01) ## Features - Add `recaptcha_private_key_path` and `recaptcha_public_key_path` config option. ([\#17984](element-hq/synapse#17984), [\#18684](element-hq/synapse#18684)) - Add plain-text handling for rich-text topics as per [MSC3765](matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals#3765). ([\#18195](element-hq/synapse#18195)) - If enabled by the user, server admins will see [soft failed](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.13/server-server-api/#soft-failure) events over the Client-Server API. ([\#18238](element-hq/synapse#18238)) - Add experimental support for [MSC4277: Harmonizing the reporting endpoints](matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals#4277). ([\#18263](element-hq/synapse#18263)) - Add ability to limit amount of media uploaded by a user in a given time period. ([\#18527](element-hq/synapse#18527)) - Enable workers to write directly to the device lists stream and handle device list updates, reducing load on the main process. ([\#18581](element-hq/synapse#18581)) - Support arbitrary profile fields. Contributed by @clokep. ([\#18635](element-hq/synapse#18635)) - Advertise support for Matrix v1.12. ([\#18647](element-hq/synapse#18647)) - Add an option to issue redactions as an admin user via the [admin redaction endpoint](https://element-hq.github.io/synapse/latest/admin_api/user_admin_api.html#redact-all-the-events-of-a-user). ([\#18671](element-hq/synapse#18671)) - Add experimental and incomplete support for [MSC4306: Thread Subscriptions](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/blob/rei/msc_thread_subscriptions/proposals/4306-thread-subscriptions.md). ([\#18674](element-hq/synapse#18674)) - Include `event_id` when getting state with `?format=event`. Contributed by @tulir @ Beeper. ([\#18675](element-hq/synapse#18675))

@clokep

Tested on NetBSD 9 amd64 (federation, multiple clients) # Synapse 1.135.0 (2025-08-01) ## Features - Add `recaptcha_private_key_path` and `recaptcha_public_key_path` config option. ([\#17984](element-hq/synapse#17984), [\#18684](element-hq/synapse#18684)) - Add plain-text handling for rich-text topics as per [MSC3765](matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals#3765). ([\#18195](element-hq/synapse#18195)) - If enabled by the user, server admins will see [soft failed](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.13/server-server-api/#soft-failure) events over the Client-Server API. ([\#18238](element-hq/synapse#18238)) - Add experimental support for [MSC4277: Harmonizing the reporting endpoints](matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals#4277). ([\#18263](element-hq/synapse#18263)) - Add ability to limit amount of media uploaded by a user in a given time period. ([\#18527](element-hq/synapse#18527)) - Enable workers to write directly to the device lists stream and handle device list updates, reducing load on the main process. ([\#18581](element-hq/synapse#18581)) - Support arbitrary profile fields. Contributed by @clokep. ([\#18635](element-hq/synapse#18635)) - Advertise support for Matrix v1.12. ([\#18647](element-hq/synapse#18647)) - Add an option to issue redactions as an admin user via the [admin redaction endpoint](https://element-hq.github.io/synapse/latest/admin_api/user_admin_api.html#redact-all-the-events-of-a-user). ([\#18671](element-hq/synapse#18671)) - Add experimental and incomplete support for [MSC4306: Thread Subscriptions](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/blob/rei/msc_thread_subscriptions/proposals/4306-thread-subscriptions.md). ([\#18674](element-hq/synapse#18674)) - Include `event_id` when getting state with `?format=event`. Contributed by @tulir @ Beeper. ([\#18675](element-hq/synapse#18675))

Add rich room topic MSC

9b914c6

Signed-off-by: Johannes Marbach <johannesm@element.io>

Johennes changed the title ~~MSC3677: Rich text in room topics~~ MSC3765: Rich text in room topics Apr 3, 2022

Johennes added 2 commits April 3, 2022 14:28

Rename to reflect propper MSC number

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Fix typo

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turt2live added proposal-in-review proposal A matrix spec change proposal. Process state. A-Client Server Client-Server API kind:feature MSC for not-core and not-maintenance stuff labels Apr 3, 2022

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Johennes and others added 3 commits April 4, 2022 19:49

Explain why m.topic is kept separate from m.message

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Use json5 for formatting code snippet

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Co-authored-by: Travis Ralston <travisr@matrix.org>

Remove unneeded unstable room version

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Adapt to latest version of MSC1767

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mscbot added finished-final-comment-period FCP has finished. Process state. and removed final-comment-period Process state to accept, reject, or postpone an MSC. labels Feb 23, 2025

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sumnerevans mentioned this pull request Feb 24, 2025

event: add support for MSC3765 rich text room topics mautrix/go#354

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MSC3266: Room summary API #3266

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Add plain-text handling for rich-text topics as per MSC3765 element-hq/synapse#18195

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Spec PR - MSC3765: Rich text in room topics matrix-org/matrix-spec#2095

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Johennes mentioned this pull request Mar 28, 2025

Stabilise MSC3765 matrix-org/matrix-js-sdk#4767

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Move rich topics out of labs / stabilise MSC3765 element-hq/element-web#29817

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This was referenced May 30, 2025

Implement Matrix 1.15 changes ruma/ruma#2082

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events: Add unstable support for rich text in room topics ruma/ruma#2083

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Johennes mentioned this pull request Jul 3, 2025

Matrix v1.15 gematik/api-ti-messenger#323

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Support Matrix 1.15 element-hq/synapse#18731

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Johennes mentioned this pull request Sep 16, 2025

Clarify room version requirements on MSC3381 #4355

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