A faster, rustier Element Web
At FOSDEM 2026, we presented our plan to move Element Web to be powered by the Rust SDK by rewriting incrementally into reusable components. In this talk, we'll share our progress and insights so far, showcasing our prototype version of the client based on the Matrix Rust SDK along with improvements this has allowed us to bring to the web and desktop version we all know.
Dave is a Staff Engineer at Element and a Matrix Spec Core Team member. He helped to write the very first version of Element Web, or Vector, as it was known then. He now works to solidify its technical architecture and ensure it grows as sustainably as possible while still delivering the features that its users need. In the past, he has worked across most areas of the matrix stack, from Synapse to push gateways, identity servers and VoIP.
Florian is a Senior Engineer working at Element since 2022. He is spending its time to improve and to modernize Element Web.