Stop installing Matrix Console by default

This is based on the work done by @krombel in #2601.

README.rst

@@ -289,10 +289,6 @@ go back in your web client and proceed further.
 If all goes well you should at least be able to log in, create a room, and
 start sending messages.
 
-(The homeserver runs a web client by default at https://localhost:8448/, though
-as of the time of writing it is somewhat outdated and not really recommended -
-https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/1527).
-
 .. _`client-user-reg`:
 
 Registering a new user from a client
@@ -372,10 +368,7 @@ ArchLinux
 
 The quickest way to get up and running with ArchLinux is probably with the community package
 https://www.archlinux.org/packages/community/any/matrix-synapse/, which should pull in most of
-the necessary dependencies. If the default web client is to be served (enabled by default in
-the generated config),
-https://www.archlinux.org/packages/community/any/python2-matrix-angular-sdk/ will also need to
-be installed.
+the necessary dependencies.
 
 pip may be outdated (6.0.7-1 and needs to be upgraded to 6.0.8-1 )::
 

UPGRADE.rst

@@ -115,6 +115,10 @@ Upgrading to v0.34.0
    case a hypothetical future identity server was put there. If you don't
    remove it, users may be unable to deactivate their accounts.
 
+3. This release no longer installs the (unmaintained) Matrix Console web client
+   as part of the default installation. It is possible to re-enable it by
+   installing it separately and setting the ``web_client_location`` config
+   option, but please consider switching to another client.
 
 Upgrading to v0.33.7
 ====================

changelog.d/4290.feature

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Remove Matrix console from the default distribution

synapse/app/homeserver.py

@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
 from synapse.metrics.background_process_metrics import run_as_background_process
 from synapse.metrics.resource import METRICS_PREFIX, MetricsResource
 from synapse.module_api import ModuleApi
-from synapse.python_dependencies import CONDITIONAL_REQUIREMENTS, check_requirements
+from synapse.python_dependencies import check_requirements
 from synapse.replication.http import REPLICATION_PREFIX, ReplicationRestResource
 from synapse.replication.tcp.resource import ReplicationStreamProtocolFactory
 from synapse.rest import ClientRestResource
@@ -79,36 +79,6 @@ def gz_wrap(r):
     return EncodingResourceWrapper(r, [GzipEncoderFactory()])
 
 
-def build_resource_for_web_client(hs):
-    webclient_path = hs.get_config().web_client_location
-    if not webclient_path:
-        try:
-            import syweb
-        except ImportError:
-            quit_with_error(
-                "Could not find a webclient.\n\n"
-                "Please either install the matrix-angular-sdk or configure\n"
-                "the location of the source to serve via the configuration\n"
-                "option `web_client_location`\n\n"
-                "To install the `matrix-angular-sdk` via pip, run:\n\n"
-                "    pip install '%(dep)s'\n"
-                "\n"
-                "You can also disable hosting of the webclient via the\n"
-                "configuration option `web_client`\n"
-                % {"dep": CONDITIONAL_REQUIREMENTS["web_client"].keys()[0]}
-            )
-        syweb_path = os.path.dirname(syweb.__file__)
-        webclient_path = os.path.join(syweb_path, "webclient")
-    # GZip is disabled here due to
-    # https://twistedmatrix.com/trac/ticket/7678
-    # (It can stay enabled for the API resources: they call
-    # write() with the whole body and then finish() straight
-    # after and so do not trigger the bug.
-    # GzipFile was removed in commit 184ba09
-    # return GzipFile(webclient_path)  # TODO configurable?
-    return File(webclient_path)  # TODO configurable?
-
-
 class SynapseHomeServer(HomeServer):
     DATASTORE_CLASS = DataStore
 
@@ -237,7 +207,16 @@ def _configure_named_resource(self, name, compress=False):
             resources[SERVER_KEY_V2_PREFIX] = KeyApiV2Resource(self)
 
         if name == "webclient":
-            resources[WEB_CLIENT_PREFIX] = build_resource_for_web_client(self)
+            webclient_path = self.get_config().web_client_location
+
+            if webclient_path is None:
+                logger.warning(
+                    "Not enabling webclient resource, as web_client_location is unset."
+                )
+            else:
+                # GZip is disabled here due to
+                # https://twistedmatrix.com/trac/ticket/7678
+                resources[WEB_CLIENT_PREFIX] = File(webclient_path)
 
         if name == "metrics" and self.get_config().enable_metrics:
             resources[METRICS_PREFIX] = MetricsResource(RegistryProxy)

synapse/config/server.py

@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ def read_config(self, config):
             raise ConfigError(str(e))
 
         self.pid_file = self.abspath(config.get("pid_file"))
-        self.web_client = config["web_client"]
         self.web_client_location = config.get("web_client_location", None)
         self.soft_file_limit = config["soft_file_limit"]
         self.daemonize = config.get("daemonize")
@@ -128,6 +127,9 @@ def read_config(self, config):
             elif not bind_addresses:
                 bind_addresses.append('')
 
+        if not self.web_client_location:
+            _warn_if_webclient_configured(self.listeners)
+
         self.gc_thresholds = read_gc_thresholds(config.get("gc_thresholds", None))
 
         bind_port = config.get("bind_port")
@@ -136,16 +138,14 @@ def read_config(self, config):
             bind_host = config.get("bind_host", "")
             gzip_responses = config.get("gzip_responses", True)
 
-            names = ["client", "webclient"] if self.web_client else ["client"]
-
             self.listeners.append({
                 "port": bind_port,
                 "bind_addresses": [bind_host],
                 "tls": True,
                 "type": "http",
                 "resources": [
                     {
-                        "names": names,
+                        "names": ["client"],
                         "compress": gzip_responses,
                     },
                     {
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ def read_config(self, config):
                     "type": "http",
                     "resources": [
                         {
-                            "names": names,
+                            "names": ["client"],
                             "compress": gzip_responses,
                         },
                         {
@@ -247,13 +247,9 @@ def default_config(self, server_name, **kwargs):
         #
         # cpu_affinity: 0xFFFFFFFF
 
-        # Whether to serve a web client from the HTTP/HTTPS root resource.
-        web_client: True
-
-        # The root directory to server for the above web client.
-        # If left undefined, synapse will serve the matrix-angular-sdk web client.
-        # Make sure matrix-angular-sdk is installed with pip if web_client is True
-        # and web_client_location is undefined
+        # The path to the web client which will be served at /_matrix/client/
+        # if 'webclient' is configured under the 'listeners' configuration.
+        #
         # web_client_location: "/path/to/web/root"
 
         # The public-facing base URL for the client API (not including _matrix/...)
@@ -320,8 +316,8 @@ def default_config(self, server_name, **kwargs):
               -
                 # List of resources to host on this listener.
                 names:
-                  - client     # The client-server APIs, both v1 and v2
-                  - webclient  # The bundled webclient.
+                  - client       # The client-server APIs, both v1 and v2
+                  # - webclient  # A web client. Requires web_client_location to be set.
 
                 # Should synapse compress HTTP responses to clients that support it?
                 # This should be disabled if running synapse behind a load balancer
@@ -348,7 +344,7 @@ def default_config(self, server_name, **kwargs):
             x_forwarded: false
 
             resources:
-              - names: [client, webclient]
+              - names: [client]
                 compress: true
               - names: [federation]
                 compress: false
@@ -452,3 +448,19 @@ def read_gc_thresholds(thresholds):
         raise ConfigError(
             "Value of `gc_threshold` must be a list of three integers if set"
         )
+
+
+NO_MORE_WEB_CLIENT_WARNING = """
+Synapse no longer includes a web client. To enable a web client, configure
+web_client_location. To remove this warning, remove 'webclient' from the 'listeners'
+configuration.
+"""
+
+
+def _warn_if_webclient_configured(listeners):
+    for listener in listeners:
+        for res in listener.get("resources", []):
+            for name in res.get("names", []):
+                if name == 'webclient':
+                    logger.warning(NO_MORE_WEB_CLIENT_WARNING)
+                    return

synapse/python_dependencies.py

@@ -69,9 +69,6 @@
 }
 
 CONDITIONAL_REQUIREMENTS = {
-    "web_client": {
-        "matrix_angular_sdk>=0.6.8": ["syweb>=0.6.8"],
-    },
     "email.enable_notifs": {
         "Jinja2>=2.8": ["Jinja2>=2.8"],
         "bleach>=1.4.2": ["bleach>=1.4.2"],