A first pass at pruning the Synapse README (#13491)

3 files changed, 194 insertions, 347 deletions

diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 219e32de8e..84e5310309 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -2,107 +2,111 @@
 Synapse |support| |development| |documentation| |license| |pypi| |python|
 =========================================================================
 
+Synapse is an open-source `Matrix <https://matrix.org/>`_ homeserver written and
+maintained by the Matrix.org Foundation. We began rapid development began in 2014,
+reaching v1.0.0 in 2019. Development on Synapse and the Matrix protocol itself continues
+in earnest today.
+
+Briefly, Matrix is an open standard for communications on the internet, supporting
+federation, encryption and VoIP. Matrix.org has more to say about the `goals of the
+Matrix project <https://matrix.org/docs/guides/introduction>`_, and the `formal specification
+<https://spec.matrix.org/>`_ describes the technical details.
+
 .. contents::
 
-Introduction
-============
+Installing and configuration
+============================
 
-Matrix is an ambitious new ecosystem for open federated Instant Messaging and
-VoIP.  The basics you need to know to get up and running are:
+The Synapse documentation describes `how to install Synapse <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/setup/installation.html>`_. We recommend using
+`Docker images <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/setup/installation.html#docker-images-and-ansible-playbooks>`_ or `Debian packages from Matrix.org
+<https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/setup/installation.html#matrixorg-packages>`_.
 
-- Everything in Matrix happens in a room.  Rooms are distributed and do not
-  exist on any single server.  Rooms can be located using convenience aliases
-  like ``#matrix:matrix.org`` or ``#test:localhost:8448``.
+.. _federation:
 
-- Matrix user IDs look like ``@matthew:matrix.org`` (although in the future
-  you will normally refer to yourself and others using a third party identifier
-  (3PID): email address, phone number, etc rather than manipulating Matrix user IDs)
+Synapse has a variety of `config options
+<https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/usage/configuration/config_documentation.html>`_
+which can be used to customise its behaviour after installation.
+There are additional details on how to `configure Synapse for federation here
+<https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/federate.html>`_.
 
-The overall architecture is::
+.. _reverse-proxy:
 
-      client <----> homeserver <=====================> homeserver <----> client
-             https://somewhere.org/_matrix      https://elsewhere.net/_matrix
+Using a reverse proxy with Synapse
+----------------------------------
 
-``#matrix:matrix.org`` is the official support room for Matrix, and can be
-accessed by any client from https://matrix.org/docs/projects/try-matrix-now.html or
-via IRC bridge at irc://irc.libera.chat/matrix.
+It is recommended to put a reverse proxy such as
+`nginx <https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_proxy_module.html>`_,
+`Apache <https://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/mod/mod_proxy_http.html>`_,
+`Caddy <https://caddyserver.com/docs/quick-starts/reverse-proxy>`_,
+`HAProxy <https://www.haproxy.org/>`_ or
+`relayd <https://man.openbsd.org/relayd.8>`_ in front of Synapse. One advantage of
+doing so is that it means that you can expose the default https port (443) to
+Matrix clients without needing to run Synapse with root privileges.
+For information on configuring one, see `the reverse proxy docs
+<https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/reverse_proxy.html>`_.
 
-Synapse is currently in rapid development, but as of version 0.5 we believe it
-is sufficiently stable to be run as an internet-facing service for real usage!
+Upgrading an existing Synapse
+-----------------------------
 
-About Matrix
-============
+The instructions for upgrading Synapse are in `the upgrade notes`_.
+Please check these instructions as upgrading may require extra steps for some
+versions of Synapse.
 
-Matrix specifies a set of pragmatic RESTful HTTP JSON APIs as an open standard,
-which handle:
+.. _the upgrade notes: https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/develop/upgrade.html
 
-- Creating and managing fully distributed chat rooms with no
-  single points of control or failure
-- Eventually-consistent cryptographically secure synchronisation of room
-  state across a global open network of federated servers and services
-- Sending and receiving extensible messages in a room with (optional)
-  end-to-end encryption
-- Inviting, joining, leaving, kicking, banning room members
-- Managing user accounts (registration, login, logout)
-- Using 3rd Party IDs (3PIDs) such as email addresses, phone numbers,
-  Facebook accounts to authenticate, identify and discover users on Matrix.
-- Placing 1:1 VoIP and Video calls
 
-These APIs are intended to be implemented on a wide range of servers, services
-and clients, letting developers build messaging and VoIP functionality on top
-of the entirely open Matrix ecosystem rather than using closed or proprietary
-solutions. The hope is for Matrix to act as the building blocks for a new
-generation of fully open and interoperable messaging and VoIP apps for the
-internet.
+Platform dependencies
+---------------------
 
-Synapse is a Matrix "homeserver" implementation developed by the matrix.org core
-team, written in Python 3/Twisted.
+Synapse uses a number of platform dependencies such as Python and PostgreSQL,
+and aims to follow supported upstream versions. See the
+`deprecation policy <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/deprecation_policy.html>`_
+for more details.
 
-In Matrix, every user runs one or more Matrix clients, which connect through to
-a Matrix homeserver. The homeserver stores all their personal chat history and
-user account information - much as a mail client connects through to an
-IMAP/SMTP server. Just like email, you can either run your own Matrix
-homeserver and control and own your own communications and history or use one
-hosted by someone else (e.g. matrix.org) - there is no single point of control
-or mandatory service provider in Matrix, unlike WhatsApp, Facebook, Hangouts,
-etc.
 
-We'd like to invite you to join #matrix:matrix.org (via
-https://matrix.org/docs/projects/try-matrix-now.html), run a homeserver, take a look
-at the `Matrix spec <https://matrix.org/docs/spec>`_, and experiment with the
-`APIs <https://matrix.org/docs/api>`_ and `Client SDKs
-<https://matrix.org/docs/projects/try-matrix-now.html#client-sdks>`_.
+Security note
+-------------
 
-Thanks for using Matrix!
+Matrix serves raw, user-supplied data in some APIs -- specifically the `content
+repository endpoints`_.
 
-Support
-=======
+.. _content repository endpoints: https://matrix.org/docs/spec/client_server/latest.html#get-matrix-media-r0-download-servername-mediaid
 
-For support installing or managing Synapse, please join |room|_ (from a matrix.org
-account if necessary) and ask questions there. We do not use GitHub issues for
-support requests, only for bug reports and feature requests.
+Whilst we make a reasonable effort to mitigate against XSS attacks (for
+instance, by using `CSP`_), a Matrix homeserver should not be hosted on a
+domain hosting other web applications. This especially applies to sharing
+the domain with Matrix web clients and other sensitive applications like
+webmail. See
+https://developer.github.com/changes/2014-04-25-user-content-security for more
+information.
 
-Synapse's documentation is `nicely rendered on GitHub Pages <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse>`_,
-with its source available in |docs|_.
+.. _CSP: https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/pull/1021
 
-.. |room| replace:: ``#synapse:matrix.org``
-.. _room: https://matrix.to/#/#synapse:matrix.org
+Ideally, the homeserver should not simply be on a different subdomain, but on
+a completely different `registered domain`_ (also known as top-level site or
+eTLD+1). This is because `some attacks`_ are still possible as long as the two
+applications share the same registered domain.
 
-.. |docs| replace:: ``docs``
-.. _docs: docs
+.. _registered domain: https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-ietf-httpbis-rfc6265bis-03#section-2.3
 
-Synapse Installation
-====================
+.. _some attacks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Session_fixation#Attacks_using_cross-subdomain_cookie
 
-.. _federation:
+To illustrate this with an example, if your Element Web or other sensitive web
+application is hosted on ``A.example1.com``, you should ideally host Synapse on
+``example2.com``. Some amount of protection is offered by hosting on
+``B.example1.com`` instead, so this is also acceptable in some scenarios.
+However, you should *not* host your Synapse on ``A.example1.com``.
+
+Note that all of the above refers exclusively to the domain used in Synapse's
+``public_baseurl`` setting. In particular, it has no bearing on the domain
+mentioned in MXIDs hosted on that server.
 
-* For details on how to install synapse, see
-  `Installation Instructions <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/setup/installation.html>`_.
-* For specific details on how to configure Synapse for federation see `docs/federate.md <docs/federate.md>`_
+Following this advice ensures that even if an XSS is found in Synapse, the
+impact to other applications will be minimal.
 
 
-Connecting to Synapse from a client
-===================================
+Testing a new installation
+==========================
 
 The easiest way to try out your new Synapse installation is by connecting to it
 from a web client.
@@ -129,11 +133,20 @@ Registering a new user from a client
 ------------------------------------
 
 By default, registration of new users via Matrix clients is disabled. To enable
-it, specify ``enable_registration: true`` in ``homeserver.yaml``. (It is then
-recommended to also set up CAPTCHA - see `<docs/CAPTCHA_SETUP.md>`_.)
+it:
+
+1. In the
+   `registration config section <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/usage/configuration/config_documentation.html#registration>`_
+   set ``enable_registration: true`` in ``homeserver.yaml``.
+2. Then **either**:
 
-Once ``enable_registration`` is set to ``true``, it is possible to register a
-user via a Matrix client.
+   a. set up a `CAPTCHA <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/CAPTCHA_SETUP.html>`_, or
+   b. set ``enable_registration_without_verification: true`` in ``homeserver.yaml``.
+
+We **strongly** recommend using a CAPTCHA, particularly if your homeserver is exposed to
+the public internet. Without it, anyone can freely register accounts on your homeserver.
+This can be exploited by attackers to create spambots targetting the rest of the Matrix
+federation.
 
 Your new user name will be formed partly from the ``server_name``, and partly
 from a localpart you specify when you create the account. Your name will take
@@ -146,71 +159,22 @@ the form of::
 As when logging in, you will need to specify a "Custom server".  Specify your
 desired ``localpart`` in the 'User name' box.
 
-Security note
-=============
+Troubleshooting and support
+===========================
 
-Matrix serves raw, user-supplied data in some APIs -- specifically the `content
-repository endpoints`_.
+The `Admin FAQ <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/usage/administration/admin_faq.html>`_
+includes tips on dealing with some common problems. For more details, see
+`Synapse's wider documentation <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/>`_.
 
-.. _content repository endpoints: https://matrix.org/docs/spec/client_server/latest.html#get-matrix-media-r0-download-servername-mediaid
-
-Whilst we make a reasonable effort to mitigate against XSS attacks (for
-instance, by using `CSP`_), a Matrix homeserver should not be hosted on a
-domain hosting other web applications. This especially applies to sharing
-the domain with Matrix web clients and other sensitive applications like
-webmail. See
-https://developer.github.com/changes/2014-04-25-user-content-security for more
-information.
-
-.. _CSP: https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/pull/1021
-
-Ideally, the homeserver should not simply be on a different subdomain, but on
-a completely different `registered domain`_ (also known as top-level site or
-eTLD+1). This is because `some attacks`_ are still possible as long as the two
-applications share the same registered domain.
-
-.. _registered domain: https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-ietf-httpbis-rfc6265bis-03#section-2.3
-
-.. _some attacks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Session_fixation#Attacks_using_cross-subdomain_cookie
+For additional support installing or managing Synapse, please ask in the community
+support room |room|_ (from a matrix.org account if necessary). We do not use GitHub
+issues for support requests, only for bug reports and feature requests.
 
-To illustrate this with an example, if your Element Web or other sensitive web
-application is hosted on ``A.example1.com``, you should ideally host Synapse on
-``example2.com``. Some amount of protection is offered by hosting on
-``B.example1.com`` instead, so this is also acceptable in some scenarios.
-However, you should *not* host your Synapse on ``A.example1.com``.
-
-Note that all of the above refers exclusively to the domain used in Synapse's
-``public_baseurl`` setting. In particular, it has no bearing on the domain
-mentioned in MXIDs hosted on that server.
-
-Following this advice ensures that even if an XSS is found in Synapse, the
-impact to other applications will be minimal.
-
-
-Upgrading an existing Synapse
-=============================
-
-The instructions for upgrading synapse are in `the upgrade notes`_.
-Please check these instructions as upgrading may require extra steps for some
-versions of synapse.
-
-.. _the upgrade notes: https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/develop/upgrade.html
-
-.. _reverse-proxy:
-
-Using a reverse proxy with Synapse
-==================================
-
-It is recommended to put a reverse proxy such as
-`nginx <https://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_proxy_module.html>`_,
-`Apache <https://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/mod/mod_proxy_http.html>`_,
-`Caddy <https://caddyserver.com/docs/quick-starts/reverse-proxy>`_,
-`HAProxy <https://www.haproxy.org/>`_ or
-`relayd <https://man.openbsd.org/relayd.8>`_ in front of Synapse. One advantage of
-doing so is that it means that you can expose the default https port (443) to
-Matrix clients without needing to run Synapse with root privileges.
+.. |room| replace:: ``#synapse:matrix.org``
+.. _room: https://matrix.to/#/#synapse:matrix.org
 
-For information on configuring one, see `<docs/reverse_proxy.md>`_.
+.. |docs| replace:: ``docs``
+.. _docs: docs
 
 Identity Servers
 ================
@@ -242,34 +206,15 @@ an email address with your account, or send an invite to another user via their
 email address.
 
 
-Password reset
-==============
-
-Users can reset their password through their client. Alternatively, a server admin
-can reset a users password using the `admin API <docs/admin_api/user_admin_api.md#reset-password>`_
-or by directly editing the database as shown below.
-
-First calculate the hash of the new password::
-
-    $ ~/synapse/env/bin/hash_password
-    Password:
-    Confirm password:
-    $2a$12$xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-
-Then update the ``users`` table in the database::
-
-    UPDATE users SET password_hash='$2a$12$xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'
-        WHERE name='@test:test.com';
-
-
-Synapse Development
-===================
+Development
+===========
 
+We welcome contributions to Synapse from the community!
 The best place to get started is our
 `guide for contributors <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/development/contributing_guide.html>`_.
 This is part of our larger `documentation <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest>`_, which includes
-information for synapse developers as well as synapse administrators.
 
+information for Synapse developers as well as Synapse administrators.
 Developers might be particularly interested in:
 
 * `Synapse's database schema <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/development/database_schema.html>`_,
@@ -280,187 +225,6 @@ Alongside all that, join our developer community on Matrix:
 `#synapse-dev:matrix.org <https://matrix.to/#/#synapse-dev:matrix.org>`_, featuring real humans!
 
 
-Quick start
------------
-
-Before setting up a development environment for synapse, make sure you have the
-system dependencies (such as the python header files) installed - see
-`Platform-specific prerequisites <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/setup/installation.html#platform-specific-prerequisites>`_.
-
-To check out a synapse for development, clone the git repo into a working
-directory of your choice::
-
-    git clone https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse.git
-    cd synapse
-
-Synapse has a number of external dependencies. We maintain a fixed development
-environment using `Poetry <https://python-poetry.org/>`_. First, install poetry. We recommend::
-
-    pip install --user pipx
-    pipx install poetry
-
-as described `here <https://python-poetry.org/docs/#installing-with-pipx>`_.
-(See `poetry's installation docs <https://python-poetry.org/docs/#installation>`_
-for other installation methods.) Then ask poetry to create a virtual environment
-from the project and install Synapse's dependencies::
-
-    poetry install --extras "all test"
-
-This will run a process of downloading and installing all the needed
-dependencies into a virtual env.
-
-We recommend using the demo which starts 3 federated instances running on ports `8080` - `8082`::
-
-    poetry run ./demo/start.sh
-
-(to stop, you can use ``poetry run ./demo/stop.sh``)
-
-See the `demo documentation <https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/develop/development/demo.html>`_
-for more information.
-
-If you just want to start a single instance of the app and run it directly::
-
-    # Create the homeserver.yaml config once
-    poetry run synapse_homeserver \
-      --server-name my.domain.name \
-      --config-path homeserver.yaml \
-      --generate-config \
-      --report-stats=[yes|no]
-
-    # Start the app
-    poetry run synapse_homeserver --config-path homeserver.yaml
-
-
-Running the unit tests
-----------------------
-
-After getting up and running, you may wish to run Synapse's unit tests to
-check that everything is installed correctly::
-
-    poetry run trial tests
-
-This should end with a 'PASSED' result (note that exact numbers will
-differ)::
-
-    Ran 1337 tests in 716.064s
-
-    PASSED (skips=15, successes=1322)
-
-For more tips on running the unit tests, like running a specific test or
-to see the logging output, see the `CONTRIBUTING doc <CONTRIBUTING.md#run-the-unit-tests>`_.
-
-
-Running the Integration Tests
------------------------------
-
-Synapse is accompanied by `SyTest <https://github.com/matrix-org/sytest>`_,
-a Matrix homeserver integration testing suite, which uses HTTP requests to
-access the API as a Matrix client would. It is able to run Synapse directly from
-the source tree, so installation of the server is not required.
-
-Testing with SyTest is recommended for verifying that changes related to the
-Client-Server API are functioning correctly. See the `SyTest installation
-instructions <https://github.com/matrix-org/sytest#installing>`_ for details.
-
-
-Platform dependencies
-=====================
-
-Synapse uses a number of platform dependencies such as Python and PostgreSQL,
-and aims to follow supported upstream versions. See the
-`<docs/deprecation_policy.md>`_ document for more details.
-
-
-Troubleshooting
-===============
-
-Need help? Join our community support room on Matrix:
-`#synapse:matrix.org <https://matrix.to/#/#synapse:matrix.org>`_
-
-Running out of File Handles
----------------------------
-
-If synapse runs out of file handles, it typically fails badly - live-locking
-at 100% CPU, and/or failing to accept new TCP connections (blocking the
-connecting client).  Matrix currently can legitimately use a lot of file handles,
-thanks to busy rooms like #matrix:matrix.org containing hundreds of participating
-servers.  The first time a server talks in a room it will try to connect
-simultaneously to all participating servers, which could exhaust the available
-file descriptors between DNS queries & HTTPS sockets, especially if DNS is slow
-to respond. (We need to improve the routing algorithm used to be better than
-full mesh, but as of March 2019 this hasn't happened yet).
-
-If you hit this failure mode, we recommend increasing the maximum number of
-open file handles to be at least 4096 (assuming a default of 1024 or 256).
-This is typically done by editing ``/etc/security/limits.conf``
-
-Separately, Synapse may leak file handles if inbound HTTP requests get stuck
-during processing - e.g. blocked behind a lock or talking to a remote server etc.
-This is best diagnosed by matching up the 'Received request' and 'Processed request'
-log lines and looking for any 'Processed request' lines which take more than
-a few seconds to execute. Please let us know at #synapse:matrix.org if
-you see this failure mode so we can help debug it, however.
-
-Help!! Synapse is slow and eats all my RAM/CPU!
------------------------------------------------
-
-First, ensure you are running the latest version of Synapse, using Python 3
-with a PostgreSQL database.
-
-Synapse's architecture is quite RAM hungry currently - we deliberately
-cache a lot of recent room data and metadata in RAM in order to speed up
-common requests. We'll improve this in the future, but for now the easiest
-way to either reduce the RAM usage (at the risk of slowing things down)
-is to set the almost-undocumented ``SYNAPSE_CACHE_FACTOR`` environment
-variable. The default is 0.5, which can be decreased to reduce RAM usage
-in memory constrained enviroments, or increased if performance starts to
-degrade.
-
-However, degraded performance due to a low cache factor, common on
-machines with slow disks, often leads to explosions in memory use due
-backlogged requests. In this case, reducing the cache factor will make
-things worse. Instead, try increasing it drastically. 2.0 is a good
-starting value.
-
-Using `libjemalloc <http://jemalloc.net/>`_ can also yield a significant
-improvement in overall memory use, and especially in terms of giving back
-RAM to the OS. To use it, the library must simply be put in the
-LD_PRELOAD environment variable when launching Synapse. On Debian, this
-can be done by installing the ``libjemalloc1`` package and adding this
-line to ``/etc/default/matrix-synapse``::
-
-    LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libjemalloc.so.1
-
-This can make a significant difference on Python 2.7 - it's unclear how
-much of an improvement it provides on Python 3.x.
-
-If you're encountering high CPU use by the Synapse process itself, you
-may be affected by a bug with presence tracking that leads to a
-massive excess of outgoing federation requests (see `discussion
-<https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/3971>`_). If metrics
-indicate that your server is also issuing far more outgoing federation
-requests than can be accounted for by your users' activity, this is a
-likely cause. The misbehavior can be worked around by setting
-the following in the Synapse config file:
-
-.. code-block:: yaml
-
-   presence:
-       enabled: false
-
-People can't accept room invitations from me
---------------------------------------------
-
-The typical failure mode here is that you send an invitation to someone
-to join a room or direct chat, but when they go to accept it, they get an
-error (typically along the lines of "Invalid signature"). They might see
-something like the following in their logs::
-
-    2019-09-11 19:32:04,271 - synapse.federation.transport.server - 288 - WARNING - GET-11752 - authenticate_request failed: 401: Invalid signature for server <server> with key ed25519:a_EqML: Unable to verify signature for <server>
-
-This is normally caused by a misconfiguration in your reverse-proxy. See
-`<docs/reverse_proxy.md>`_ and double-check that your settings are correct.
-
 .. |support| image:: https://img.shields.io/matrix/synapse:matrix.org?label=support&logo=matrix
   :alt: (get support on #synapse:matrix.org)
   :target: https://matrix.to/#/#synapse:matrix.org
diff --git a/changelog.d/13491.doc b/changelog.d/13491.doc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..026f735549
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/13491.doc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Tidy up Synapse's README.
diff --git a/docs/usage/administration/admin_faq.md b/docs/usage/administration/admin_faq.md
index 3dcad4bbef..7ba5a83f04 100644
--- a/docs/usage/administration/admin_faq.md
+++ b/docs/usage/administration/admin_faq.md
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 
 How do I become a server admin?
 ---
-If your server already has an admin account you should use the user admin API to promote other accounts to become admins. See [User Admin API](../../admin_api/user_admin_api.md#Change-whether-a-user-is-a-server-administrator-or-not)
+If your server already has an admin account you should use the [User Admin API](../../admin_api/user_admin_api.md#Change-whether-a-user-is-a-server-administrator-or-not) to promote other accounts to become admins.
 
-If you don't have any admin accounts yet you won't be able to use the admin API so you'll have to edit the database manually. Manually editing the database is generally not recommended so once you have an admin account, use the admin APIs to make further changes.
+If you don't have any admin accounts yet you won't be able to use the admin API, so you'll have to edit the database manually. Manually editing the database is generally not recommended so once you have an admin account: use the admin APIs to make further changes.
 
 ```sql
 UPDATE users SET admin = 1 WHERE name = '@foo:bar.com';
@@ -32,9 +32,11 @@ What users are registered on my server?
 SELECT NAME from users;
 ```
 
-Manually resetting passwords:
+Manually resetting passwords
 ---
-See https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/blob/master/README.rst#password-reset
+Users can reset their password through their client. Alternatively, a server admin
+can reset a user's password using the [admin API](../../admin_api/user_admin_api.md#reset-password).
+
 
 I have a problem with my server. Can I just delete my database and start again?
 ---
@@ -101,3 +103,83 @@ LIMIT 10;
 
 You can also use the [List Room API](../../admin_api/rooms.md#list-room-api)
 and `order_by` `state_events`.
+
+
+People can't accept room invitations from me
+---
+
+The typical failure mode here is that you send an invitation to someone
+to join a room or direct chat, but when they go to accept it, they get an
+error (typically along the lines of "Invalid signature"). They might see
+something like the following in their logs:
+
+    2019-09-11 19:32:04,271 - synapse.federation.transport.server - 288 - WARNING - GET-11752 - authenticate_request failed: 401: Invalid signature for server <server> with key ed25519:a_EqML: Unable to verify signature for <server>
+
+This is normally caused by a misconfiguration in your reverse-proxy. See [the reverse proxy docs](docs/reverse_proxy.md) and double-check that your settings are correct.
+
+
+Help!! Synapse is slow and eats all my RAM/CPU!
+-----------------------------------------------
+
+First, ensure you are running the latest version of Synapse, using Python 3
+with a [PostgreSQL database](../../postgres.md).
+
+Synapse's architecture is quite RAM hungry currently - we deliberately
+cache a lot of recent room data and metadata in RAM in order to speed up
+common requests. We'll improve this in the future, but for now the easiest
+way to either reduce the RAM usage (at the risk of slowing things down)
+is to set the almost-undocumented ``SYNAPSE_CACHE_FACTOR`` environment
+variable. The default is 0.5, which can be decreased to reduce RAM usage
+in memory constrained environments, or increased if performance starts to
+degrade.
+
+However, degraded performance due to a low cache factor, common on
+machines with slow disks, often leads to explosions in memory use due
+backlogged requests. In this case, reducing the cache factor will make
+things worse. Instead, try increasing it drastically. 2.0 is a good
+starting value.
+
+Using [libjemalloc](https://jemalloc.net) can also yield a significant
+improvement in overall memory use, and especially in terms of giving back
+RAM to the OS. To use it, the library must simply be put in the
+LD_PRELOAD environment variable when launching Synapse. On Debian, this
+can be done by installing the `libjemalloc1` package and adding this
+line to `/etc/default/matrix-synapse`:
+
+    LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libjemalloc.so.1
+
+This made a significant difference on Python 2.7 - it's unclear how
+much of an improvement it provides on Python 3.x.
+
+If you're encountering high CPU use by the Synapse process itself, you
+may be affected by a bug with presence tracking that leads to a
+massive excess of outgoing federation requests (see [discussion](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/3971)). If metrics
+indicate that your server is also issuing far more outgoing federation
+requests than can be accounted for by your users' activity, this is a
+likely cause. The misbehavior can be worked around by disabling presence
+in the Synapse config file: [see here](../configuration/config_documentation.md#presence).
+
+
+Running out of File Handles
+---------------------------
+
+If Synapse runs out of file handles, it typically fails badly - live-locking
+at 100% CPU, and/or failing to accept new TCP connections (blocking the
+connecting client).  Matrix currently can legitimately use a lot of file handles,
+thanks to busy rooms like `#matrix:matrix.org` containing hundreds of participating
+servers.  The first time a server talks in a room it will try to connect
+simultaneously to all participating servers, which could exhaust the available
+file descriptors between DNS queries & HTTPS sockets, especially if DNS is slow
+to respond. (We need to improve the routing algorithm used to be better than
+full mesh, but as of March 2019 this hasn't happened yet).
+
+If you hit this failure mode, we recommend increasing the maximum number of
+open file handles to be at least 4096 (assuming a default of 1024 or 256).
+This is typically done by editing ``/etc/security/limits.conf``
+
+Separately, Synapse may leak file handles if inbound HTTP requests get stuck
+during processing - e.g. blocked behind a lock or talking to a remote server etc.
+This is best diagnosed by matching up the 'Received request' and 'Processed request'
+log lines and looking for any 'Processed request' lines which take more than
+a few seconds to execute. Please let us know at [`#synapse:matrix.org`](https://matrix.to/#/#synapse-dev:matrix.org) if
+you see this failure mode so we can help debug it, however.