Element Android is a Matrix collaboration client for Android.
Element Android addresses the need for a decentralized messaging platform on mobile devices by implementing a client for the Matrix protocol. The application communicates with Matrix homeservers to enable real-time messaging, file sharing, and collaborative features. It is built in Kotlin and supports Android devices running Lollipop and later.
The project is explicitly positioned as a previous-generation client that is no longer receiving new features or usability enhancements, though it continues to receive security updates. The README recommends that new users adopt Element X, the next-generation mobile application, instead. Element Android remains suitable for users who require a stable, maintained Matrix client on older Android versions or who prefer the established interface of the classic implementation. The application is distributed through Google Play Store and F-Droid, with releases undergoing a staged rollout process that includes a beta period of at least two days before production release, followed by review and build processes that can introduce additional delays.
The project maintains an Android SDK written in Kotlin that is shared with the main application codebase. At each release, the SDK module is extracted and published to a dedicated repository, allowing third-party applications to integrate Matrix functionality as a gradle dependency. The README notes that Element Android version 1.0.0 still lacks some features that were present in the earlier Riot-Android client, with the team working to add them on a regular basis.
Development activity shows automated testing infrastructure with build checks on the develop branch and nightly test runs. The project operates under a staged release model with explicit quality gates before production deployment, reflecting a maintenance-focused approach rather than active feature development.
