mattermost-plugin-bridge-xmpp/ARCHITECTURE.md

Mattermost XMPP Bridge Plugin Architecture

Overview

The Mattermost XMPP Bridge Plugin provides bidirectional message synchronization between Mattermost and XMPP servers through a comprehensive bridge architecture. The plugin is designed with extensibility in mind, supporting multiple bridge types and protocols through a unified interface.

Core Design Principles

• Bridge-Agnostic Architecture: Extensible design supporting future bridges (Slack, Discord, etc.)
• Bidirectional Communication: Real-time message synchronization in both directions
• Message Bus Pattern: Centralized routing system for decoupled communication
• Thread-Safe Operations: Goroutine-safe concurrent message processing
• Persistent Configuration: KV store-based persistence for mappings and user data
• Admin Security: System administrator access control for all operations

System Architecture

graph TB
    subgraph "Mattermost Server"
        MM[Mattermost Core]
        SC[Shared Channels]
    end
    
    subgraph "Plugin Components"
        P[Plugin Main]
        BM[Bridge Manager]
        MB[Message Bus]
        CMD[Command Handler]
        KV[KV Store]
        LOG[Logger]
        CFG[Configuration]
    end
    
    subgraph "Bridge Implementations"
        XB[XMPP Bridge]
        MMB[Mattermost Bridge]
        FB[Future Bridges]
    end
    
    subgraph "External Systems"
        XMPP[XMPP Server]
        XC[XMPP Client]
    end
    
    %% Plugin lifecycle
    MM -->|Activate/Configure| P
    P -->|Initialize| BM
    P -->|Initialize| CMD
    P -->|Initialize| KV
    P -->|Initialize| LOG
    P -->|Load| CFG
    
    %% Bridge management
    BM -->|Register/Manage| XB
    BM -->|Register/Manage| MMB
    BM -->|Register/Manage| FB
    BM -->|Route Messages| MB
    
    %% Message flow
    XB -->|Publish| MB
    MMB -->|Publish| MB
    MB -->|Subscribe| XB
    MB -->|Subscribe| MMB
    
    %% XMPP integration
    XB -->|Control| XC
    XC <-->|XMPP Protocol| XMPP
    
    %% Command processing
    MM -->|Slash Commands| CMD
    CMD -->|Bridge Operations| BM
    
    %% Storage
    BM -->|Persist| KV
    XB -->|Store Mappings| KV
    MMB -->|Store Mappings| KV
    
    %% Shared channels integration
    SC -->|Health Check| P
    P -->|Bridge Status| BM
    
    style P fill:#e1f5fe
    style BM fill:#f3e5f5
    style MB fill:#e8f5e8
    style XB fill:#fff3e0
    style MMB fill:#fff3e0

Bridge System Architecture

The bridge system implements a pluggable architecture where each bridge type implements a common interface, enabling seamless addition of new protocols.

graph TB
    subgraph "Bridge Interface"
        BI[Bridge Interface]
        BI --> |Lifecycle| LC[Start/Stop/UpdateConfig]
        BI --> |Messaging| MSG[GetMessageChannel/SendMessage]
        BI --> |Mappings| MAP[Create/Get/DeleteChannelMapping]
        BI --> |Health| HEALTH[IsConnected/Ping/ChannelMappingExists]
        BI --> |Users| USR[GetUserManager/GetUserResolver]
        BI --> |Handlers| HAND[GetMessageHandler]
    end
    
    subgraph "XMPP Bridge Implementation"
        XB[XMPP Bridge]
        XMH[XMPP Message Handler]
        XUR[XMPP User Resolver]
        XUM[XMPP User Manager]
        XC[XMPP Client - mellium.im/xmpp]
    end
    
    subgraph "Mattermost Bridge Implementation"
        MB[Mattermost Bridge]
        MMH[MM Message Handler]
        MUR[MM User Resolver]
        MUM[MM User Manager]
        API[Mattermost API]
    end
    
    subgraph "Future Bridge Example"
        SB[Slack Bridge]
        SH[Slack Handler]
        SR[Slack Resolver]
        SAPI[Slack API]
    end
    
    %% Interface implementation
    BI -.->|implements| XB
    BI -.->|implements| MB
    BI -.->|implements| SB
    
    %% XMPP Bridge components
    XB --> XMH
    XB --> XUR
    XB --> XUM
    XB --> XC
    
    %% Mattermost Bridge components
    MB --> MMH
    MB --> MUR
    MB --> MUM
    MB --> API
    
    %% Future bridge components
    SB --> SH
    SB --> SR
    SB --> SAPI
    
    %% External connections
    XC <--> XMPP_SRV[XMPP Server]
    API <--> MM_CORE[Mattermost Core]
    SAPI <--> SLACK_API[Slack API]
    
    style BI fill:#e3f2fd
    style XB fill:#fff3e0
    style MB fill:#e8f5e8
    style SB fill:#fce4ec

XEP Extension System Architecture

The XMPP client includes an extensible XEP (XMPP Extension Protocol) framework that dynamically discovers and enables server-supported features.

graph TB
    subgraph "XMPP Client"
        CLIENT[XMPP Client]
        DISCO[Server Discovery]
        XEPF[XEP Features Manager]
    end
    
    subgraph "XEP Framework"
        HANDLER[XEP Handler Interface]
        FEATURES[XEP Features Struct]
        MUTEX[Thread Safety Mutex]
    end
    
    subgraph "XEP-0077 Implementation"
        IBR[InBandRegistration]
        REG[RegisterAccount]
        CHANGE[ChangePassword] 
        CANCEL[CancelRegistration]
        FIELDS[GetRegistrationFields]
    end
    
    subgraph "Future XEPs"
        XEP_N[XEP-XXXX Future]
        IMPL_N[Implementation N]
    end
    
    subgraph "XMPP Server"
        SRV[XMPP Server]
        CAPS[Server Capabilities]
        NS[Supported Namespaces]
    end
    
    %% Client initialization flow
    CLIENT -->|Connect| SRV
    CLIENT -->|Discovery Query| DISCO
    DISCO -->|disco#info| SRV
    SRV -->|Capabilities| CAPS
    CAPS -->|Feature List| NS
    
    %% XEP detection and initialization
    DISCO -->|Check Support| XEPF
    XEPF -->|Supported Features| FEATURES
    FEATURES -->|XEP-0077 Available| IBR
    FEATURES -->|Future XEPs| XEP_N
    
    %% XEP operations
    IBR -->|Account Management| REG
    IBR -->|Password Ops| CHANGE
    IBR -->|Cleanup| CANCEL
    IBR -->|Field Discovery| FIELDS
    
    %% Server interactions
    REG <-->|IQ Stanzas| SRV
    CHANGE <-->|IQ Stanzas| SRV
    CANCEL <-->|IQ Stanzas| SRV
    FIELDS <-->|IQ Stanzas| SRV
    
    %% Framework structure
    HANDLER -.->|Interface| IBR
    HANDLER -.->|Interface| XEP_N
    FEATURES -->|Manage| MUTEX
    
    style CLIENT fill:#e3f2fd
    style XEPF fill:#f3e5f5
    style IBR fill:#fff3e0
    style SRV fill:#e8f5e8

XEP Feature Lifecycle

sequenceDiagram
    participant C as XMPP Client
    participant D as Server Discovery
    participant XM as XEP Manager
    participant XEP as XEP-0077
    participant S as XMPP Server
    
    Note over C,S: Server Capability Detection
    
    C->>+D: Connect & Authenticate
    D->>+S: disco#info query
    S->>-D: Server capabilities & namespaces
    D->>-C: Feature discovery complete
    
    Note over C,S: XEP Initialization (Async)
    
    C->>+XM: detectServerCapabilities()
    XM->>XM: Check jabber:iq:register namespace
    alt XEP-0077 Supported
        XM->>+XEP: NewInBandRegistration()
        XEP->>-XM: Initialized XEP instance
        XM->>XM: features.InBandRegistration = xep
        XM->>C: XEP-0077 enabled
    else XEP-0077 Not Supported
        XM->>C: XEP-0077 skipped
    end
    XM->>-C: Capability detection complete
    
    Note over C,S: XEP Usage
    
    C->>+XEP: RegisterAccount(jid, request)
    XEP->>+S: IQ set (registration)
    S->>-XEP: IQ result/error
    XEP->>-C: Registration response

Message Flow Architecture

The message bus provides centralized routing for bidirectional message synchronization with loop prevention and scalable message processing.

sequenceDiagram
    participant XS as XMPP Server
    participant XC as XMPP Client
    participant XB as XMPP Bridge
    participant MB as Message Bus
    participant MMB as Mattermost Bridge
    participant MM as Mattermost Core
    
    Note over XS,MM: Incoming Message Flow (XMPP → Mattermost)
    
    XS->>XC: XMPP Message (MUC)
    XC->>XC: Parse & Validate
    XC->>XB: DirectionalMessage (Incoming)
    XB->>XB: Message Aggregation
    XB->>MB: Publish Message
    MB->>MB: Route to Subscribers
    MB->>MMB: Forward Message
    MMB->>MMB: Process & Format
    MMB->>MM: Create Post
    
    Note over XS,MM: Outgoing Message Flow (Mattermost → XMPP)
    
    MM->>MMB: Post Created Hook
    MMB->>MMB: Convert to BridgeMessage
    MMB->>MB: Publish Message
    MB->>MB: Route to Subscribers
    MB->>XB: Forward Message
    XB->>XB: Format for XMPP
    XB->>XC: Send Message Request
    XC->>XS: XMPP Message (MUC)
    
    Note over XS,MM: Loop Prevention
    
    XB->>XB: Check msg.SourceBridge != "xmpp"
    MMB->>MMB: Check msg.SourceBridge != "mattermost"

Data Model & Storage Schema

The plugin uses Mattermost's KV store for persistent data with a structured key schema supporting multiple bridge types and user mappings.

erDiagram
    CHANNEL_MAPPINGS {
        string key PK "channel_map_{bridge}_{identifier}"
        string channel_id "Mattermost Channel ID"
        string bridge_channel_id "Bridge Channel ID (JID, etc.)"
        string bridge_type "xmpp, mattermost, slack"
    }
    
    USER_MAPPINGS {
        string xmpp_key PK "xmpp_user_{jid}"
        string mm_key PK "mattermost_user_{user_id}"
        string xmpp_jid "Full XMPP JID"
        string mm_user_id "Mattermost User ID"
        string display_name "User Display Name"
    }
    
    GHOST_USERS {
        string key PK "ghost_user_{mm_user_id}"
        string ghost_jid "Generated Ghost JID"
        json room_memberships "List of joined rooms"
        timestamp last_activity
    }
    
    EVENT_MAPPINGS {
        string key PK "xmpp_event_post_{event_id}"
        string xmpp_event_id "XMPP Message/Event ID"
        string mm_post_id "Mattermost Post ID"
        string channel_id "Channel where posted"
    }
    
    REACTIONS {
        string key PK "xmpp_reaction_{reaction_id}"
        string post_id "Target Post ID"
        string user_id "User who reacted"
        string emoji_name "Reaction emoji"
        boolean removed "Reaction removed flag"
    }
    
    CONFIG_META {
        string key PK "kv_store_version"
        int version "Schema version for migrations"
    }
    
    CHANNEL_MAPPINGS ||--o{ USER_MAPPINGS : "users_in_channel"
    CHANNEL_MAPPINGS ||--o{ GHOST_USERS : "ghosts_in_channel"
    CHANNEL_MAPPINGS ||--o{ EVENT_MAPPINGS : "events_in_channel"
    EVENT_MAPPINGS ||--o{ REACTIONS : "reactions_to_event"

Command Processing Flow

The plugin provides slash commands for channel mapping management with comprehensive error handling and admin-only access control.

flowchart TD
    CMD_INPUT["/xmppbridge map room@server.com"]
    
    CMD_INPUT --> PARSE[Parse Command]
    PARSE --> AUTH{Admin Check}
    AUTH -->|Not Admin| DENY[❌ Admin Required]
    AUTH -->|Admin| VALIDATE[Validate Arguments]
    
    VALIDATE --> FORMAT{Valid JID Format?}
    FORMAT -->|Invalid| ERR_FORMAT[❌ Invalid JID Format]
    FORMAT -->|Valid| BRIDGE_CHECK[Get XMPP Bridge]
    
    BRIDGE_CHECK --> BRIDGE_EXIST{Bridge Available?}
    BRIDGE_EXIST -->|No| ERR_BRIDGE[❌ Bridge Not Available]
    BRIDGE_EXIST -->|Yes| CONN_CHECK{Bridge Connected?}
    
    CONN_CHECK -->|No| ERR_CONN[❌ Bridge Not Connected]
    CONN_CHECK -->|Yes| EXISTING[Check Existing Mapping]
    
    EXISTING --> HAS_MAPPING{Already Mapped?}
    HAS_MAPPING -->|Yes| ERR_EXISTS[❌ Channel Already Mapped]
    HAS_MAPPING -->|No| CHANNEL_CHECK[Check Channel Exists]
    
    CHANNEL_CHECK --> CHANNEL_EXIST{Channel Exists?}
    CHANNEL_EXIST -->|No| ERR_CHANNEL[❌ Channel Not Found]
    CHANNEL_EXIST -->|Yes| CREATE_MAPPING[Create Channel Mapping]
    
    CREATE_MAPPING --> STORE[Store in KV Store]
    STORE --> JOIN[Join XMPP Room]
    JOIN --> SUCCESS[✅ Mapping Created]
    
    %% Error handling
    STORE --> STORE_ERR{Storage Error?}
    STORE_ERR -->|Yes| ERR_STORE[❌ Storage Failed]
    
    JOIN --> JOIN_ERR{Join Error?}
    JOIN_ERR -->|Yes| WARN_JOIN[⚠️ Mapping Created, Join Failed]
    
    style SUCCESS fill:#c8e6c9
    style DENY fill:#ffcdd2
    style ERR_FORMAT fill:#ffcdd2
    style ERR_BRIDGE fill:#ffcdd2
    style ERR_CONN fill:#ffcdd2
    style ERR_EXISTS fill:#ffcdd2  
    style ERR_ROOM fill:#ffcdd2
    style ERR_STORE fill:#ffcdd2
    style WARN_JOIN fill:#fff3e0

Configuration Management

Configuration flows from Mattermost system settings through the plugin to individual bridge instances with validation and hot-reload support.

graph LR
    subgraph "Mattermost Admin Console"
        ADMIN[System Admin]
        UI[Plugin Settings UI]
    end
    
    subgraph "Plugin Configuration"
        CFG[Configuration Struct]
        VALID[Validation Logic]
        CHANGE[OnConfigurationChange Hook]
    end
    
    subgraph "Bridge Configuration"
        BM[Bridge Manager]
        XB[XMPP Bridge]
        MMB[Mattermost Bridge]
    end
    
    subgraph "Runtime Components"
        XC[XMPP Client]
        TLS[TLS Config]
        AUTH[Authentication]
        CONN[Connection Pool]
    end
    
    %% Configuration flow
    ADMIN -->|Update Settings| UI
    UI -->|Save| CFG
    CFG -->|Validate| VALID
    VALID -->|Invalid| ERR[❌ Validation Error]
    VALID -->|Valid| CHANGE
    
    %% Propagation to bridges
    CHANGE -->|Notify| BM
    BM -->|Update| XB
    BM -->|Update| MMB
    
    %% XMPP Bridge reconfiguration  
    XB -->|Reconnect| XC
    XB -->|Update| TLS
    XB -->|Update| AUTH
    XC -->|Manage| CONN
    
    %% Configuration settings
    CFG -.->|XMPPServerURL| XC
    CFG -.->|XMPPUsername| AUTH
    CFG -.->|XMPPPassword| AUTH
    CFG -.->|XMPPResource| XC
    CFG -.->|EnableSync| XB
    CFG -.->|XMPPInsecureSkipVerify| TLS
    
    style CFG fill:#e3f2fd
    style VALID fill:#f3e5f5
    style ERR fill:#ffcdd2

Core Components

Plugin Main (server/plugin.go)

• Lifecycle Management: Handles plugin activation/deactivation
• Component Initialization: Sets up all subsystems in proper order
• Shared Channels Integration: Registers for distributed health checks
• Background Jobs: Manages periodic maintenance tasks

Bridge Manager (server/bridge/manager.go)

• Bridge Registry: Manages multiple bridge instances
• Message Routing: Coordinates message bus operations
• Configuration Propagation: Updates all bridges on config changes
• Health Monitoring: Provides bridge status and connectivity checks

Message Bus (server/bridge/messagebus.go)

• Publisher-Subscriber Pattern: Decoupled message routing
• Loop Prevention: Prevents infinite message cycles
• Buffer Management: Configurable message queues (1000 message buffer)
• Delivery Guarantees: Timeout-based delivery with fallback handling

XMPP Client (server/xmpp/client.go)

• mellium.im/xmpp Integration: Standards-compliant XMPP implementation
• MUC Support: Multi-User Chat for group messaging
• Connection Management: Automatic reconnection with exponential backoff
• Message Parsing: Structured message handling with XML parsing
• XEP Extension Support: Extensible protocol implementation framework
• Server Capability Detection: Dynamic feature discovery using disco#info

XEP Features Framework (server/xmpp/xep_features.go)

• Extensible Architecture: Struct-based XEP management for scalability
• Thread-Safe Operations: Concurrent access protection with read-write mutex
• Dynamic Feature Discovery: Server capability-based feature initialization
• Interface-Based Design: Common XEPHandler interface for all extensions

XEP-0077 In-Band Registration (server/xmpp/xep_0077.go)

• Account Registration: Complete user account creation functionality
• Password Management: Account password change operations
• Registration Cancellation: Account deletion and cleanup
• Field Discovery: Dynamic registration field requirement detection
• Server Compatibility: Only initializes when server supports the feature

Bridge Implementations

• XMPP Bridge (server/bridge/xmpp/): XMPP protocol integration
• Mattermost Bridge (server/bridge/mattermost/): Internal Mattermost API integration
• Message Handlers: Protocol-specific message processing
• User Resolvers: User identity mapping and resolution

Communication Patterns

Message Flow Patterns

1. Producer-Consumer: Bridges produce/consume messages via message bus
2. Request-Response: Command processing with immediate feedback
3. Event-Driven: Configuration changes trigger bridge updates
4. Publisher-Subscriber: Message bus routes to all interested bridges

Concurrency Patterns

1. Goroutine Pools: Per-bridge message processing
2. Channel-Based Communication: Non-blocking message queues
3. Context Cancellation: Graceful shutdown coordination
4. WaitGroup Synchronization: Coordinated cleanup operations

Data Persistence

Storage Strategy

• KV Store Abstraction: Pluggable storage backend
• Structured Keys: Hierarchical key naming for efficient queries
• Bridge-Agnostic Schema: Support for multiple bridge types
• Migration Support: Versioned schema for backward compatibility

Key Patterns

channel_map_{bridge}_{identifier} → channel_id
{bridge}_user_{external_id} → mattermost_user_id  
ghost_user_{mattermost_user_id} → ghost_jid
{bridge}_event_post_{event_id} → post_id

Error Handling & Resilience

Failure Modes

1. Connection Failures: Automatic reconnection with backoff
2. Message Delivery Failures: Timeout handling with retry logic
3. Configuration Errors: Validation with user-friendly error messages
4. Storage Failures: Graceful degradation with logging

Recovery Strategies

1. Circuit Breaker Pattern: Prevent cascade failures
2. Graceful Degradation: Continue operation with reduced functionality
3. Health Checks: Proactive problem detection
4. Comprehensive Logging: Structured logging for debugging

Performance Considerations

Scalability Features

1. Buffered Channels: 1000-message buffers prevent blocking
2. Message Aggregation: Multiple message sources per bridge
3. Concurrent Processing: Parallel message handling
4. Connection Pooling: Efficient resource utilization

Optimization Techniques

1. Lazy Initialization: Components created on demand
2. Caching Strategies: In-memory mapping cache
3. Batch Operations: Bulk message processing where possible
4. Resource Cleanup: Proper goroutine lifecycle management

Security Model

Access Control

• Admin-Only Commands: System administrator privilege requirement
• Bridge Isolation: Separate security contexts per bridge
• Credential Management: Secure storage of authentication data
• TLS Configuration: Configurable certificate validation

Data Protection

• Secure Storage: Plugin KV store encryption
• Message Privacy: No message content logging
• User Privacy: Minimal personal data storage
• Audit Trail: Command execution logging

Testing Strategy

Unit Testing

• Component Isolation: Mock dependencies for focused testing
• Interface Testing: Bridge interface compliance verification
• Message Processing: End-to-end message flow validation
• Error Scenarios: Comprehensive failure mode testing

Integration Testing

• XMPP Testcontainers: Automated XMPP server testing
• Bridge Integration: Multi-bridge message routing tests
• Configuration Testing: Settings validation and propagation
• Performance Testing: Load testing with gotestsum
• XEP Feature Testing: Doctor command with comprehensive XEP-0077 validation
• Live Server Testing: Real user account creation and deletion tests

Extension Points

Adding New Bridges

1. Implement Bridge Interface:

type MyBridge struct {
    // Bridge-specific fields
}

func (b *MyBridge) Start() error { /* implementation */ }
func (b *MyBridge) GetMessageChannel() <-chan *DirectionalMessage { /* implementation */ }
// ... other Bridge interface methods

2. Create Message Handler:

type myMessageHandler struct {
    bridge *MyBridge
}

func (h *myMessageHandler) ProcessMessage(msg *DirectionalMessage) error {
    // Process incoming messages from other bridges
}

3. Register with Bridge Manager:

myBridge := mybridge.NewBridge(logger, api, kvstore, config)
bridgeManager.RegisterBridge("mybridge", myBridge)

Message Type Extensions

• Rich Content: Extend BridgeMessage for files, images, reactions
• Custom Metadata: Bridge-specific message properties
• Format Converters: Content transformation between protocols
• Message Filtering: Content-based routing rules

Deployment & Operations

Plugin Lifecycle

1. Installation: Plugin bundle deployment to Mattermost
2. Configuration: Admin console settings configuration
3. Activation: Component initialization and bridge startup
4. Operation: Real-time message synchronization
5. Updates: Hot configuration reload without restart
6. Maintenance: Health monitoring and log analysis

Monitoring & Observability

• Health Endpoints: Bridge connectivity status
• Structured Logging: JSON-formatted log entries
• Metrics Collection: Message throughput and error rates
• Alerting: Failed connection and mapping error notifications

Development Workflow

Prerequisites

• Go 1.21+ for server development
• Node.js 18+ for webapp development
• Docker for XMPP test server
• golangci-lint for code quality

Key Commands

make                    # Build plugin bundle
make test              # Run all tests
make check-style       # Lint and format
make deploy           # Deploy to local Mattermost
make devserver_start  # Start test XMPP server

XMPP Client Doctor Tool (cmd/xmpp-client-doctor/)

The doctor command provides comprehensive XMPP connectivity and feature testing:

# Basic connectivity test
go run ./cmd/xmpp-client-doctor/main.go

# Test specific features
go run ./cmd/xmpp-client-doctor/main.go --test-xep0077 --test-muc --test-dm

# Custom server testing  
go run ./cmd/xmpp-client-doctor/main.go --server example.com:5222 --username user@example.com

Code Organization

server/
├── plugin.go              # Main plugin entry point
├── bridge/
│   ├── manager.go         # Bridge management
│   ├── messagebus.go      # Message routing
│   ├── xmpp/             # XMPP bridge implementation
│   └── mattermost/       # Mattermost bridge implementation
├── model/                # Shared interfaces and types
├── config/               # Configuration management
├── command/              # Slash command handling
├── xmpp/                # XMPP client implementation
│   ├── client.go         # Core XMPP client with MUC support
│   ├── xep_features.go   # XEP extension framework
│   └── xep_0077.go       # XEP-0077 In-Band Registration
└── store/               # Data persistence

This architecture provides a solid foundation for bidirectional message bridging while maintaining extensibility for future enhancements and additional bridge protocols.