I’m excited to share with you an instant messaging application I’ve been working on that might interest you. This is a chat app designed to work within your browser, with a focus on browser-based security and decentralization.
What makes this app unique is that it doesn’t rely on messaging servers to function. Instead, it works based on your browser’s javascript capabilities, so even low-end devices should work.
Here are some features of the app:
Encrypted messaging: Your messages are encrypted, making them more secure.
File sharing: Easily share files using WebRTC technology and QR codes.
Voice and video calls: Connect with others through voice and video calls.
Shared virtual space: Explore a shared mixed-reality space.
Image board: Browse and share images in a scrollable format.
Your security is a top priority. Here’s how the app keeps you safe:
Decentralized authentication: No central server is required for login, making it harder for anyone to gain unauthorized access.
Unique IDs: Your ID is cryptographically random, adding an extra layer of security.
End-to-end encryption: Your messages are encrypted from your device to the recipient’s device, ensuring only you and the recipient can read them.
Local data storage: Your data is stored only on your device, not on any external servers.
Self-hostable: You have the option to host the app on your own server if you prefer.
The app is still in the early stages and I’m exploring what’s possible with this technology. I’d love to hear your feedback on the idea and the current state of the app. If you have any feature requests or ideas, I’m all ears in the comments below!
But we already have decentralized encypted chat, it’s XMPP.
Is yours truly P2P? What about clients behind NAT? Does it use STUN/TURN servers?
I’m using peerjs-server. I’m also investigating other ways to achieve peer discovery which itself could be quite a discussion.
Can users self host that and set up clients to use their own servers?
Users can selfhost the frontend and backend independently. When creating a profile, you can set it to use your own peerjs-server (set preferences)
The frontend is only run as client-side JavaScript. There isn’t a step to “set up clients”.
Maybe look at how syncthing works
Thanks. I want to also investigate if YJS could also fit into the app.
Yeah a lot of ISPs are putting people behind CG-NAT these days. Good luck getting around that with out some kind of relay.
Dude, I can’t wait to have IPv6 everywhere and have our own IP addresses for everyone.