Free Code Chat Apps: Difference between revisions
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(clarified Jami group chat, added Keybase, added message editing to Conversations and Wire) |
(confirmed E2EE for Keybase, added link to PTIO guide) |
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| [https://jami.net Jami] || desktop and mobile || text, audio, video || voice/ video only || yes || none || ? | | [https://jami.net Jami] || desktop and mobile || text, audio, video || voice/ video only || yes || none || ? | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [https://keybase.io/ Keybase] || desktop and mobile || text, (audio/video?) || yes || | | [https://keybase.io/ Keybase] || desktop and mobile || text, (audio/video?) || yes || yes || signed file storage || ? | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [https://riot.im/ Riot ] || web, mobile, desktop || text, audio, video || yes || optional ([https://github.com/vector-im/riot-web/issues/6779 for now]) || file transfer || ? | | [https://riot.im/ Riot ] || web, mobile, desktop || text, audio, video || yes || optional ([https://github.com/vector-im/riot-web/issues/6779 for now]) || file transfer || ? | ||
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See also: | See also: | ||
* [[Free code chat software]] - an overview of audio and video chat software | |||
* [https://www.privacytools.io/software/real-time-communication/ PrivacyTools.io chat app guide] | |||
* F-Droid: Aims to offer a complete collection of Android apps that can be built from free code with no proprietary dependencies. Other chat clients they list: https://search.f-droid.org/?q=chat | * F-Droid: Aims to offer a complete collection of Android apps that can be built from free code with no proprietary dependencies. Other chat clients they list: https://search.f-droid.org/?q=chat | ||
[[Category:P2P Infrastructure]] | [[Category:P2P Infrastructure]] | ||
Revision as of 10:44, 20 October 2019
Introduction
Most people are familiar with proprietary chat apps like Skype, FaceTime, FB Messenger, WhatsApp, Hangouts, WeChat, and so on. Chat apps differ from email in that they are designed mainly for use by two or more people who are online at the same time, having a back-and-forth conversation made up of short messages (1 or 2 sentences at a time). Most modern chat apps also support voice and video calling and voice mail. This page has information about chat apps whose code is available as a commons, under a free software license, allowing it to be audited by the community, or modified ("forked") to make new versions or new apps. --Strypey (talk) 16:34, 20 May 2019 (UTC)
Features: what they can do
| Name | Platforms supported | Text/ Voice/ Video? | Group chat | End-to-End Encrypted | Other features | languages supported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briar | Android | text only | yes | yes | forums, blogs | ? |
| ChatSecure | iOS | text | yes | optional | voice mail, file transfer | ? |
| Conversations | mobile | text, (voice messages) | yes | optional | file transfer, short voice mails, message editingg | ? |
| Jami | desktop and mobile | text, audio, video | voice/ video only | yes | none | ? |
| Keybase | desktop and mobile | text, (audio/video?) | yes | yes | signed file storage | ? |
| Riot | web, mobile, desktop | text, audio, video | yes | optional (for now) | file transfer | ? |
| Signal | mobile, desktop | text, audio, video | yes | yes | image sharing, voice mails | ? |
| Silence | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| TRIfa | Android | text, audio, video | ? | yes | image sharing, file transfer, video embeds | ? |
| Wire | web, mobile, desktop | text, audio, video | yes | yes | message editing, image-sharing, file transfer | ? |
| Zom | mobile | text | yes | yes | file transfer | ? |
Structure: how they work
| Name | License | Topology | Protocol(s) Used | Network Transport(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briar | GNU GPLv3+ | distributed | Tor | internet, wifi, bluetooth |
| ChatSecure | GNU GPLv3+ | federated | XMPP | internet |
| Conversations | GNU GPLv3 | federated | XMPP, MUC, OMEMO, PGP | internet |
| Jami | GNU GPLv3+ | distributed | SIP | internet |
| Keybase | Modified BSD | ? | ? | ? |
| Signal | mainly GNU GPLv3 and GNU AGPLv3 | centralized | Signal | internet |
| Silence | GPLv3 | federated | SMS | GSM |
| Riot | Apache 2.0 | federated | Matrix | internet |
| TRIfa | GNU GPLv2 | distributed | Tox, Tor (with Orbot) | internet |
| Wire | GNU GPLv3 (clients) / AGPLv3 (server) | centralized (federation is planned) | ? | internet |
| Zom | Android: Apache 2.0, iOS ? | federated | Matrix | internet |
Other notes:
| Briar | adding contacts requires in-person scanning of QR codes |
| Zom | began as updated version of the old ChatSecure for Android code, using XMPP, but later moved to the Matrix protocol. The blog piece at that link describes a plan to begin a new ChatSecure for Android, as a fork of Conversations, making it also an XMPP client, but this effort was abandoned |
See also:
- Free code chat software - an overview of audio and video chat software
- PrivacyTools.io chat app guide
- F-Droid: Aims to offer a complete collection of Android apps that can be built from free code with no proprietary dependencies. Other chat clients they list: https://search.f-droid.org/?q=chat