Free Code Chat Apps: Difference between revisions
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(added 'other notes' table, added ChatSecure, added details for Zom) |
(added F-Droid note, added more ChatSecure details) |
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! Name !! License !! Platforms supported !! Topology !! Protocol(s) Used !! Network Transport(s) !! Text/ Voice/ Video? !! Group chat !! End-to-End Encrypted !! Other features !! languages supported | ! Name !! License !! Platforms supported !! Topology !! Protocol(s) Used !! Network Transport(s) !! Text/ Voice/ Video? !! Group chat !! End-to-End Encrypted !! Other features !! languages supported | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [https://www.briarproject.org Briar] || [https://code.briarproject.org/briar/briar/blob/master/LICENSE.txt GNU GPLv3+] || mobile || distributed || Tor || internet, wifi, bluetooth || text only || yes || yes || forums, blogs || | | [https://www.briarproject.org Briar] || [https://code.briarproject.org/briar/briar/blob/master/LICENSE.txt GNU GPLv3+] || mobile || distributed || Tor || internet, wifi, bluetooth || text only || yes || yes || forums, blogs || ? | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [https://chatsecure.org/ ChatSecure] || [https://github.com/ChatSecure/ChatSecure-iOS/blob/master/LICENSE GNU GPLv3+] || iOS | | [https://chatsecure.org/ ChatSecure] || [https://github.com/ChatSecure/ChatSecure-iOS/blob/master/LICENSE GNU GPLv3+] || iOS || federated || XMPP || internet || text || yes || optional || voice mail, file transfer || ? | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [https://conversations.im/ Conversations] || [https://github.com/siacs/Conversations/blob/master/LICENSE GNU GPLv3] || mobile || federated || XMPP, MUC, OMEMO, PGP || internet || text, (voice/ video?) || yes || optional || file transfer, short voice mails || ? | | [https://conversations.im/ Conversations] || [https://github.com/siacs/Conversations/blob/master/LICENSE GNU GPLv3] || mobile || federated || XMPP, MUC, OMEMO, PGP || internet || text, (voice/ video?) || yes || optional || file transfer, short voice mails || ? | ||
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| [https://www.wire.com/ Wire] || [https://github.com/wireapp/wire-webapp/blob/dev/LICENSE GNU GPLv3 (clients)] / [https://github.com/wireapp/wire-server/blob/develop/LICENSE AGPLv3 (server)] || web, mobile, desktop || centralized ([https://github.com/wireapp/wire-server/issues/631 federation is planned]) || ? || internet || text, audio, video || yes || yes || ? | | [https://www.wire.com/ Wire] || [https://github.com/wireapp/wire-webapp/blob/dev/LICENSE GNU GPLv3 (clients)] / [https://github.com/wireapp/wire-server/blob/develop/LICENSE AGPLv3 (server)] || web, mobile, desktop || centralized ([https://github.com/wireapp/wire-server/issues/631 federation is planned]) || ? || internet || text, audio, video || yes || yes || ? | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [https://zom.im/ Zom] || ? || mobile || federated | | [https://zom.im/ Zom] || ? || mobile || federated || Matrix || text || yes || yes || file transfer || ? | ||
|} | |} | ||
Other notes | Other notes: | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Briar || adding contacts requires in-person scanning of QR codes | | Briar || adding contacts requires in-person scanning of QR codes | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Zom || began as updated version of the [https://chatsecure.org/blog/chatsecure-conversations-zom/ old ChatSecure for Android code]. The blog piece at that link describes a plan to begin a new ChatSecure for Android, as a fork of Conversations. | | Zom || began as updated version of the [https://chatsecure.org/blog/chatsecure-conversations-zom/ 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 [https://chatsecure.org/faq/ this effort was abandoned] | ||
|} | |} | ||
See also: | |||
* 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 | |||
Revision as of 20:12, 20 May 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 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)
| Name | License | Platforms supported | Topology | Protocol(s) Used | Network Transport(s) | Text/ Voice/ Video? | Group chat | End-to-End Encrypted | Other features | languages supported | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briar | GNU GPLv3+ | mobile | distributed | Tor | internet, wifi, bluetooth | text only | yes | yes | forums, blogs | ? | |
| ChatSecure | GNU GPLv3+ | iOS | federated | XMPP | internet | text | yes | optional | voice mail, file transfer | ? | |
| Conversations | GNU GPLv3 | mobile | federated | XMPP, MUC, OMEMO, PGP | internet | text, (voice/ video?) | yes | optional | file transfer, short voice mails | ? | |
| Jami | GNU GPLv3+ | desktop and mobile | distributed | SIP | internet | text, audio, video | yes | yes | none | ? | |
| Riot | Apache 2.0 | web, mobile, desktop | federated | Matrix | internet | text, audio, video | yes | optional (for now) | file transfer | ? | |
| TRIfa | GNU GPLv2 | Android | distributed | Tox, Tor (with Orbot) | internet | text, audio, video | ? | yes | none | image sharing, file transfer, video embeds | ? |
| Wire | GNU GPLv3 (clients) / AGPLv3 (server) | web, mobile, desktop | centralized (federation is planned) | ? | internet | text, audio, video | yes | yes | ? | ||
| Zom | ? | mobile | federated | Matrix | text | yes | yes | file transfer | ? |
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:
- 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