Free Code Chat Apps
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 | yes | |
| ChatSecure | GNU GPLv3+ | iOS | |||||||||
| 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? | XMPP? | text | yes | yes | file transfer | yes |
Other notes by --Strypey (talk) 19:49, 20 May 2019 (UTC):
| Briar | adding contacts requires in-person scanning of QR codes |
| Zom | began as updated version of the 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. |