root_chat
minimal · encrypted · terminal P2P chat
14:21 · connected to wss://relay.root-chat.com
14:21 · joined [default]
14:22 r3pc0n hey, you there?
14:22 alice yeah. is this encrypted?
14:23 r3pc0n yes — relay can't read it
14:23 alice nice
early access · actively developed · bugs may exist
install on linux
curl -sSf https://raw.githubusercontent.com/r3pc0n/root_chat/main/install.sh | bash
features
- direct P2P — connect over LAN or Tailscale, no server needed
- relay mode — WebSocket relay for connections across the internet
- E2E encryption — X25519 + ChaCha20-Poly1305; relay sees only ciphertext
- private messaging — /dm opens a dedicated room; /msg sends one-off DMs
- relay auth — lock your relay server with a pre-shared key
- rooms — switch rooms mid-session with /room
- who's online — sidebar shows room members and contacts
- history — chat logs saved locally per session
- notifications — system toasts on new messages and @mentions
- autostart — launches on login, Windows and Linux
get started
· install, open a terminal, run:
$ rootchat
· the setup wizard will guide you through connecting
self-host the relay
- FastAPI + uvicorn WebSocket server
- runs on any Linux VPS — setup script included
- Caddy reverse proxy for wss:// TLS
- optional API key auth to keep it private