A real-time chat application with end-to-end encryption. Because your messages deserve to be as secure as a secret spy dossier, not a sticky note on the fridge.
Project Status: Currently hibernating while I battle the final boss-my degree. This project is about 13% done, which in developer years is basically a full season of a TV show. I’ll be back when my professors release me from academic captivity, whichever comes first!
Ever watched "Day of The Jackal" and thought, "Hey, those USB-based encrypted chats look cool?" Well, same here! While I can't guarantee this app will help you in international espionage (and I legally have to advise against that), it's my humble attempt at creating something similar. Just remember: with great encryption comes great responsibility... and occasionally forgotten passwords.
Disclaimer: No jackals were harmed in the making of this chat app. 🦊
- User registration and authentication with JWT (because we need to know who you are before you start sending encrypted messages).
- Real-time messaging using WebSockets (no more refreshing the page to see if someone replied).
- End-to-end message encryption (so only you and the recipient can read the messages).
- Message read status tracking (for when you need to know if you're being ignored).
- Unread message counter (for when you're popular but too busy to reply).
- Delete messages and entire chat conversations (because some things are better left unsaid).
- User search functionality (to find your chat buddy in the wild).
- MongoDB integration for message persistence (your secrets are safe, even if you close the app).
- CORS enabled (so the frontend and backend can be friends).
- Frontend: React (TypeScript) - Because who doesn't love strongly-typed code?
- Backend: Node.js with Express - The backbone of our secret communication service.
- WebSocket:
wslibrary - The magic that makes it all real-time. - Database: MongoDB - Where all the secrets are stored (securely, of course).
- Authentication: JWT - Our bouncer for the secure club.
- Encryption: A custom encryption service - Because why use an off-the-shelf solution when you can build your own?
This is what a top-secret chat app looks like when you're not an international spy.
The application supports real-time conversations between users with encrypted message delivery:
User Perspective 1:
User Perspective 2:
To get this whole operation running on your local machine, follow these highly classified steps.
- Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/sh13y/Secure-Chat.git - Install dependencies:
npm install - Set up environment variables: Create a
.envfile with the following, and fill in the blanks like you're cracking a code.
PORT=3001
MONGODB_URI=your_mongodb_connection_string
JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret
- Create a MongoDB Atlas account at mongodb.com/atlas.
- Create a new cluster (the free tier is plenty for your clandestine needs).
- Set up database access: Create a user with read/write permissions.
- Set up network access: Add your current IP address. (Or use
0.0.0.0/0for all IPs, but that's like leaving the front door unlocked. Not recommended for a "secure" chat app.) - Get your connection string: Copy the string and replace
<username>,<password>, and<database-name>with your details.
Example connection string format:
mongodb+srv://username:password@cluster.aslazkn.mongodb.net/secure_chat?retryWrites=true&w=majority
After a brief hibernation, I've re-emerged to squash some bugs and make this a smoother ride.
I've identified and fixed the issues with live message updating in your Secure Chat application. Now messages will appear instantly for both the sender and receiver.
🐛 Issues Found & Fixed:
- Duplicate
useEffectHooks: There were two identical WebSocketuseEffecthooks fighting each other. I've consolidated them into a single, improved WebSocket handler. - Server Not Broadcasting to Sender: The server was only sending messages to the receiver, not back to the sender for immediate display. I've updated the server to send messages to both parties.
- Restrictive Message Display Condition: The client's condition for displaying messages was too picky. I've updated it to include
data.senderId === currentUserso your sent messages appear instantly, not after a secret squirrel dance.
✨ Improvements Made:
- Single WebSocket Connection: One hook to rule them all.
- Better Message Handling: The message display conditions are now more welcoming.
- Immediate Feedback: You'll see your message appear instantly.
- Enhanced Logging: Added detailed console logs for debugging future issues (for when things inevitably go wrong again).
Now, go ahead and send some messages. They'll pop up in real-time, just like magic! ✨
This is just the beginning. I've got a whole list of upgrades planned for when I'm not drowning in academic texts.
- Enhanced UI/UX (because a good spy app should look cool).
- File sharing capabilities (for sharing top-secret memes).
- Group chat functionality (for spy teams and family reunions).
- Message editing (for when you make a typo in a classified message).
- Mobile responsiveness (for on-the-go espionage).
src/
├── server/
│ ├── index.ts # Main server file
│ └── models/
│ └── User.js # User model
├── shared/
│ ├── types.ts # Shared type definitions
│ └── encryption.ts # Encryption service
WTFPL - Do What The F*ck You Want To Public License. Go wild.
sh13y - Full-Stack copy-cat, part-time student, full-time dreamer, occasional code whisperer
Note: This is a fun development project and not intended for production use in its current state. Also, definitely not approved by any secret intelligence agencies... or is it? 🕵️♂️