jack da2704e0bd Make peer discovery instant and fix connection stability
- Removed 8-character filter that was blocking temp IDs during transition
- Added immediate peer list updates for initial connections (no debounce)
- Reduced debounce interval to 100ms for subsequent updates
- Fixed race condition in peripheral ID mapping by adding before removing
- Removed aggressive peer cleanup in unsubscribe handler
- Only remove real peer IDs from activePeers on disconnect, not temp IDs
- Added better debug logging for peer add/remove operations
- Fixed peripheral lookup to handle mapping transitions

Peer discovery is now instant when devices connect, and connections are more stable.
2025-07-04 16:28:21 +02:00

bitchat

A secure, end-to-end encrypted Bluetooth mesh chat application with an IRC-style interface.

License

This project is released into the public domain. See the LICENSE file for details.

Features

  • End-to-end encryption using Curve25519 and AES-GCM
  • Bluetooth mesh networking with automatic peer discovery
  • Message relay capability (TTL-based flooding)
  • IRC-style terminal interface
  • Persistent nickname storage
  • Universal app (iOS and macOS)
  • No internet connection required

Setup

  1. Install XcodeGen if you haven't already:

    brew install xcodegen
    
  2. Generate the Xcode project:

    cd bitchat
    xcodegen generate
    
  3. Open the generated project:

    open bitchat.xcodeproj
    

Option 2: Using Swift Package Manager

  1. Open the project in Xcode:

    cd bitchat
    open Package.swift
    
  2. Select your target device and run

Option 3: Manual Xcode Project

  1. Open Xcode and create a new iOS/macOS App
  2. Copy all Swift files from the bitchat directory into your project
  3. Update Info.plist with Bluetooth permissions
  4. Set deployment target to iOS 16.0 / macOS 13.0

Usage

  1. Launch the app on multiple devices
  2. Choose or modify your nickname
  3. The app will automatically discover nearby peers
  4. Start chatting! Messages are relayed through the mesh network

Security

  • All messages are end-to-end encrypted
  • Public key exchange happens automatically on connection
  • Messages are signed to prevent tampering
  • TTL prevents infinite message loops

Protocol

The bitchat protocol uses JSON-encoded packets with the following structure:

  • Packet versioning for future compatibility
  • Message types: handshake, message, ack, relay, announce, keyExchange
  • TTL-based flooding for mesh relay
  • Signature verification for authenticity

Building for Production

  1. Set your development team in project settings
  2. Configure code signing
  3. Archive and distribute through App Store or TestFlight

Android Compatibility

The protocol is designed to be platform-agnostic. An Android client can be built using:

  • Bluetooth LE APIs
  • Same packet structure and encryption
  • Compatible service/characteristic UUIDs
S
Description
bluetooth mesh chat, IRC vibes
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