Chitchatter

A browser chat that connects people peer to peer with end-to-end encryption and keeps nothing once you close the room.

2.3k stars, 455 forks TypeScript On GitHub since August 2022

Visit website View on GitHub How to run it

Chitchatter at a glance

Open sourceYes, GPL-2.0No paid parts in the repository
Health61 of 100Actively developed
Self-hostingFrom sourceSteps in the README
InterfaceEnglish onlyNo translation files found
Issue repliesWithin ~5 hoursMedian first reply; 93% of recent issues answered

What is Chitchatter?

Chitchatter opens chat rooms in the browser without an account or backend. Room names are random IDs generated on your device; you share the room link through a channel you trust, and everyone in it talks directly over WebRTC, falling back to a TURN relay when a direct link fails. Messages are end-to-end encrypted and never written to disk on any side. It needs only static files plus public WebTorrent and TURN relays, with an optional API server for better connectivity. Rooms can be embedded in other pages, and files can be transferred.

Good fit if

  • You need a quick, private conversation that leaves no history behind.
  • You want to host a static chat page yourself with no database or server to run.

Look elsewhere if

  • You need persistent team channels and search: Zulip or Mattermost.
  • You want a private messenger with mobile apps and lasting contacts: SimpleX Chat.

Before you adopt it

Chitchatter is GPL-2.0 and costs nothing; there are no paid parts. Its author and a few contributors keep it moving, without formal releases. Because messages are ephemeral, nothing can be recovered after a room closes.

Drafted with AI from the project's README and repository data, then checked against that data on 31 October 2026. Report a correction

How to run Chitchatter yourself

Docker
No Docker files in the repository
Compose file
None in the repository
Setup effort
Not rated: no compose file to judge from
Kubernetes
No Helm chart in the repository
Desktop and mobile
No app builds in GitHub releases
Interface languages
English only

Install instructions: chitchatter.im or the README on GitHub.

Chitchatter health: is it still maintained?

61 of 100, actively developed

Release rhythmNo releasesNone published on GitHub
Issue repliesWithin ~5 hoursMedian first reply; 93% of recent issues answered
Bus factorMedium riskThe most active of 8 authors wrote 50% of recent commits
  • Activity
    29 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 5 November 2026.
    18 / 30
  • Contributors
    8 people wrote the 29 commits of the last 90 days; the most active wrote 50% of them.
    13 / 20
  • Releases
    No releases published on GitHub.
    6 / 20
  • Replies to issues
    Maintainers answered 93% of recent issues, with a median first reply after 5 hours.
    19 / 20
  • Security practices
    No OpenSSF Scorecard for this repository yet, so this part gets a neutral score.
    5 / 10

Read from GitHub on 6 November 2026. How the score works

Chitchatter license: is it open source?

Chitchatter uses GPL-2.0, an open-source license approved by the OSI.

  1. August 2022First published on GitHub.
  2. TodayGPL-2.0.

Chitchatter for developers

Written in

  • TypeScript 97%
  • JavaScript 2%
  • HTML <1%
  • Shell <1%
  • CSS <1%

Getting involved

Contributing guideNot foundNo CONTRIBUTING file in the repository
Open issues57On GitHub
Authors, 90 days8Of 29 commits
DonationsGitHub SponsorsListed on GitHub

Language shares are GitHub’s count of the code in the repository.

Alternatives to Chitchatter

  • TinodeInstant messaging platform. Backend in Go. Clients: Swift iOS, Java Android, JS webapp, scriptable command… 59 health · GPL-3.0 · 13.6k stars
  • Rocket.ChatThe Secure CommsOS™ for mission-critical operations 81 health · MIT · 46.4k stars
  • SimpleX ChatSimpleX - the first messaging network operating without user identifiers of any kind - 100% private by… 65 health · AGPL-3.0 · 19.6k stars
  • ZulipZulip server and web application. Open-source team chat that helps teams stay productive and focused. 93 health · Apache-2.0 · 26.2k stars
  • MattermostMattermost is an open source platform for secure collaboration across the entire software development… 74 health · Apache-2.0 · 39.5k stars

All 20 projects in Team chat

Questions about Chitchatter

Is Chitchatter open source?

Yes. Chitchatter is published under GPL-2.0, an OSI-approved open-source license.

Is Chitchatter still maintained?

Its health score is 61 of 100 (actively developed). It had 29 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 5 November 2026.

How do I run Chitchatter?

The repository has no Docker files or app builds, so you build it from source. The README on GitHub has the steps.

What is Chitchatter written in?

Chitchatter is written mainly in TypeScript (97% of the code), by GitHub’s count of the repository.

What are the alternatives to Chitchatter?

Close alternatives in the Team chat category include Tinode, Rocket.Chat, SimpleX Chat.