Ouroboros Chat

A real-time P2P chat application powered by the Ouroboros server system.

Overview

Ouroboros Chat is a decentralized chat application that leverages WebRTC and PeerJS for peer-to-peer communication. The app connects to a self-sustaining server network running on GitHub Actions, allowing users to exchange messages in real-time without traditional centralized servers.

Features

• Real-time P2P messaging
• Persistent message history
• Automatic reconnection on connection loss
• Responsive design
• Infinite scroll message loading

Technology Stack

• Frontend: Next.js 15.1
• P2P Communication: PeerJS
• Styling: Tailwind CSS
• Build & Deployment: GitHub Actions

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js v23.x
• npm

Installation

1. Clone the repository
2. Install dependencies
3. Run development server
4. Build for production

Architecture

Communication Layer

The app uses a custom static Communicator class (referenced in src/global/communicator.ts) that handles:

• P2P connection management
• Message sending and receiving
• Server discovery
• Automatic reconnection

Key Components

Message Interface

Server Discovery

The app fetches server nodes from a JSON file hosted on GitHub Pages and attempts to connect to the most reliable node.

Connection Fallback

If connection to the primary node fails, the system automatically attempts to connect to alternative nodes.

Deployment

The application is automatically deployed to GitHub Pages using GitHub Actions. The workflow includes:

1. Node.js setup
2. Dependency installation
3. Next.js build
4. Static file deployment

Configuration

Environment Variables

• ROUTE: Repository name for GitHub Pages deployment

Ouroboros Server

For more information about the server infrastructure, visit the Ouroboros Server Repository. https://github.com/BigJumble/Ouroboros

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.