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Git as the backend for a messaging app (programming.dev)
submitted 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) by xoron@programming.dev to c/git@programming.dev
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this is following a previous post as seen here: https://programming.dev/post/51866250

apps like Whatsapp, Signal and SimpleXChat are great for secure messaging and far more mature than this project, but this approach is yet distict in the market. the core philosophy around secure messaging here is that it can work in a way that avoids installation and registration by enabling users to host their own data.

docs: https://glitr.io/

demo

note: feel free to ask for clarity on any of the details around how the project works.

FAQ:

  • but why? - git over https adds an additional capability i had previously oerlooked https. webrtc cannot work over TOR and similar networks. this way, you can take advantage of the "gold standard" for onion routing while being able to avoid IP leaking from webrtc.

  • when is it ready for production? - not any time soon. standby for updates.

  • audit/review? - no, niether is possible/available. its simply too expensive. this project is close-source so you cannot verify it either. DO NOT "trust me bro"... this demo is proided for testing and demo purposes only. use responsibly.

  • the abridged version of how its put together: https://www.reddit.com/r/VibeCodeDevs/comments/1vme48q/refactor_js_to_rust/

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[-] xoron@programming.dev 1 points 3 days ago

when it comes to secure messaging, self-hosting is generally encouraged... while not quite self hosted, it would make it easier for the majority of users to get started.

users can choose a git storage provider of their choice (GitHub, Gitlab, etc), or host their own git server.

for self hosting it’s overkill but makes deployment easier. You can choose any git provider.

I introduced git as an replacement for peerjs in my project. I describe my app as a "decentralised P2P messaging app"... Using peerjs introduces a centralisation in an otherwise decentralised architecture. It also has the additional advantage of allowing users to send messages when peers are offline. Previously not possible with the pure webrtc approach.

this post was submitted on 10 Sep 2026
-6 points (28.6% liked)

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