torchat/README.md

# 🕶️ TorChat

**Decentralized. Private. Undeniable.**  
TorChat is the anti-censorship chat layer for the underground internet. Secure, unstoppable, and anonymous — this is what messaging should’ve always been.

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## 🌐 Overview

TorChat is a fully decentralized, Tor-based messaging protocol and chat client built for total freedom of speech and association.  
There are no servers, no corporate intermediaries, no identity leaks — only encrypted peer-to-peer communication over the Tor network.

- ✅ **End-to-End Encryption** (ECC, ECDH + ChaCha20Poly1305)
- ✅ **gRPC over Onion**: High-performance communication via Tor
- ✅ **Offline Message Persistence** via trusted forwarders
- ✅ **Signed Identity Graphs** for trust bootstrapping
- ✅ **Federated Group Chats** with on-chain moderation rules
- ✅ **Forward secrecy, metadata protection**, and more...

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## 📦 Features

| Feature                          | Status    | Description |
|----------------------------------|-----------|-------------|
| 🔐 End-to-End Encryption         | ✅         | Uses Ed25519 keys and modern AEAD for message security |
| 🧅 Onion Routed gRPC             | ✅         | gRPC over SOCKS5 for strong anonymity and multiplexed streams |
| 📬 Asynchronous Delivery         | 🛠️         | Store-and-forward routing via trusted nodes with spam prevention |
| 👥 Group Messaging               | 🛠️         | Federated group identity, roles, voting, moderation |
| 🧠 Identity Reputation Layer     | 🛠️         | Web-of-trust over signed attestations |
| 📜 Anti-Spam ZK Proofs           | 💡 Idea    | Messages must include ZK token to prove identity stake or PoW |
| 🧩 Modular Plugin System         | 💡 Idea    | Add bots, bridges (e.g., IRC, XMPP), file sharing, media channels |
| 💻 Cross-Platform Client         | ✅         | Built in Dart/Flutter with native Rust crypto backend |
| 💾 IPFS-Backed Message Vault     | 💡 Idea    | Optionally enable message history vaulting in IPFS bundles |
| ⚙️ Scriptable Automation         | 💡 Idea    | Autoresponders, programmable agents, trading bots... |

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## 🚀 Roadmap

### 🔹 Phase 1 – Core Protocol (MVP)
- [x] Onion-based transport (Tor SOCKS5 support)
- [x] Peer discovery (via embedded seed node list + gossip)
- [x] Identity model (Ed25519 keys, signature attestations)
- [x] Chat session establishment (ECDH, gRPC)
- [ ] Forwarding protocol for offline delivery
- [ ] Basic CLI and Flutter-based UI client
- [ ] Minimal spam prevention via time-locked messaging

### 🔸 Phase 2 – Social Layer
- [ ] Group chat architecture
- [ ] Group-level moderation: bans, mutes, admin rotation
- [ ] Identity trust graphs (signed attestations)
- [ ] Optional profile metadata (bio, avatar, etc.) stored off-chain

### 🔻 Phase 3 – Extension & Hardening
- [ ] Native emoji, file attachments, stickers
- [ ] Message expiration & disappearing chats
- [ ] Optional censorship-resistant history via IPFS
- [ ] “Stealth” mode: make node unreachable except via invite

### 🔺 Phase 4 – Plug-in & Monetization
- [ ] Plugin framework (Rust or Dart)
- [ ] Bot scripting: p2p trading, atomic swaps, moderation
- [ ] Integration with Monero-based payments
- [ ] Tokenless (or optional stake-based) spam control

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## 🛠️ Tech Stack

- **Frontend:** Flutter (Dart)
- **Backend Protocol:** gRPC over Tor (SOCKS5 proxy)
- **Encryption:** Ed25519, ECDH, ChaCha20Poly1305
- **Persistence:** Dart/Rust hybrid binary
- **Decentralization:** Tor hidden services, optionally dHT or gossip relay
- **Identity Model:** Public keys signed by other peers in attestations

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## 📁 Project Structure

TorChat/ ├── lib/ # Flutter/Dart client ├── proto/ # gRPC protospecs ├── rust/ # Rust backend (crypto, networking, etc.) ├── tor/ # Tor bootstrapping and routing code ├── seednode/ # Optional seednode bootstrap peer (only required until network consensus is well established) └── README.md

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## 🔐 Security Philosophy

TorChat is designed for real-world censorship resistance.  
That means:
- Metadata-resistant communication
- No third-party servers
- Forward secrecy
- Optional multi-device support via per-device keys
- Message padding / traffic obfuscation (future)

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## 🌍 Vision

We want TorChat to become *the* base layer for p2p chat —  
Something like if **Briar**, **Session**, and **Monero** had a privacy-focused lovechild.  
No app store bans. No governments blocking traffic. No KYC. Just pure encrypted messages flying across an anonymous mesh of nodes.

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## 🤝 Get Involved

- Open a [discussion](https://foss.haveno.com/haveno-network/haveno-core/discussions)
- Submit issues or ideas
- Contribute to the protocol spec or write plugins
- Help us build bridges to other networks

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## 🧠 Inspired by

- [Tor Project](https://www.torproject.org/)
- [Monero](https://www.getmonero.org/)
- [Haveno](https://haveno.com)
- [Session](https://getsession.org/)
- [Nym](https://nymtech.net/)
- [Matrix](https://matrix.org/)
- [Briar](https://briarproject.org/)

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## 📜 License

AGPLv3+ — because freedom is viral.

Let me know if you want a stripped-down version for GitHub, a spicy version for Reddit, or docs for the protospecs next.