AirChat is a privacy-focused, local-first chat app built with Flutter. It enables users to discover, connect, and chat with nearby devices directly—no internet required. All communication is encrypted end-to-end.
- Nearby Discovery: Find and connect with users around you using Android's Nearby Connections API.
- Secure Messaging: All messages are encrypted using AES-256 and ECDH key exchange. (To be implemented)
- File Sharing: Send files and media securely to connected peers.
- Offline-First: Works without internet; all data is stored locally and securely.
- Modern UI: Clean, intuitive interface with theming support.
- Cross-Platform: Runs on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux (with platform-specific features).
| Component | Technology |
|---|---|
| UI | Flutter |
| Comm Protocol | Android Nearby API (via Platform Channels) |
| Encryption | AES-256, ECDH (Libsodium or custom) |
| State Mgmt | Provider/Bloc |
| Storage | Hive/SQLite (Encrypted) |
- Flutter Frontend
- Initiates connection via platform channels
- Displays chat UI and handles local logic
- Android Native (Kotlin)
- Handles Nearby Advertising & Discovery
- Sends/receives messages
- Encryption Layer
- Keys are exchanged securely
- Each message is encrypted before sending
airchat/
├── android/ # Android native code (Kotlin, manifests)
├── ios/ # iOS native code (Swift, assets)
├── lib/ # Flutter/Dart source code
│ ├── main.dart # App entry point
│ ├── models/ # Data models (ChatUser, ChatMessage, etc.)
│ ├── services/ # Platform channels, connection logic
│ ├── providers/ # State management (Provider)
│ ├── ui/ # Screens and UI widgets
│ ├── utility/ # Helpers, utilities
│ └── widgets/ # Reusable widgets
├── assets/ # App icons, splash, images
├── test/ # Unit/widget tests
├── pubspec.yaml # Flutter dependencies
└── README.md # Project documentation
- Flutter SDK (3.x recommended)
- Android Studio/Xcode for mobile builds
- A device or emulator (Nearby API requires real device for full functionality)
- Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/nishant9083/airchat.git cd airchat - Install dependencies:
flutter pub get
- (Optional) Generate icons and splash:
flutter pub run flutter_launcher_icons:main flutter pub run flutter_native_splash:create
- Android:
flutter run -d android
- iOS:
flutter run -d ios
- Desktop (Windows/macOS/Linux):
flutter run -d windows # or macos/linux - Web:
flutter run -d chrome
- Launch the app on two or more devices.
- Set your display name when prompted.
- Tap the discover button to find nearby devices.
- Tap a user to connect and start chatting.
- Send text, images, videos, or files securely.
- Use the search bar to quickly find chats or users.
Contributions are welcome! To contribute:
- Fork the repository
- Create a new branch (
git checkout -b feature/your-feature) - Make your changes and commit (
git commit -am 'Add new feature') - Push to your fork (
git push origin feature/your-feature) - Open a Pull Request
Please follow the existing code style and add tests where appropriate.
This project is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.
- Flutter
- Hive
- Provider
- Nearby Connections API
- All contributors and open-source libraries used.