Rust Chat — Real-Time WebSocket Chat Server

A fully local, offline-friendly, multi-user chat system built with Rust, Warp, and WebSockets.
Featuring multiple themes, a classic/modern hybrid UI, and robust admin tools.

Features

Core

• Real-time Messaging: Instant delivery via WebSockets.
• Rooms: Multiple channels with active member counts.
• Auth: User accounts (Register/Login) and Guest mode.
• Privacy: Secure private messaging (stored separately) and file sharing.
• Persistence: Chat history saved asynchronously (JSON).

Advanced

• Link Previews: Automatic Open Graph metadata extraction (Title, Description, Image).
• Interactive UI:
  • Emoji Picker: Categorized emojis with skin tone support.
  • Reactions: React to messages (👍 ❤️ 😂 😮 😢 🎉).
  • Mentions: @user support with profile modals.
  • Typing Indicators: Real-time "User is typing..." status.
• Engagement:
  • Nudge: /nudge command to shake the room and play a sound.
  • Pinned Messages: Pin important messages for easy access.
  • Online Status: Auto-away/idle detection.
• Ease of Use:
  • QR Code LAN Connect: Scan terminal QR code to join from mobile.
  • PWA: Installable on mobile and desktop devices.
  • Shortcuts: extensive keyboard control.
• Safety:
  • Profanity Filter: Auto-censoring of banned words.
  • Moderation: /kick command for admins.

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Themes

Switch themes instantly in static/index.html:

Theme	Description
Classic	Newspaper/XP hybrid, serif fonts, blue gradients. (Default)
Midnight	Modern dark mode, cyan/purple accents, glow effects.

<!-- Example: Enable Midnight Theme -->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="css/midnight.css">

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Quick Start

1. Run the Server

cargo run --release

2. Connect

• Localhost: Visit http://localhost:8080
• LAN (Mobile): Scan the QR code printed in your terminal.

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Commands

Command	Usage	Description
Identity	/name <name>	Set your display name.
Auth	/register <u> <p>	Create a new account.
	/login <u> <p>	Log in to your account.
Chat	/msg <user> <text>	Send a private message.
	/join <room>	Switch rooms (e.g., /join tech).
	/nudge	Shake screen & play sound.
	/pin <msg_id>	Pin a message to the top.
Info	/who	List users in current room.
	/stats	Show server memory & connections.
Admin	/kick <user>	Kick a user (Admin only).

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
/	Focus text input.
Esc	Close modals or sidebar.
↑ / ↓	Navigate command suggestions.
Tab	Autocomplete command from suggestion.
Enter	Send message.

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API Endpoints

The server exposes endpoints for monitoring and health checks:

Method	Endpoint	Description
GET	/health	Basic status (uptime, client count).
GET	/metrics	Detailed stats (memory usage, total messages, rooms).

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Technical Details

• Backend: Rust (Warp, Tokio)
  • State Management: DashMap for high-concurrency capability.
  • Discovery: mdns-sd for zero-config LAN discovery.
• Frontend: Vanilla JavaScript (ES6+), Modular CSS.
  • No Frameworks: Lightweight and fast.
• Storage: JSON-based flat files with non-blocking async I/O (tokio::fs).

Recent Updates

• Nudge: Added retro shake effect.
• LAN Discovery: Integrated QR code generation.
• Observability: Added /health and /metrics APIs.
• Visuals: Polished UI with smooth animations and hover effects.

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License

MIT Read the License