Room21 v4.1.2

A modern, secure, and anonymous real-time chat application built with Node.js, WebSockets, and modern web technologies.

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Features

Security & Privacy

• Complete anonymity - No registration required
• HTTPS/WSS encryption - Secure connections
• Input sanitization - XSS protection
• Rate limiting - Spam protection
• Content Security Policy - Enhanced security headers

Chat Features

• Real-time messaging - Instant communication
• User mentions (@username) with sound notifications
• Dynamic usernames - Generated or custom nicknames
• Message persistence - Local storage for chat history
• Commands system - /help, /nick, /users, /clear
• Character counter - 500 character limit with visual feedback

Modern UI/UX

• Glassmorphism design - Beautiful modern interface
• Responsive layout - Works on all devices
• Dark theme - Easy on the eyes
• Smooth animations - Enhanced user experience
• PWA support - Install as mobile/desktop app
• Accessibility - Screen reader support, keyboard navigation

Technical Features

• WebSocket connections - Real-time communication
• Service Worker - Offline capability and caching
• Auto-reconnection - Handles network issues
• Message queuing - Queues messages when offline
• Error handling - Graceful error recovery

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js v16 or higher
• npm or yarn package manager
• SSL certificates (for HTTPS - recommended for production)

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/notYarazi/room21.git
   cd Room21

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Configure server type (Optional)

   • HTTP Mode (Development): Default, no certificates needed
   • HTTPS Mode (Production): Requires SSL certificates
   • Set via environment variable: USE_HTTPS=true or USE_HTTPS=false

4. Set up SSL certificates (Only for HTTPS mode)

   • Create the certificate directory: src/public/assets/cert/
   • Place your SSL certificate files:
     • cert.pem - SSL certificate
     • key.pem - Private key
   • For development, you can generate self-signed certificates

5. Start the server

   # Development (HTTP) - Default
   npm run dev
   
   # Development (HTTPS) - Requires certificates
   npm run dev:https
   
   # Production (HTTPS)
   npm run prod
   
   # Manual control
   USE_HTTPS=false npm start  # HTTP mode
   USE_HTTPS=true npm start   # HTTPS mode

6. Access the application

   • HTTP Mode: http://localhost:3000
   • HTTPS Mode: https://localhost:3000
   • Accept the self-signed certificate warning if using development certificates

Configuration

Server Protocol

The server can run in HTTP or HTTPS mode:

• HTTP Mode (Default): USE_HTTPS=false

  • Faster setup for development
  • No SSL certificates required
  • Not suitable for production

• HTTPS Mode: USE_HTTPS=true

  • Secure encrypted connections
  • Requires SSL certificates
  • Recommended for production

Environment Variables

• PORT - Server port (default: 3000)
• NODE_ENV - Environment (production/development)
• SESSION_SECRET - Session secret key

Security Settings

• Message rate limiting: 1 message per second
• Maximum message length: 500 characters
• Session timeout: 24 hours

PWA Installation

Room21 can be installed as a Progressive Web App:

1. Open the app in a supported browser
2. Look for the "Install" or "Add to Home Screen" option
3. Follow the browser prompts to install

Chat Commands

• /help - Show available commands
• /nick <name> - Change your nickname
• /users - List online users
• /clear - Clear chat history (admin-like feature)

Architecture

Backend (Node.js)

• Express.js - Web server framework
• WebSocket - Real-time communication
• Helmet - Security middleware
• CORS - Cross-origin resource sharing
• Express-session - Session management

Frontend (Vanilla JS)

• Modern ES6+ - Clean, modern JavaScript
• CSS Variables - Consistent theming
• WebSocket API - Real-time communication
• Service Worker - PWA functionality
• Local Storage - Message persistence

File Structure

• Check File Structure File

Security Features

Input Validation

• HTML sanitization to prevent XSS
• Message length limits
• Command validation
• Username format validation

Rate Limiting

• Per-client message rate limiting
• Spam protection mechanisms
• Connection throttling

Network Security

• HTTPS/WSS enforcement
• CORS policy configuration
• Security headers (CSP, X-Frame-Options, etc.)
• Session security

Development

Local Development

1. Install dependencies: npm install
2. Start development server: npm run dev
3. Make changes and test locally

Adding Features

• Server-side: Modify server.js for backend features
• Client-side: Update script.js for frontend features
• Styling: Edit style.css for UI changes

Testing

• Test WebSocket connections
• Verify security features
• Check responsive design
• Test PWA functionality

Documentation

• Contributing Guidelines - How to contribute to the project
• Changelog - Detailed version history and changes
• License - Creative Commons licensing terms

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please read our Contributing Guidelines before submitting pull requests.

Quick Contributing Steps:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly
5. Submit a pull request

See CONTRIBUTING.md for detailed guidelines.

Credits

• UmaEra (NotYarazi) - Original development

• wassammy & dhummy - Contributors (testing & support)

• Community - Thanks to all users and contributors out there!

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License & Privacy

License

This project is licensed under the DO WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT TO PUBLIC LICENSE.

• ✅ Free to use for non-commercial purposes
• ✅ Free to distribute and share
• ✅ Free to modify and adapt
• ✅ Free to use commercially without permission
• ✅ No Attribution required when sharing or modifying

so.. absolute freedom, do whatever, just make it cool.

See the LICENSE file for details.

Privacy

Room21 is built with privacy-first principles:

• No user registration or personal data collection
• No server-side message storage
• Complete anonymity by design
• HTTPS/WSS encryption for all communications