diff --git a/_posts/2024-11-17-webxdc-realtime.md b/_posts/2024-11-17-webxdc-realtime.md index 2caf2e326..ba066094b 100644 --- a/_posts/2024-11-17-webxdc-realtime.md +++ b/_posts/2024-11-17-webxdc-realtime.md @@ -11,15 +11,26 @@ we are happy to announce that **Delta Chat 1.48 apps on all platforms contain state-of-the-art Peer-to-Peer networking support**, including [hole punching](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hole_punching_(networking)), end-to-end encryption and [gossipping](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gossip_protocol). -Private Peer-to-Peer networks are established +Concretely, private Peer-to-Peer networks are automatically and efficiently established between users who start a [webxdc app](https://webxdc.org/apps) that uses the new [joinRealtimeChannel API](https://webxdc.org/docs/spec/joinRealtimeChannel.html). In the following sections, we discuss the "Pixel app" and other realtime example apps, -before providing more background on this major project milestone -which was in the making for almost two years. +before providing more technical background +and a closing note on the importance of protocols and specifications in our endeavours. + +## How to use the xstore bot to get realtime and other apps + +If you want to try the "Pixel" or one of the other below realtime apps with chat partners + +0. Install Delta Chat, create a profile and establish a chat with someone + +1. [Tap this invitelink to the xstore bot](https://i.delta.chat/#37DC2B704A2AE2F6A96235CE0C3A0EBCA4F5801D&a=xstore%40testrun.org&n=&i=-1IGtynaivZ&s=JqHsvvcDmnW) + and wait for receiving the store frontend + +2. Start the store app, pick an app for download and then share it to any chat ## Pixel app: small, offline-first and realtime @@ -168,14 +179,14 @@ When receiving devices also join the realtime channel, they can establish a direct connection immediately because the ticket is already on record. No lookup in a global [distributed hash table](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distributed_hash_table) slows down or complicates the initial connection. -The federated e-mail system is used to bootstrap an ephemeral Peer-to-Peer network. +**The federated e-mail system is used to bootstrap an ephemeral Peer-to-Peer network.** You may download the [Realtime Check app](https://apps.testrun.org/webxdc-realtime-check-v1.0.5.xdc) and share it into a chat to perform network latency analysis between realtime messaging peers. You can already run it in "Saved Messages" between two devices in a multi-device setup. To establish a direct P2P connection, -two interested devices will use an ephemeral [Iroh Relay](https://www.iroh.computer/docs/protocols/net#relays) +two interested devices will use an [Iroh Relay](https://www.iroh.computer/docs/protocols/net#relays) which typically runs on every [chatmail server](https://delta.chat/chatmail), mirroring the existing e-mail federation. If your chat profile is using a classic e-mail server @@ -190,24 +201,27 @@ For more details please check our -### Identity on the P2P network is ephemeral only +### Identity on the P2P network is ephemeral, and encryption is forward-secret Delta Chat uses ephemeral cryptographic identities for any P2P messaging. When Delta Chat is closed or stopped by the operating system, -then a new identity will be created on the next start. -All previous decryption keys will be forgotten -which provides a variant of so called [Forward Secrecy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_secrecy) because a network traffic collector and attacker +then a new ephemeral identity will be created on the next start. +Moreover, Iroh uses [QUIC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QUIC) on the networking layer +which implements [Forward Secrecy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_secrecy) +so that a network traffic collector can not later compromise your device to decrypt past recorded traffic. -Just start a LiveChat in a chat group :) +Not only the Live Chat app but all realtime webxdc apps benefit +from the ephemeral, end-to-end-encrypted and forward-secret P2P messaging +provided by the Iroh stack and its Delta Chat integration on all platforms. ### A privacy note on IP-addresses Delta Chat does not store IP-addresses permanently anywhere -and it does not expose IP addresses in the user interface or to web apps. +and it does not expose IP addresses in the user interface or to webxdc apps. Iroh relay servers do not see all the IP addresses -that user devices advertise to each other (for example they don't see the WLAN addresses), +that user devices advertise to each other (for example relays don't see peer's WLAN addresses), and they also do not store any IP addresses involved in facilitating a P2P connection. However, your chat partners may learn about your IP address if they deploy