Lichen
Decentralized, end-to-end encrypted chat where everyone keeps a phonebook of everyone else.
- You are your key. Each node has an Ed25519 identity key and an X25519 encryption key.
- Records are signed. Anyone can store and forward contact records without being trusted. Forged records fail verification, and newer records replace older ones.
- Moving means gossip. When your address changes, you sign a new record and send it to everyone you know.
- Phonebook servers are just nodes. They introduce peers so they can connect directly with UDP hole punching, and they relay traffic when that fails.
A public hub runs at chat.afrikamcclintock.com. It’s a WebSocket endpoint for Lichen clients, so you can’t open it in a browser.