World-Chat

A real-time, privacy-focused chat application with integrated AI assistance. No databases, no tracking, just pure conversation.

🎯 Vision

World-Chat reimagines online communication by combining real-time messaging with intelligent AI assistance in a completely privacy-focused environment. No databases, no user tracking, no data persistence—just pure, ephemeral conversation with the power of AI at your fingertips.

The Unique Twist 🔄

Switch between Public AI mode (shared context for the entire room) and Private AI mode (personal assistant) with a single click. Ask questions privately or let the AI contribute to group discussions—the choice is yours.

✨ Key Features

🔒 Privacy First

• Zero data persistence - No databases or user tracking
• Ephemeral messaging - Messages exist only in active sessions
• No sign-up required - Jump in with a fun, auto-generated handle

🤖 Dual-Mode AI Integration

• Public AI Mode: Shared Gemini chat session for the entire room
• Private AI Mode: Personal AI assistant with individual context
• Smart Context: AI remembers conversation history during your session
• Instant Toggle: Switch modes with Alt + / hotkey

🚀 Superior User Experience

• Terminal-inspired UI with smooth animations
• Mobile-optimized with smart keyboard handling
• Rich Content Support: Emoji picker + GIF integration
• Keyboard Shortcuts for power users (F1 for help)
• Real-time Presence indicators and user count

⚡ Performance Optimized

• Lightweight animations optimized for low-end devices
• Dual-layer caching for GIFs and media
• Smart auto-scroll with user scroll detection
• Reduced motion support for accessibility

🖼️ Screenshots

Desktop Experience

Mobile Experience

Fully responsive design with mobile keyboard optimization

AI Mode Toggle

Switch between Public and Private AI assistance

🛠️ Tech Stack

Backend

• Node.js + Express
• Socket.IO (real-time messaging)
• Google Gemini AI (2.5-flash model)
• Axios + dotenv

Frontend

• Vanilla JavaScript (ES6 modules)
• DOMPurify + Marked (safe rendering)
• Emoji Mart picker
• Tailwind CSS + Custom animations

Infrastructure

• On-demand deployment (onRender.com)
• Environment-based configuration
• Connection state recovery
• CORS and security headers

⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	Windows	Mac	Description
Help	F1	F1	Show/hide shortcuts overlay
AI Trigger	Alt + A	Alt + A	Toggle "@ai " prefix
AI Mode Toggle	Alt + /	Alt + /	Switch Public/Private AI mode
Emoji Picker	Ctrl + E	⌘ + E	Open emoji picker
GIF Picker	Ctrl + G	⌘ + G	Open GIF picker
Send Message	Ctrl + Enter	⌘ + Enter	Send current message
Focus Input	Ctrl + I	⌘ + I	Focus message input
Close Overlays	Esc	Esc	Close pickers/help

🎮 Usage

Basic Chat

1. Enter a fun username (auto-generated suggestions available)
2. Start typing and press Enter to send messages
3. See other users join and leave in real-time

AI Assistance

1. Type @ai followed by your question
2. Use Alt + / to toggle between Public and Private modes
3. Public Mode: AI responses are visible to everyone
4. Private Mode: AI responses are only visible to you

Rich Content

• Use Ctrl/⌘ + E for emoji picker
• Use Ctrl/⌘ + G for GIF search
• Markdown formatting is supported and safely rendered

🔮 Future Roadmap

Planned Features

• WebRTC P2P History Sharing: Distributed chat history through peer-to-peer gossip protocol
• Voice Messages: Real-time audio messaging
• File Sharing: Ephemeral file transfer
• Custom Themes: User-selectable UI themes
• Room Management: Private rooms and moderation tools

Concept

• Each client stores the recent chat history locally.
• When a new client joins, instead of relying on the server, existing peers can "seed" the chat history to them.
• This reduces server load and creates a distributed storage model.

Limitations (current stage)

• Requires at least one active seeder client online.
• With low traffic, new users may join and see an empty chat if no peers are available.
• Building WebRTC + sync logic is complex and may be overengineering for now.

Why consider later?

• P2P would shine when there are always many users online.
• It allows shared persistence without a database.
• Can reduce dependency on centralized storage while keeping chats alive longer.

🤝 Contributing

We welcome contributions! Here's how to get started:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature
3. Make your changes and test thoroughly
4. Commit with clear messages: git commit -m 'Add amazing feature'
5. Push to your branch: git push origin feature/amazing-feature
6. Open a Pull Request

Development Guidelines

• Follow existing code style and patterns
• Test on both desktop and mobile devices
• Ensure accessibility compliance
• Update documentation for new features
• Report Issues: GitHub Issues

🌟 Why World-Chat?

In an era of data harvesting and privacy concerns, World-Chat offers a refreshing alternative:

• True Privacy: No data persistence means your conversations truly disappear
• AI Integration Done Right: Context-aware assistance without compromising privacy
• Modern UX: Terminal aesthetics meet modern web standards
• Mobile-First: Optimized for touch devices and mobile keyboards
• Developer Friendly: Clean codebase with comprehensive documentation

Ready to experience the future of private, AI-enhanced communication?

---

Built for privacy-conscious users who want more than just chat.