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submitted 1 month ago by jerrimu@lemmy.world to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

Originally Umbrachat was a web app named Peersuite ( that I also developed) that was distributed as a docker image, web site, or electron app. Umbrachat has chat with channels, file sharing, threaded replies, and image preview in chat. Also, audio/video conferencing and screenshare.

I pulled out the non-social business type features ( document editing, whiteboard, and kanban ) and simplified the CSS and the code. I got everything down to under 200k in size and packaged it as a browser extension, which IMO is a way simpler method to use it.

All datastreams ( chat, audio, video) are encrypted end to end. After the initial connection to the server you are connected directly to your friends in a mesh network with superpeer capability.

github: https://github.com/openconstruct/umbrachat peersuite github: https://github.com/openconstruct/Peersuite

Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/umbrachat/

Chrome: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/umbrachat/jdgneoijldkiffdnhkibcdnajchecaip?hl=en-US

Happy to answer any questions!

top 26 comments
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[-] farngis_mcgiles@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 month ago
[-] jerrimu@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago
[-] utopiah@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Hi there, how about keeping history of past messages? I mean if all participants leave the channel, can they all keep history using e.g. localStorage and when they come back, see what has been shared until now including when they were away thanks to history of that channel from others?

[-] muzzle@lemmy.zip 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

very nice! I just found https://umbrabrowser.online/chat/ do I need the add-on to use it? Any chance this could be an app or a PWA usable on a phone? Also, is there a general chat we can use as a test?

[-] jerrimu@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

Someone created a room earlier, it is a pwa. I'm working on getting it in android store.

[-] muzzle@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

If you want to test this, please join my room. It's called "flat-easy-down-bird" and the password is 1234 :)

Edit: the channel is called #test

[-] muzzle@lemmy.zip 13 points 1 month ago
[-] eodur@piefed.social 1 points 1 month ago

Doesn't seem to be anyone or any channels? Is this thing on? taps mic

[-] muzzle@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 month ago

I am there now, the channel is called #test

[-] eodur@piefed.social 3 points 1 month ago

Nope. I still see nothing. I think p2p is not the way to do this.

[-] muzzle@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 month ago

It probably does not help that I am on a phone

[-] eodur@piefed.social 1 points 1 month ago
[-] 64bithero@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

I am sad I can only upvote this once

[-] TheFinn@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 1 month ago
[-] jerrimu@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago
[-] wibble@reddthat.com 2 points 1 month ago

You have a heavy one with the whiteboard, kanban and docs as well?

[-] jerrimu@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

I do not, that was the predecessor, peers suite, It stopped working because it relies on public torrent tracker to set up connection

[-] Kory@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 month ago

Thank you for this, it looks great!

I will have the time to check this out further on the weekend, but quick question before: will people be able to find channels aligned with their interests like they do on Discord? Let's say for certain games or other topics. Because that is why many of my friends are still there.

[-] jerrimu@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

Not at all, you need a room code and a password.

[-] JTskulk@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Do users have to open ports for it to work?

[-] jerrimu@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago
[-] JTskulk@lemmy.world 1 points 4 weeks ago

How does that work if it's peer to peer? Doesn't at least one person need to open ports?

[-] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 month ago

Thank you for your community service

[-] Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.org 1 points 1 month ago

This is really cool. Especially as a browser extension.

[-] hylaea@reddthat.com 1 points 4 weeks ago

Required permissions for core functionality:

Access your data for all websites
Get data from the clipboard
Input data to the clipboard

Required data collection:

The developer says this extension collects: personal communications

Collecting personal communications? doesn't sound that private...

[-] jerrimu@lemmy.world 2 points 4 weeks ago

It's a chat program. I answered a questionaire on it and they auto-populated the fields. The extension is open source. After discovery you are connected directly to your friends, there is no capture of any text or data sent, it's all encrypted p2p.

this post was submitted on 12 Mar 2026
139 points (100.0% liked)

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