Kursal Chat

LAST SHIP BEFORE THE END OF FLAVORTOWN!! Thank you for everything ❤️

What’s done?

• Finished the demo video :)
• added unlogged hours like i forgot to add kursal.js to the project hours list LOL
• started translations for the app… takes time lol

[LOCK IN] uhh last day lol

What’s done?

• lots of bug fixes lol
• API reworks & documentation
• NPM package! You can now interact with the Kursal API with a JavaScript (TypeScript) module: https://www.npmjs.com/package/kursal
• Editing of a new video demo

What now

• finish the video demo
• tbh it’s the last day idk if I can finish anything else :(

[LOCK IN] LAST WEEEEK!

What’s done?

• Working backups!
• Fixed critical issues in the API server
• New library in development! kursal.js!
  • You can listen to app events like receiving a message
  • And send some of the commands (send messages, react) but some missing

What next

• continue working on the kursal JS lib and publish it on NPM

[LOCK IN] after a few days of break because of exams, I’m back 🔥

What’s done?

• reworked the whole settings tab: there are now a LOT more settings to tweak :)
• added color themes, in light & dark mode (they look fire)
• onboarding to explain how adding a contact works
• removed the top bar on mac (it’s cooler :p)

What next

• Finish the settings, I still have one category to complete (storage)
• offline messaging…… (will eventually do :cryin:)

[LOCK IN] I’m so mad I got a x13 on my first ship… like I literally spent the previous year thinking about this project and writing a technical paper! Auuyghhh 😭

What’s done?

• Bluetooth nearby adding (that took so long)
• Connection limiter to avoid spam requests
• Deep linking support (Kursal://)
• App menu
• API server to control Kursal via code

What next

• offline messaging

[LOCK IN] still locked in. btw i know i use emojis and it looks like AI but bro… no its me writing my devlogs :p

What’s done?

• Reworked the entire interface (thanks Claude)
• Added an onboarding screen (it’s so cool! still missing some images, waiting for my friend to finish drawing)
• Keychain fixes, reworked imports and stuff
• Partial bluetooth support for first-contact (it’s still buggy)
• Working on an local API server to interact with the app

What next

• Finish the local API (almost done)
• Fix bluetooth (this is pure pain LOL)

[LOCK IN]

What’s done?

• Real message edits, reactions and deletion
• FILE TRANSFERS! Unlimited size! I had to make it go through custom streams between clients lol
• mobile friendly UI… now it works…
• currently reworking the WHOLE interface

What next

• currently reworking the interface with an onboarding (thanks opus)
• will try to implement calls… that’d be CRAZY

[LOCK IN] So many bug fixes and improvements! :D

What’s done?

• Fixed logging, with rotating logging files that get .tar.gz’d
• Fixed keychain 😭
• File associations: .kursal files can be opened in-app and trigger events (like long term code files)
• ANDROID FIX! it now works on android too! (UI buggy though)
• PROPER PreKey generation fixes
• Tested the lookup_rendezvous feature to re-sync listening addresses between two contacts - HOLY MOLY IT WOKRS
• you cannot add yourself as a contact anymore. dont try this.

What next

• still improve UI
• editing, deleting, reactions
• F I L E transfers (unlimited size!)

oh yeah and i made a demo video! check that one out on the github release :p

[LOCK IN] Improvements! And a public prototype 🎉

What’s done?

• Added an auto-updater to the app
• Key utilities shell script (for generating signing keys)
• Added a log system (with rotating file name)
• USERNAMES AND AVATAR!!! you can share it (or not) to your contacts
• In-app benchmarks (only one for now)
• Revised One-Time-Password hashing parameters (it was too strong)

What next

• Would be cool to have a “per-device” build script or like a “self-build” script
• Test app on all devices… (gosh)

[LOCK IN] fixed lots of bugs… and some improvements :D

What’s done?

• started by adding a android/ios support! (apk to install, or ipa for iPhone but like.. you need something like altstore)
• fixed DNS swarm multiaddr
• check the DHT record before accepting the entry
• interface improvements (small ones)
• you can now remove a contact! (will clear messages)
• ability to block/unblock contacts (to keep message history)

What next

• still interface 😭
• usernames and avatar (lol i didnt do that since last devlog)

[LOCK IN] uh i thought i had to devlog more than 10 hours so uh.. sorry for the 14h devlog 😅

What’s done?

• spent $28 of claude credits for the interface… to be the same 😭
• fixed bugs! lots of ’em:
  • security code now works :p (prevents man in the middle attack)
  • one time password and long term code works now… lol
  • nearby contact works better now (it was really buggy before)
• PEER ID ROTATION, that was so haardd 😭 but IT WORKS HOLY MOLY

What next

• interface… still… i’m outta credits though bruh
• test… test… test… (again)
• usernames and avatar (it looks ugly right now LOL)
• kursal:// protocol

there’s still lots of work to be done! but take a look at the screenshots it’s coming together :)))

IT’S STARTING TO ALL COME TOGETHER 🗣️

What’s done?

• Debugged lots of magic
• Whole CLI sidequest LOL: Open a new relay with a TOML config to participate to the Kursal Network
• GOT MDNS TO WORK AND MESSAGING HOLY MOLY (see screenshots :p)
• Oh and i bought the https://kursal.chat domain name (fire)

What next

• still make the interface better (right now it’s made with GPT-5.3, I bought credits to make with Claude, probs Opus will see)
• test… test… test

i’m so proud of that project I think i’m seeing the end of it! i think

okay… FINALLY done with the backend stuff!

What’s done?

• Went through all the code to look for bugs and vulnerabilities (thanks code rabbit)
• Wrote all the bindings for Tauri!
• Started writing the web interface with AI

What next

• finish the interface lol
• debug stuff 😭 (seems like connections aren’t working yet)

next devlogs will probably contain real screenshots lol

Last utilities functions written! I can finally start working on putting everything together!

What’s done?

• Finished the One-Time-Password
• Long-Term-Code: Generate, share and load long term cryptographic keys (omg that sounds so nerd lol)
• Nearby Share: that was the most difficult, made modular structures to allow MDNS discovery… and maybe bluetooth in the future? (that would be fiiireee)
• Messaging Pipeline: Connection between messages and database, global message structure and more :p
• oh and more tests

What next

• Look for bugs and vulnerabilities… Yeah I want and have to check for those lol
• Start working with Tauri! (allows to make desktop apps)

I think I’m done with the hardest… but there’s still a long way to go lol, hopefully i’ll make it in time before the end of the event…. ;-;

Same as before, more utility functions to use later! Got more progress done!

What’s done?

• Finished Crypto Layer
• Message Types: serialize, deserialize & more
• Network Layer: manages the decentralized network
• Peer ID Rotation: utility functions to rotate peer ID (enhanced security :p)
• DHT Rendezvous: prepare all the Distributed Hash Table magic
• Contact Management: Saving/Loading contacts
• One Time Password (OTP): In progress! Prepare, hash, publish and fetch the entry

What next

• Finish the OTP
• More first contact options (long term code, nearby share)

I don’t know how I’ve managed to add so much stuff LOL

Still VERY nerd sorry I still don’t have any demo :(

Sorry it’s hard to show anything for now, it’s really like project scaffolding and useful functions… But I did a whole plan with steps that will take quite some time :)

What’s done?

• Project Scaffolding & dependencies (had to install libsignal, was quite hard lol)
• Custom Rust Errors (really useful!)
• Database Storage: makes saving encryption keys easier basically
• Identity: Generate key pairs and stuff (nerd magic i guess)
• Crypto: Dilithium-5 signing, message en/decryption, pre-key bundle generator
• oh and tests for each category :p

What next

• Message Types
• Network Layer (will take HUGE amount of time)
• and maybe Peer ID rotation? maybe?

I know this sounds like nerd as heck but I dont have any choice lol that’s literally my project 🤷

I also made a website for this project: https://kursal.chat if you wanna check it out, there’s also a whitepaper about the technical stack, even though it has been reworked a bit