marchat GUI Client

Cross-platform desktop client for marchat chat server with real-time messaging, file sharing, and end-to-end encryption support.

Features

• Real-time WebSocket-based messaging
• File sharing with configurable size limits
• End-to-end encryption with keystore management
• Multiple UI themes (light, dark, system)
• Admin functionality for user and database management
• Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)
• 12/24 hour time format options
• Audio notifications with mention filtering
• Markdown support for code snippets
• Auto-reconnection with exponential backoff

Requirements

• Go 1.23 or later
• Compatible marchat server instance

Dependencies

• Fyne v2 - GUI framework
• Gorilla WebSocket - WebSocket client
• marchat/client/config - Configuration management
• marchat/client/crypto - Encryption support
• marchat/shared - Shared data structures

Installation

go build -o marchat-gui main.go

Configuration

Interactive Setup

Run without arguments to open the configuration dialog:

./marchat-gui

Configuration Options

• Username: Display name for chat
• Server URL: WebSocket server endpoint (default: ws://localhost:8080/ws)
• Admin Access: Enable admin privileges with key
• End-to-End Encryption: Enable with keystore passphrase
• Global E2E Key: Set via MARCHAT_GLOBAL_E2E_KEY environment variable
• Theme: system, light, or dark

Keystore Location

Keystores are stored following OS conventions:

• Linux/macOS: ~/.config/marchat/keystore.dat
• Windows: %APPDATA%\marchat\keystore.dat

Usage

Chat Commands

:clear              Clear chat history
:time               Toggle 12/24h time format
:bell               Toggle notification sounds
:bell-mention       Toggle mention-only notifications
:code               Create code snippet dialog
:sendfile [path]    Send file to chat
:savefile <name>    Save received file
:theme <name>       Change theme

Admin Commands

:cleardb            Clear message database
:backup             Backup database
:stats              Show database statistics
:kick <user>        Kick user from chat
:ban <user>         Ban user permanently
:unban <user>       Remove user ban
:allow <user>       Override kick/ban
:forcedisconnect <user>  Force disconnect user

File Sharing

File size limits are configured via environment variables:

• MARCHAT_MAX_FILE_BYTES: Maximum file size in bytes
• MARCHAT_MAX_FILE_MB: Maximum file size in megabytes

Default limit is 1MB.

Menu Navigation

File Menu

• Send File: Open file picker
• Save Received File: Save files from chat
• Quit: Close application

Edit Menu

• Clear Chat: Remove message history
• Code Snippet: Create formatted code blocks

View Menu

• Toggle Time Format: Switch time display
• Theme Selection: Change appearance

Audio Menu

• Toggle Bell: Enable/disable notifications
• Toggle Bell on Mention Only: Filter notifications

Encryption

The client supports end-to-end encryption when properly configured:

1. Enable encryption in configuration dialog
2. Provide keystore passphrase
3. Set global encryption key via environment variable
4. Existing keystores from CLI client are compatible

Admin Features

Admin users can:

• View and manage connected users
• Execute database operations
• Kick, ban, or force disconnect users
• Access server statistics
• Perform database backups

Admin selection in user list enables context actions.

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Enter: Send message
• Ctrl+Enter: New line in message entry

Logging

Debug logs are written to marchat-gui-debug.log in the working directory.

Environment Variables

MARCHAT_GLOBAL_E2E_KEY    # Global encryption key (base64)
MARCHAT_MAX_FILE_BYTES    # File size limit in bytes
MARCHAT_MAX_FILE_MB       # File size limit in megabytes

Connection Handling

• Automatic reconnection on connection loss
• Exponential backoff with maximum 30-second delay
• WebSocket ping/pong for connection health
• TLS verification disabled by default for development

Build Options

For production builds, consider:

go build -ldflags="-s -w" -o marchat-gui main.go

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

• Verify server URL and accessibility
• Check firewall settings
• Review debug logs

Encryption Problems

• Confirm keystore passphrase
• Verify MARCHAT_GLOBAL_E2E_KEY environment variable
• Check keystore file permissions

File Transfer Failures

• Verify file size limits
• Check file permissions
• Ensure sufficient disk space

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.