A full-featured, self-hosted Discord alternative built from scratch
Real-time messaging, voice chat with WebRTC, screen sharing, and more — all self-hosted, no third-party services required.
Messaging & Channels
- Real-time text messaging with Socket.IO
- Server creation with text and voice channels
- Direct messages and group conversations
- Message editing, deletion, and pinning
- Emoji picker and rich text support
- Full-text message search across channels
- Typing indicators and read receipts
Voice & Video
- Peer-to-peer voice chat via WebRTC
- Real-time speaking indicators with Web Audio API
- Screen sharing with a Discord-style source picker (choose window, monitor, or application)
- Stream quality selection (720p–1440p, 30/60fps)
- Stream viewer with volume control, fullscreen mode, and watch/leave toggle
- Camera support with video grid layout
- Join/leave/mute/deafen sounds
User System
- JWT-based authentication with bcrypt password hashing
- User profiles with avatar uploads
- Online/idle/DnD/invisible status
- Friend system (add, accept, remove)
- Role-based permissions per server
Server Management
- Create and customize servers with icons
- Invite system with shareable invite codes
- Server settings for owners (name, icon, channels)
- Member list with role badges
- Channel creation and management (text + voice)
Desktop App (Electron)
- Native Windows installer (NSIS)
- Discord-style animated splash screen with update check
- Auto-updater via GitHub Releases (electron-updater)
- System tray with server info and quick actions
- Screen sharing via Electron's desktopCapturer API
- Single-instance lock
Networking
- LAN discovery with automatic IP detection
- ngrok integration for public tunneling (one-click in the invite modal)
- Resizable sidebar with persistent width
| Layer | Technology |
|---|---|
| Frontend | React 18, Vite, Lucide Icons |
| Backend | Node.js, Express, Socket.IO |
| Database | SQLite via sql.js (zero-config, single-file) |
| Real-time | WebRTC (peer-to-peer), Socket.IO (signaling) |
| Desktop | Electron 28, electron-builder, electron-updater |
| Auth | JWT, bcryptjs |
| Uploads | Multer (avatars, server icons, attachments) |
| Tunneling | ngrok (optional, for public access) |
funke/
├── client/ # React frontend (Vite)
│ └── src/
│ ├── components/ # 17 React components
│ ├── contexts/ # App state (useReducer + Context)
│ ├── utils/ # WebRTC manager, Socket.IO, sounds
│ └── styles/ # Dark theme CSS (~4000 lines)
├── server/ # Express + Socket.IO backend
│ ├── routes/ # REST API (auth, uploads)
│ ├── socket/ # Real-time handlers (chat, voice, DM, friends)
│ ├── database.js # SQLite schema & queries
│ └── index.js # Server entry point + ngrok
├── electron/ # Desktop app shell
│ ├── main.js # Main process (splash, updater, IPC, tray)
│ ├── preload.js # Context bridge (desktopCapturer)
│ └── splash.html # Animated startup screen
└── package.json # Build config (electron-builder + NSIS)
- Node.js 18+
- npm
# Install all dependencies
npm run setup
# Start in development mode (hot-reload)
npm run devThe app runs at http://localhost:4000.
# Build Windows installer
npm run distThe installer is output to dist-app/.
npm run build # Build frontend first
npm run electron # Start Electron- Same network (LAN): Open the Invite Modal → copy the LAN address → send it to your friend
- Different network: Click "ngrok Tunnel starten" in the Invite Modal → share the public URL
- Your friend opens the address in a browser, creates an account, and joins with the invite code
Add screenshots to a
docs/screenshots/folder and uncomment the image tags above.
MIT License — see LICENSE for details.
Built with ☕ by Numan