Introducing Bitchat: Decentralized Offline Messaging via Bluetooth Mesh
Bitchat redefines resilient communication by eliminating dependence on infrastructure. Built as a permissionless, serverless messaging protocol, it leverages Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networking to enable real-time, multi-hop conversations—entirely offline. Conceived as “the side-groupchat” for the post-internet era, Bitchat requires no accounts, no phone numbers, and no internet connection. Instead, devices discover each other autonomously, form ad-hoc mesh topologies, and relay messages across up to seven hops—making it uniquely suited for remote deployments, disaster response, civil coordination, and privacy-first environments.
Getting Started with Bitchat
Installation is streamlined: download the official iOS app (iOS 16.0+) or Android APK (v1.1.6), or build from source using the public GitHub repository. On first launch, choose a nickname—no registration required—and Bitchat immediately begins scanning for nearby peers via BLE advertising. Join public channels with IRC-style commands like /j #rescue, list active channels with /channels, or initiate private chats using /m @friend Hello. Channel admins can set passwords (/pass secret), assign moderators, and even transfer ownership—all without central coordination. Messages propagate intelligently through the mesh, respecting TTL limits and avoiding loops via cryptographic message IDs and bloom-filter deduplication.