AirChat

AirChat is a privacy-focused, local-first chat app built with Flutter. It enables users to discover, connect, and chat with nearby devices directly—no internet required. All communication is encrypted end-to-end.

Screenshot

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🚀 Features

• Nearby Discovery: Find and connect with users around you using Android's Nearby Connections API.
• Secure Messaging: All messages are encrypted using AES-256 and ECDH key exchange. (To be implemented)
• File Sharing: Send files and media securely to connected peers.
• Offline-First: Works without internet; all data is stored locally and securely.
• Modern UI: Clean, intuitive interface with theming support.
• Cross-Platform: Runs on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux (with platform-specific features).

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🛠️ Tech Stack

Component	Technology
UI	Flutter
Comm Protocol	Android Nearby API (via Platform Channels)
Encryption	AES-256, ECDH (Libsodium or custom)
State Mgmt	Provider/Bloc
Storage	Hive/SQLite (Encrypted)

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🔹 Architecture (High-Level)

• Flutter Frontend
  • Initiates connection via platform channels
  • Displays chat UI and handles local logic
• Android Native (Kotlin)
  • Handles Nearby Advertising & Discovery
  • Sends/receives messages
• Encryption Layer
  • Keys are exchanged securely
  • Each message is encrypted before sending

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🏛 Project Folder Structure

airchat/
  ├── android/           # Android native code (Kotlin, manifests)
  ├── ios/               # iOS native code (Swift, assets)
  ├── lib/               # Flutter/Dart source code
  │   ├── main.dart      # App entry point
  │   ├── models/        # Data models (ChatUser, ChatMessage, etc.)
  │   ├── services/      # Platform channels, connection logic
  │   ├── providers/     # State management (Provider)
  │   ├── ui/            # Screens and UI widgets
  │   ├── utility/       # Helpers, utilities
  │   └── widgets/       # Reusable widgets
  ├── assets/            # App icons, splash, images
  ├── test/              # Unit/widget tests
  ├── pubspec.yaml       # Flutter dependencies
  └── README.md          # Project documentation

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⚡ Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Flutter SDK (3.x recommended)
• Android Studio/Xcode for mobile builds
• A device or emulator (Nearby API requires real device for full functionality)

Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/nishant9083/airchat.git
   cd airchat

2. Install dependencies:

   flutter pub get

3. (Optional) Generate icons and splash:

   flutter pub run flutter_launcher_icons:main
   flutter pub run flutter_native_splash:create

Running the App

• Android:

  flutter run -d android

• iOS:

  flutter run -d ios

• Desktop (Windows/macOS/Linux):

  flutter run -d windows  # or macos/linux

• Web:

  flutter run -d chrome

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📱 Usage

• Launch the app on two or more devices.
• Set your display name when prompted.
• Tap the discover button to find nearby devices.
• Tap a user to connect and start chatting.
• Send text, images, videos, or files securely.
• Use the search bar to quickly find chats or users.

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🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! To contribute:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a new branch (git checkout -b feature/your-feature)
3. Make your changes and commit (git commit -am 'Add new feature')
4. Push to your fork (git push origin feature/your-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

Please follow the existing code style and add tests where appropriate.

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🛡️ License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.

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🙏 Credits

• Flutter
• Hive
• Provider
• Nearby Connections API
• All contributors and open-source libraries used.