TermiTalk

Anonymous Terminal Messaging System

TermiTalk is a lightweight Node.js-based application that allows anonymous messaging between computers on the same network, entirely via the terminal. Messages are saved in a .txt file, ensuring simplicity and minimal resource usage.

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Features

• 📂 Messages are saved as .txt files (overwriting the previous message).
• 🕶️ Fully anonymous with unique IDs (UUIDs) for each message.
• 🕒 Timestamped messages for clear tracking.
• ⚡ Real-time communication between clients via the terminal.
• 🎨 Aesthetic terminal output with colors and borders.

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Requirements

• Node.js (v16 or higher)
• A shared network between devices

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Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/aligunesv/termitalk.git  
   cd termitalk  

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install  

3. Update the file path for message storage in server.js (default: C:/Users/Administrator/Desktop/msg/messages.txt):

   const msgFilePath = path.join("C:", "Users", "Administrator", "Desktop", "msg", "messages.txt");  

4. Start the server:

   node server.js  

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Usage

Step 1: Start the Server

1. Open a terminal on the server machine.
2. Run the following command to start the server:

   node server.js

3. The server will listen on port 3500 for incoming connections. You should see a message indicating the server is running.

Step 2: Connect Clients to the Server

1. On another computer in the same network, clone the TermiTalk repository and install dependencies as described above.
2. Open the client.js file in a text editor.
3. Locate the following line and replace SERVER_IP with the IP address of the server (the computer running server.js). If you want to test on the same machine, you can use 127.0.0.1 as the IP address:

   client.connect(3500, "SERVER_IP", () => {
       console.log("Connected to the server. Messages will be shown automatically when updated.");
       console.log("Write your message:");
   });

4. Save the changes and run the client with the following command:

   node client.js

Step 3: Start Messaging

1. Once the client connects to the server, you can start typing your messages directly into the terminal.
2. Each message you send will:
   • Be saved in the messages.txt file on the server.
   • Overwrite the previous message in the file.
   • Be broadcasted to all other connected clients in real time.
3. All received messages will appear in the client terminal with their unique ID and timestamp.

Example Interaction

1. Server Terminal:

   Server running on port 3500...
   New message received:
   ╭────────────────────────────╮
   │ ID: d4f7f6e0-8b...         │
   │ Time: 2024-12-11 14:35    │
   │ Message: Hello Server!     │
   ╰────────────────────────────╯

2. Client Terminal:

   Connected to the server. Messages will be shown automatically when updated.
   Write your message:

   After sending a message:

   Your message: Hi there!
   New message from another user:
   ╭────────────────────────────╮
   │ ID: abcd1234-ef...         │
   │ Time: 2024-12-11 14:37    │
   │ Message: Hello!            │
   ╰────────────────────────────╯

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Example Output

Terminal View

╭────────────────────────────╮  
│ New Message:              │  
│ ID: d4f7f6e0-8b...        │  
│ Time: 2024-12-11 14:35    │  
│ Message: Hello World!     │  
╰────────────────────────────╯  

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Dependencies

• net: For TCP connections.
• fs: To manage file operations.
• path: For creating safe and dynamic file paths.
• uuid: To generate unique IDs for messages.
• date-fns: For formatting timestamps.
• chalk: To add color to terminal output.
• boxen: To create styled message boxes in the terminal.

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Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you have ideas to improve TermiTalk, feel free to open an issue or submit a pull request.

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License

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

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Future Plans

• 🔒 Message Encryption: Add encryption for secure communication.
• 📝 Message Archiving: Save and retrieve message history.
• 🌐 Cross-Network Support: Enable messaging across different networks.

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Happy coding! 😊