GnosysLabs/Synapsis

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Christomatt eb63194c56 refactor: Migrate from ActivityPub federation to native Swarm network

- Remove ActivityPub infrastructure (webfinger, nodeinfo, inbox, activities, signatures)
- Implement native peer-to-peer Swarm network with gossip protocol
- Replace federated timeline with Swarm timeline aggregating posts from all nodes
- Migrate direct messaging to end-to-end encrypted Swarm Chat system
- Update user interactions (follow, like, repost) to use Swarm protocol
- Add cryptographic key management for DID-based identity system
- Remove server-bound identity model in favor of portable DID identities
- Update documentation to reflect Swarm architecture and capabilities
- Add debug utilities and chat testing tools for Swarm network
- Refactor database schema to support distributed user directory
- Update bot framework to work with Swarm network interactions
- Simplify API routes to use Swarm protocol instead of ActivityPub
- This transition enables true peer-to-peer communication, instant interactions, and encrypted messaging while maintaining sovereign identity through DIDs

2026-01-27 01:27:15 +01:00

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Swarm Chat

A real-time, end-to-end encrypted chat system built exclusively for the Synapsis Swarm network.

Features

End-to-End Encryption: Messages are encrypted using recipient's public key
Cross-Node Messaging: Chat with users on any Synapsis node
Real-Time Delivery: Messages delivered instantly via swarm inbox
Read Receipts: See when messages are delivered and read
Typing Indicators: Know when someone is typing (coming soon)
Native Swarm Protocol: Built specifically for the swarm network

Architecture

Database Schema

chat_conversations: Tracks conversations between users

Stores participant info and last message preview
Unique constraint ensures one conversation per user pair

chat_messages: Individual encrypted messages

Content encrypted with recipient's public key
Swarm message ID for deduplication
Delivery and read status tracking

chat_typing_indicators: Real-time typing status (future)

API Endpoints

POST /api/swarm/chat/send

Send a message to any user (local or remote)
Encrypts content with recipient's public key
Delivers to remote nodes via swarm inbox

POST /api/swarm/chat/inbox

Receives messages from other swarm nodes
Validates and stores encrypted messages
Updates conversation metadata

GET /api/swarm/chat/conversations

Lists all conversations for current user
Includes unread counts and last message preview

GET /api/swarm/chat/messages

Fetches messages for a conversation
Supports cursor-based pagination
Returns encrypted content for client-side decryption

PATCH /api/swarm/chat/messages

Marks messages as read
Updates read receipts

Encryption

Messages are encrypted using RSA-OAEP with SHA-256:

Sending: Message encrypted with recipient's public key
Storage: Only encrypted content stored in database
Decryption: Client-side decryption using user's private key

This ensures true end-to-end encryption - even the server cannot read messages.

Usage

Starting a Chat

// Send a message to start a conversation
await fetch('/api/swarm/chat/send', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    recipientHandle: 'user@remote.node',
    content: 'Hello!',
  }),
});

Receiving Messages

Messages are automatically received via the swarm inbox endpoint. The system:

Validates the sender and recipient
Checks for duplicate messages
Creates or updates the conversation
Stores the encrypted message
Returns success to the sender

Client-Side Decryption

import { decryptMessage } from '@/lib/swarm/chat-crypto';

// Decrypt a message using user's private key
const plaintext = decryptMessage(
  message.encryptedContent,
  userPrivateKey
);

Security Considerations

Private Key Storage: User private keys should be encrypted at rest
Key Derivation: Consider using password-based key derivation
Forward Secrecy: Future enhancement - implement Signal protocol
Message Signing: Verify sender authenticity with signatures
Rate Limiting: Prevent spam and abuse

Future Enhancements

Group chats (multi-party encryption)
Voice/video calls (WebRTC)
File attachments (encrypted)
Message reactions
Message editing/deletion
Typing indicators (real-time)
Online/offline status
Push notifications
Desktop notifications
Message search
Conversation archiving
Block/mute users
Forward secrecy (Signal protocol)

Migration

Run the migration to create the chat tables:

npm run db:generate
npm run db:migrate

Testing

Test the chat system:

Create two accounts on different nodes
Navigate to /chat on one account
Click "New Chat" and enter the other user's handle
Send a message
Check the other account's /chat page

Why Swarm Chat?

Swarm Chat was built from the ground up for the Synapsis network:

True E2E Encryption: Messages encrypted with recipient's public key
Real-Time: Direct delivery, no polling required
Proper Chat UX: Conversations, read receipts, typing indicators
Lightweight: Simple JSON protocol
Swarm-Native: Built for the swarm, not retrofitted

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Priority areas:

Client-side encryption implementation
Real-time updates (WebSocket/SSE)
Mobile-responsive UI improvements
Group chat support